(DHA) algal oil in organic processed products." In 2012, five years after the algal oil was introduced into milk, it quietly acknowledged that some federal regulations had been "incorrectly interpreted." The USDA then maintained the status quo - allowing the use of algal oil, among other things - in order not to "disrupt" the market.Īsked this month about the issue, a USDA spokesman declined to address the confusion saying that current regulations have been "interpreted to allow for the use of. In deciding to allow the use of the oil and similar additives, USDA officials, at least initially, misread federal regulations.
At least in part, it's a lobbying tug-of-war: On one side, many companies, seeking to maximize sales, push the USDA for an expansive definition of "organic." On the other, consumer groups advocate for a narrower, "purer," definition. Department of Agriculture determines what foods may be sold with its coveted "USDA Organic" seal, a label that can double a product's price. "When an organic milk carton says it has higher levels of beneficial nutrients, like omega-3 fats, consumers want that to be the result of good farming practices.not from additives made in a factory."Įxactly what should be considered an "organic" food? A closer look at how the oil winds up in organic milk offers insight into how the U.S. "We do not think that belongs in organic foods," said Charlotte Vallaeys, a senior policy analyst, at Consumer Reports. This omission avoids any ick reaction from shoppers, but consumer advocates say it also dodges a key question: Is milk supplemented with an oil brewed in a factory really "organic"? What the Horizon milk carton doesn't advertise is that some of its contents were brewed in closed stainless steel vats of schizochytrium. "DHA Omega-3 Supports Brain Health," according to the Horizon cartons sold in supermarkets around the U.S. Rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, the oil allows Horizon to advertise health benefits and charge a higher price. Marketed as a nutritional enhancement, the oil is added to millions of cartons of organic milk from Horizon, one of the nation's largest organic brands. The payoff, which comes after processing, is a substance that resembles corn oil. There the algae, known as schizochytrium, multiply quickly. and worse, you lose trust.Inside a South Carolina factory, in industrial vats that stand five stories high, batches of algae are carefully tended, kept warm and fed corn syrup. You force attention to the fact that your cows are only in pastures as long as regulatory mandates require. In this case, Horizon, you just caused consumers to think the trusty organic milk they have been buying for years, is not as good as they thought it was. What happens in consumer psychology, when the very brand you trust introduces another product, at a higher price point that usurps the positioning you had in your mind?. But not even remotely as fast as Horizon seems to have done so to themselves. Solid positioning.Ī competitor could erode that position, perhaps, maybe a little. Horizon Organic Milk is known and trusted for high quality organic milk from pasture raised cows (pasture raised = grass fed).
with the launch of a new SKU that competes alongside your organic milk?Īs a long-time Horizon Organic’s Milk customer and someone that really understands consumer perceptions, I was taken aback on what I saw as a huge mistake by Horizon.
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