SupplySide West podcast: Exploring the state of the organic industry

Understanding how brands can support change in the organic supply chain

Heather Granato, VP, Partnerships & Sustainability

October 23, 2018

The term “organic” has a federal definition and decades of history, and sales growth rates for organic products continue to outpace those of conventional goods. Meeting the current and rising demand will take greater investments in the supply chain from all parties, with an emphasis on helping farmers through the transition to support long-term sustainable growth. In the lead-in to SupplySide West, Heather Granato, vice president of content, spoke with Brise Tencer, executive director of the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF.org), about the state of the organic industry and the role that manufacturers can play to support organic farming and a healthy supply chain.

Key points of this podcast include:

  • Steps that companies can take to support domestic organic production, meeting consumers’ interest for “local” products with a traceable supply chain.

  • Why it’s important for a full supply chain partnership to support farmers to get through the three-year transition period to certified organic production.

  • The importance of effective communication and education for consumers about organic, and how that could further bolster sales of those products.

Links and Resources:

  • Want to hear more about the state of organic? Brise Tencer is speaking at Esca Bona At SupplySide West on Friday, Nov. 9 at 11:30 a.m.

  • Interested in hearing stories about how suppliers and brands are collaborating to make a difference in the good food supply chain? Check out the Esca Bona Supplier Heroes.

About the Author

Heather Granato

Heather Granato

VP, Partnerships & Sustainability, Informa Markets, Food EMEA division

Heather Granato is a 30-year veteran of the natural products industry, currently serving as vice president, partnerships & sustainability, in the Food EMEA division of Informa Markets. She is based in London, and leads efforts related to industry partnerships and broader sustainability initiatives for the Vitafoods and Food ingredients brands. She has been a presenter at events including SupplySide, Vitafoods, Food ingredients, Natural Products Expo, the Natural Gourmet Show and the Folio: Show. Her publishing experience includes Natural Products Insider, Food Product Design, Vitafoods Insights, Country Living's Healthy Living, Natural Foods Merchandiser, Delicious Magazine and WomenOf.com. Granato serves as the founding president of Women In Nutraceuticals, a global non-profit founded in 2022 focused on empowering women in the nutraceutical industry; she is also on the board of directors for the Organic & Natural Health Association. From 2016 to 2022, she was a vice president on the national governing board of Kappa Alpha Theta women’s fraternity. Granato was named to the FOLIO: 100 list of top media professionals in 2018, and was selected as a 2015 Top Woman in Media by FOLIO:. She received the 2014 Visionary Award and the 2018 Journalistic Excellence Award from the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA); and was honored with the CEO Merit Award for Content from Virgo in 2014. Granato graduated magna cum laude from the University of Richmond, Virginia, in 1992 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

See more from Heather Granato
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