Earth Fare removes GMO ingredients from private brands
Ashville, N.C.-based Earth Fare, which says it has served its communities for 40 years by making healthy food accessible and affordable, says it has now removed GMO ingredients from its private label food products, which includes more than 500 items.
With over 500 private brand items now on shelf and hundreds more soon to be launched over the next six months, Earth Fare said it is committed to transparency. The company says its non-GMO project is the culmination of two years of research and development.
“Our Earth Fare brand products allow us the unique opportunity to control our food products from raw ingredient sourcing to the store shelf,” said Justin Jackson, Earth Fare’s chief merchandising officer. “Customers want to be educated and informed, and this meticulous tracking of what is in our food and how it is sourced not only provides a confidence level in our products, but also leads to cost savings that we pass on directly to our customers.”
The announcement comes on the heels of Earth Fare’s new message, “Live Longer with Earth Fare.”
Earth Fare says its food philosophy forbids hundreds of harmful chemicals and ingredients from making their way onto shelves and is among the strictest in America. The campaign makes the case that better food choices lead to a longer and healthier life, and challenges other supermarkets to come clean.
“We’re here to make healthy food accessible to everyone, everywhere, and our non-GMO announcement is the next step to strengthening our commitment,” said Frank Scorpiniti, Earth Fare’s president and CEO. “From the onset, our merchant team has benchmarked every product against industry-leading products to ensure delicious, healthy food at an incredible value. Our shoppers asked for more non-GMO options, so we updated our entire Earth Fare brand food line to meet their needs.”
Earth Fare says it has distinguished itself by developing a food philosophy that informs every product offered in the store. The food philosophy is exemplified by a rigorous set of quality standards, which ensures that all items are free of high fructose corn syrup, artificial fats, artificial trans-fats, artificial colors, artificial preservatives, artificial sweeteners and bleached or bromated flour and that animal sources of meat and dairy products are never administered antibiotics or growth hormones. The full list of unacceptable ingredients can be found on Earth Fare’s Boot List. The chain also strives to incorporate locally produced products into their assortment, including produce, meat, beer and wine, dairy products and specialty items.