It was a sad day when I told my young granddaughter that she couldn’t have the ice cream she wanted because the ingredients were ‘not good’. We were on a lovely summer-day stroll and we both were craving ice cream. I asked the vendor what type of sugar they used. They couldn’t answer the question. So then I asked to see the ingredient list and they couldn’t supply that either. So we passed on the purchase and went on the hunt for organic ice cream or at the very least ice cream that was made with recognizable ingredients. Needless to say it was a very long walk.
Ultimately we did find some and to celebrate we had ‘doubles’. As we licked the scrumptious organic strawberry cream and the exquisite peanut butter and chocolate, we had an interesting conversation about what ice cream was and how did ‘the ice cream store’ get it. We asked the salesperson that question and we got us a peek into the vendor’s on-premises ice-cream making facility. Very cool and very yummy samples.
Happily organic ice cream will soon be only as far away as the corner store. Ben and Jerry’s, the iconic ice cream maker, just announced that it will transform all of its 50 flavors to non-genetically modified ingredients and Fair Trade certification. To meet the non-GMO and Fair Trade standards, Ben & Jerry’s had to find new sources for some 110 ingredients that go into their wonderful chunky flavours. But before we get weepy-eyed as we embrace another large corporation who is making the move to non-GMO food its good to understand perspective.
This move puts Ben & Jerry’s back in the good graces of a growing GMO-opposition movement. Just two years ago, Ben & Jerry’s parent company Unilever spent more than $450,000 to try to defeat the California GMO labeling ballot initiative. Ben & Jerry’s took heat for it from their customer base who are GMO opponents. Less than a year later, Ben & Jerry’s announced plans to go non-GMO.
Ahhh the power of consumerism.