If you are in the market for a new high-energy protein drink, makes sure to avoid Fuelosophy. Being sold on the shelves of select Whole Foods markets this month, this line is introduced by a small company we all just happen to know about already: PepsiCo. Most big business, trying to break into the “natural foods” market full of skeptical buyers, simply buy up smaller brands that have already grained a substantial following. In this case, Pepsi is taking the opposite approach and has created a completely separate brand, with no noticeable ties to its parent company and little to no marketing.
Two weeks ago, Whole Foods stock had its biggest drop ever, thanks to stores like Wal-Mart beginning to sell more organic and “natural” foods and products. Most of the brands that WF carried when it first began were small, family-owned ones. These folks didn’t have the money for advertising, but by being sold at Whole Foods, it said the company could be trusted and was worth paying a bit more for. Big conglomerates like Pepsi are just looking to “cash in” on this market and care very little about the actual health of their “target audience”, let alone that of the people who grow and process their items in foreign countries. By selling at “natural” grocery stores, they know they can charge more for their items, getting more folks addicted to their sugar-infused and overtly-processed goods, along with increasing their profits for their money-hungry shareholders.
Has Pepsi had a change of heart? Is Whole Foods just looking to expand its profits in any way possible? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: do your research before you spend your hard-earned money on, well, anything!
01/12/2006 at 8:49 pm Permalink
hope you dont drink/eat anything by odwalla - aka coca cola.
02/12/2006 at 7:58 pm Permalink
No longer, no - I used to before CC bought them, but not anymore. It sucks to have to avoid Tom’s of Maine now too :/
When it comes to pre-made smoothies, I’m a Naked Juice fan.
08/01/2007 at 6:31 am Permalink
Excuse me, why is this bad? This is the annoying hippy, green, better than thou attitude that turns people off from trying to be green. It should be a good thing that the large companies are realizing they need to change. The quickest way is to buy a company that already is what the public wants. Change to the company may follow.
08/01/2007 at 9:18 pm Permalink
Big companies changing for the better is a good thing; that is not something that I question. Most firms just by sustainable companies to make more money from that sector of the public; rarely does it come to affect their own policies. If this comes to change in the future, I will be most pleased.