Compass Natural Marketing Joins Campaign to Label GMO Food

Compass Natural Marketing Joins Campaign to Pass California Right to Know Ballot Initiative to Label GMO Food

Oakland, CA (May 17, 2012) – Compass Natural, a leading public relations firm specializing in marketing and communications for the natural, organic, sustainable and socially responsible products sector, has joined the California Right to Know initiative calling upon State of California voters to require mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods.

Compass Natural will raise awareness, funding and voter support for the California initiative, which is considered by many to be the best hope in the United States to achieve labeling of genetically engineered foods. A March 2012 survey conducted by the Mellman Group found that nine out of 10 American voters favor labeling for genetically engineered food, including nearly all Democrats (93%), Independents (90%) and Republicans (89%). More than 40 countries already require this type of labeling. The California Right to Know campaign turned in nearly a million signatures on May 2 to assure that the initiative will be on the state’s November ballot.

“As we build a broad coalition for this important ballot initiative, we are pleased to engage Compass Natural in helping us garner support within the natural, organic and sustainable products community — not only in California, but across the country,” said Stacy Malkan, media director for the California Right to Know initiative.

“In addition to voter support and endorsements by businesses throughout California and the U.S., fundraising will be a crucial part of the campaign,” stated Steven Hoffman, Managing Partner of Compass Natural and the person tasked with building a broad coalition of support for the initiative within the natural, organic and sustainable products industry.

“If recent events are any indication, large industry groups, such as the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Council for Biotechnology Information — whose members include Monsanto, DuPont, Dow and others — will pour funds into fighting the California initiative. We need the resources to ensure that the facts about labeling reach voters, without distortion, so they can make an informed choice when casting their ballot in November,” Hoffman said.

In the past year, lawmakers in 19 states, including New York, Connecticut and Vermont, have introduced bills that would require similar labeling rules, but none have become law, largely due to aggressive lobbying campaigns by companies that are opposed to transparency in the food system.

The California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act will be voted on by California voters in November 2012. When passed, the initiative will require foods sold in California retail outlets that contain genetically engineered ingredients to be labeled. “Building a broad coalition is essential to winning the campaign,” stress campaign organizers.

Individuals, businesses and organizations can help in several ways, including donating and volunteering. If you’re a business or organization dedicated to natural, organic and sustainable products, contact Steven Hoffman at Compass Natural, email moc.larutanssapmoc@evets, tel 303.807.1042, to contribute to the campaign and learn more. For information about the California Right to Know 2012 ballot initiative, visit www.carighttoknow.org.

About the California Right to Know 2012 Ballot Initiative. The California Right to Know campaign was created to advocate for the labeling of foods containing genetically engineered ingredients. Major supporters include Public Citizen, Sierra Club, American Public Health Association, United Farm Workers, California Certified Organic Farmers, Organic Consumers Association, Consumer Federation of America, Nature’s Path, Lundberg Family Farms, Organic Valley, Dr. Bronner’s, Eden Foods, Mercola.com, Center for Food Safety, Food Democracy Now!, and many other organizations. For a complete list, visit www.carighttoknow.org/endorsements.

About Compass Natural Marketing. Established by organic and LOHAS industry veteran Steven Hoffman, Boulder, CO-based Compass Natural Marketing brings more than 25 years of experience in natural and organic products sales, marketing, public relations, communications, research, event planning and strategic industry guidance to businesses involved in the $290 billion market for natural, organic, sustainable, and socially responsible products. Visit www.compassnatural.com, contact moc.gnitekramlarutanssapmoc@ofni or call 303.807.1042.

A Tealeaf’s Journey: Teatulia’s “Garden to Cup” Philosophy

A Tealeaf’s Journey: Teatulia’s “Garden to Cup” Philosophy Avoids Middlemen, Brings Freshest Premium Quality Organic Tea to Consumers

Contact:

Linda Appel Lipsius, Teatulia, tel 303.433.2980 x 102, linda@teatulia.com  

Steven Hoffman, Compass Natural Marketing, tel 303.807.1042, steve@compassnatural.com

Teatulia’s “garden to cup” philosophy brings pure whole leaf organic teas direct to customers from a single tea garden in Northern Bangladesh's Tetulia region—the only tea garden in Bangladesh to be USDA certified organic. Never blended, these teas are imported fresh, resulting in a refreshingly clean flavor.

Denver, CO (January 23, 2012) – By sourcing directly from its own 1,500-acre certified organic tea garden in Northern Bangladesh, Denver-based Teatulia is able to bring the very freshest, highest quality line of pure whole leaf organic teas to America and the United Kingdom.

With a primary connection to its production partners in Bangladesh, Teatulia imports its organic tea direct to America and the UK, avoiding middlemen and commodity warehouses, where mainstream-traded teas often sit for years before reaching the consumer market. 

Additionally, “Teatulia’s farm-to-table teas are never bulk blended by third-party traders,” says Teatulia Director of Marketing Chris Olsen, whereas almost all commercial teas sold in the West are blends, he says. The aim of blending, where a commercial tea can contain up to 35 different types of tea, according to the U.K. Tea Council, is to maintain constant taste, despite the loss of one or other source due to adverse weather or high prices. Also, teas are often mixed to garner a higher price by blending higher quality tea in with lesser quality varieties. 

As such, Teatulia is garnering recognition as a leader in pure, “single-garden direct” tea, bringing the freshest, premium quality whole leaf tea grown without the use of toxic, synthetic pesticides and fertilizers at a better price to organic consumers and discerning tea drinkers everywhere, he says.  

“Too often, tea is treated as a commodity, controlled by a small handful of multinational tea packers and brokers, sometimes taking two years or more by the time it is harvested, stored at auctioneers warehouses, blended and packed before making it to store shelves,” says Teatulia co-founder and CEO Linda Appel Lipsius. “As a small producer, Teatulia imports its tea fresh and direct to the US, taking only a fraction of the time commodity teas take to reach the store shelf.” 

Teatulia also is pioneering the establishment of Bangladesh as a leading producer of sustainably harvested, premium tea. Its tea garden is the first certified organic tea garden in Bangladesh. Working with the community in the Tetulia Upazila region—Teatulia’s namesake—sales of Teatulia products help support education and community development in Bangladesh. Through its commitment to people and sustainability in the region, Teatulia has helped to significantly restore the eco-system, create jobs, and serve the local community by establishing women’s cattle lending programs, building new school libraries and adult literacy programs, and improving access to health care. 

About Teatulia

Teatulia, founded in 2009, is a woman and minority owned business with a mission to provide “100% organic teas with a purpose.” With its line of single-origin, premium certified organic teas, Teatulia’s work helps support local economies, education and sustainability initiatives in northern Bangladesh. The company also is committed to fully compostable and recyclable packaging, down to the biodegradable teabags. Teatulia teas are available online atwww.teatulia.com, and at leading natural, organic and specialty food stores and select restaurants, cafes and coffee houses in Colorado and throughout the United States and in the United Kingdom. For more information, contact Linda Appel Lipsius at Teatulia, tel 303.433.2980, linda@teatulia.com.