What does organic mean to the consumer?

(published January 2000)

Tell me about organic bread. Any difference in taste?

Well, no.

Does it last longer?

Not really.

Then what’s so special about it?

Well, it’s organic.

So what does the word ‘organic’ mean?

Simply, that the ingredients used are free from any pesticides, and their harvest and milling is considerate towards the land and environment.

I suppose this means the other breads you offer have pesticide residue?

Hard to say, I’m not a scientist.

Are you telling me that my choice is either to pay more for reassurance, or pay less and take a risk?

There’s no risk.

How would you know, you’re not a scientist? If there is no risk, why offer an organic loaf for sale?

Because it appeals to the concerns of some customers.

Do you believe in organic baking, or is it just another way to make a quid?

 

Here’s my warning - If you sell, or intend to produce, only one or two organic breads under your own label, and have no plans to turn the bakery organic, be very careful and reflect on the image this presents. Let’s say a baker sells under his own label one or two organic breads, amongst a larger selection of non-organic baked goods. What does this say to the customer about the other non-organic breads under the label? That the flour used to bake the bread may have pesticide residue? You know the consumer is fearful about the quality of British food. Bakeries that attempt to make a quick buck from this fear, knocking out the odd organic loaf, might find future sales of the label threatened?

When we print the word ‘organic’ on a bakery item, what does it tell the public about the contents? We know that the ingredients were grown free of pesticides, but the organic status also infers other qualities in the loaf. It suggests a careful and responsible approach has been taken during the baking process; that, with the fear of pesticide residue removed, it offers a reassurance that the bread is healthier, with no chemicals present that could harm you or your family. At first this sounds like a positive step that will underline a fine tradition of responsible baking.

But this also plays to the fear people have about the crafting of non-organic loaves: what residue or additives do they contain? If we perceive these organic loaves as better, what of the others? Are they cheaply made and of lower quality? Providing a limited organic range suggests to the consumer that we produce non-organic breads for greater profit and display a disregard for possible consequences to the consumer? Now I know that’s not the case, but I’m not convinced this is clear to the consumer. Don’t think people won’t make the connection - with stimulation from the national media, people feel very wary and presume we will cut any corner regardless of the health implications.

There are two choices - either turn the majority of your bakery lines totally organic, or instead promote values that can honestly apply to all of the breads you bake. I support the latter. Reassure the consumer of your respect and responsibility by avoiding chemical additives wherever possible, substituting ‘clean label’ alternatives, and by sourcing good flour from responsible millers (there’s no reason why this shouldn’t be a mixture of organic and non-organic). But this message must be clearly put on the packaging and aggressively promoted.

In Britain there is an unshakeable belief that daily bread should be as a pure and unadulterated as possible. It’s strange, but only in highly processed junk food lines are the public relaxed about health. It’s almost as if an unconscious decision is made to digest as many chemicals as possible. The only certain way of protecting and building upon existing sales is by focused assurance, reflecting this belief, that wherever possible British bakers source and use the finest ingredients to make each loaf.