I always regard Independence Day as a special occasion for two reasons. First, it means we have six months left to accomplish our goals in any given year, and second, it offers an opportunity to declare our independence from anything that we do not care for in our lives.
I can happily say that this year, for the first time ever, both reasons have come together. With Wild Oats we set out on a mission to lower the cost of organic food. “Democratizing health” was how the headline on this story read in the early days, referring to the fact that previously, only wealthy people could afford to buy healthy food. Our goal was to eliminate the premiums for organic food, and the partnership between Wild Oats and Walmart is currently bringing that about. The main challenge now, which everyone is working frenetically to meet, is to get even more organic products out there.
As for declaring our personal independence, that’s something we all have to do — particularly when it comes to keeping our health from being put at risk by a conventional food system and the witches’ brew of ingredients that comes with it. When you buy organic products, you can feel assured that all the chemicals and synthetics, such as preservatives and artificial dyes, have been eliminated along with pesticides, herbicides and GMOs. It’s something you don’t even have to think about when you see the USDA Organic Seal on a product.
That’s why providing Wild Oats products at 25 percent less than those offered by other organic brands — and at a price equivalent to the leading national conventional brands — represents both the attainment of a personal goal for me and an act of personal independence for everyday Americans. It’s something that will benefit not only regular Walmart shoppers, but provide all cost-conscious consumers with a newfound freedom to choose the foods that will keep their families healthy, rather than having to settle for those that are most affordable. Now that’s what I call independence worth celebrating!
