Re: Response from Frito-Lay +

From: Douglas Hinds (dmhinds@acnet.net)
Date: Thu Mar 02 2000 - 17:56:36 EST


Another Food Coop post just came in response to the first one sent on
this theme, said to be copied from:

http://washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/feed/a57641-2000feb1.htm

  "Frito-Lay will not use genetically altered corn even though the
  company considers it safe. The American Farm Bureau Federation accused
  Frito-Lay of caving in to anti-biotech activists, but Greenpeace and
  the Union of Concerned Scientists applauded the company's decision.
  Frito-Lay said it acting in response to consumers' concerns."

This was added by Doug Walter, Membership Director of the Davis Food
Co-op who sent the above:

DW> Let me add that (1) OCA/Pure Foods is one of my persistent sources
DW> for information, (2) yes, you should be able to find additional
DW> references to what Frito-Lay did or didn't announce (although I
DW> think the Wash. Post is a good source for business news) and (3)
DW> the initial take from OCA and other activists was that Frito-Lay
DW> was really going far enough in the steps they were going to take
DW> to avoid GMOs. From the 2/8 "Biodemocracy News":

DW> Corporate Target of the Month:

DW> Frito-Lay (corn chips). In the US call their toll free line
DW> 1-800-352-4477. Tell them you'll boycott their products unless
DW> they can guarantee you in writing that their corn chips do not
DW> contain genetically engineered ingredients.

This would seem to indicate that these companies do respond to
consumer / activist concerns, if they're let know.

Douglas
  
===8<==============Original message text===============

Hi Greg & Lei,

Thursday, March 02, 2000, 1:18:33 PM, you wrote:

GLG> ...I received this reply today. Does anyone
GLG> else see this as lacking in commitment, or am I viewing this too
GLG> harshly? Judging by this reply, I wouldn't be surprised if
GLG> Frito-Lay caves in to the pro-GMO effort.

This just came on on the Food Co-op list:

Coop> I am wondering if this information is bogus. I wrote to Frito
Coop> Lay and received the following response -

(Same as the one you received).

He goes on:

Coop> I have attempted to track down the source of these news reports
Coop> that Frito-Lay issued a non-GMO stance and have been
Coop> unsuccessful. Each place I find a reference it credits the
Coop> source as another news service. When I do searches at those news
Coop> services I can find no record of such a report. Organic
Coop> Consumers Association/Pure Foods seems to be the primary source
Coop> of the press releases. Does anyone have better information than
Coop> I seem to find?

Here's the response Frito-Lay sent me today:

FL> We received your email. We will follow up with you within a few
FL> business days.

FL> Thank you,

FL> Frito-Lay Consumer Affairs

Maybe they are taking a look at this right now. (It looks that way).
A greater number of congratulatory, approving emails in relation to
the reported anti GMO stance may make a difference.

Consumer.Affairs@fritolay.com

(Greg, your letter to them was good).

Douglas

===8<===========End of original message text===========

Best regards,
 Douglas mailto:dmhinds@acnet.net

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