. . . Pledges to shift to ‘simple ingredients’
Joining the lineup of companies that are kneeling to public pressure, candy-maker Hershey has recently announced that it will soon remove genetically modified ingredients from its milk chocolate and Kisses by the end of 2015. What’s more, the company is pledging to shift to ‘simple ingredients,’ which will exemplified by the removal of emulsifier polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) and artificial vanillin.
Coming straight from Hershey’s website:
“What sparked these ingredient changes? Have consumers been asking Hershey to move to simpler ingredients/labels?
As a consumer-centric company, we understand that people want to know what’s in their food. As consumers ourselves, we agree with them. That’s why we will share information openly, candidly and transparently. Our iconic brands are about goodness – goodness in both how they are made and how they taste. For more than 100 years, we’ve built trusting relationships with our consumers and customers around this principle. We’re proud of this heritage. But at the same time, we listen closely to our consumers and are always working to make our brands relevant to evolving expectations and lifestyles.
With the changes that Hershey is making to ingredients (non-genetically modified sugar, sustainable, traceable palm oil, rBST-free milk), what is the end game?
Our iconic brands are about delivering goodness – both in how they are made and how they taste. We are moving our product portfolio to simpler ingredients. This will take time and as part of that journey we will be sharing more about what’s in our products, and how they are sourced and manufactured. All of this is based on knowledge and insights about what our consumers care about most.”
It is very easy to write ‘don’t let other people’s thoughts and opinions influence you or define you’ – it’s a really common phrase and I’m sure I’ve written it plenty of times myself. However, let’s be real: it is one thing to write it or be inspired by it, and another thing entirely to learn to actually be that way.
Debt and budgets in the trillions of dollars and euros are difficult to comprehend. The US budget is nearly $4 Trillion per year while the US official national debt exceeds $18 Trillion. A single large bank may hold contracts for more than $50 Trillion in derivative contracts. Global debt is approximately $200 Trillion.