Frontier Natural Products Co-op

Frontier Co-op
Retailers' cooperative
Industry Consumer products
Founded 1976 (1976), Norway, Iowa
Founder Rick Stewart
Headquarters Norway, Iowa, United States
Area served
 United States, Canada
Key people
 Tony Bedard, CEO
Clint Landis, CMO
Products Herbs, spices, foods, teas, personal care
Number of employees
 293 (2008)
Website frontiercoop.com

Frontier Co-op is a cooperatively owned wholesaler of natural and organic products, founded in 1976 and based in Norway, Iowa. It sells products under the Frontier Co-op, Simply Organic and Aura Cacia brands.[1] Products include culinary herbs, spices and baking flavors; bulk herbs and spices; and natural and organic aromatherapy products. Frontier Co-op manufactures and distributes products throughout the United States and Canada.[2]

Environmental and social sustainability

In April 2007, Frontier Co-op introduced the Well Earth sustainable sourcing program to develop ethical sources for its products. The program screens potential suppliers with an extensive questionnaire and on-site visits to evaluate product quality, operational sustainability, environmental practices and social responsibility. Suppliers accepted into the program work with Frontier to maximize agricultural, environmental and social initiatives, with ongoing financial incentives for improved performance in those areas. The Well Earth program also provides direct financial contributions as well as assistance with grants and other outside funding for environmental and social programs in grower communities.[3][4]

Fair Trade

In July 2004, Frontier Co-op announced the addition of five USDA Certified Organic bulk teas that are also Fair Trade Certified through TransFair USA. Frontier absorbed the additional costs of the Fair Trade certification and offered the five teas – Jasmine, Ceylon Orange Pekoe, Darjeeling, Gunpowder and Black Chai – without a price increase.[5] Frontier Co-op currently offers over 36 Fair Trade certified products including herbs, teas, cocoa, sugar and vanilla.[6] TransFair USA's audit system, which tracks products from farm to finished product, verifies industry compliance with Fair Trade criteria. TransFair USA licenses companies to display the Fair Trade Certified label on products that meet strict international Fair Trade standards.[7]

Organics

In October 2001, Frontier Co-op introduced Simply Organic, a line of certified organic foods. The company also offers organic spices and seasoning blends under the Frontier Co-op brand and organic essential oils and personal care products under the Aura Cacia brand.[8]

Corporate responsibility

Frontier Co-op has made a number of efforts to reduce energy consumption and waste reduction, including biodegradable and reduced-materials packaging.[9]

  • In 2007, Frontier Co-op published its first sustainability report. The published report helps the co-op's member-owners assess their commitment to sustainable business practices and helps the company identify wasted resources.[10]
  • In February 2007, the company announced it had purchased renewable energy credits to cover 100% of the electrical energy used at its Iowa and Colorado facilities.[11]
  • In September 2007, Frontier became one of the first distribution centers to provide 100% carbon neutral shipping by implementing a program to calculate the emissions of its order shipping by purchasing renewable energy credits through Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF).[12]

Frontier Co-op has been involved in preserving wild herbs and native plant species[13] by either physically rescuing plants in volunteer groups, financially supporting native plant rescues, re-establishing local tall-grass prairie and protecting plants from the practice of “wild-crafting” through sustainable cultivation methods.[14]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Cooperative Grocer Magazine, September 2007, "Network News Finding: Common Co-op Messages". Kelly Smith p.8
  2. ↑ Restaurant News of the Rockies, January 2008, volume 23, number 1
  3. ↑ Massage Magazine, October 2007, p.111
  4. ↑ Organic Products Retailer, July/August 2007, p.18
  5. ↑ http://www.frontiercoop.com/mediaroom/pressreleasearchive.html Retrieved on 11/26/08, 7/27/04 – "Organic Fair Trade Teas Added to Frontier Bulk"
  6. ↑ http://www.frontiercoop.com/products/fairtrade.php Retrieved on 11/24/08
  7. ↑ http://www.transfairusa.org/content/about/index.php Retrieved on 11/24/08
  8. ↑ http://www.frontiercoop.com/products.html Retrieved on 12/01/08
  9. ↑ http://www.frontiercoop.com/mediaroom/pressreleasearchive.html 10/16/08 – Frontier Debuts Biodegradable Packing Material 09/09/08 – New Consumer-friendly Packaging for Bottled Spices from Frontier Natural Products Co-op Retrieved on 12/01/2008
  10. ↑ Edge Business, May 2008, p.10 http://www.frontiercoop.com/sustainabilityreport/index.html Retrieved on 12/01/2008
  11. ↑ http://www.frontiercoop.com/mediaroom/pressreleasearchive.html 02/02/07 – Frontier Natural Products Co-op Gets Green with Energy Retrieved on 12/01/2008
  12. ↑ http://www.frontiercoop.com/mediaroom/pressreleasearchive.html 09/27/07 – Order Shipping Goes Green at Frontier Natural Products Co-op Retrieved on 12/01/08
  13. ↑ http://www.frontiercoop.com/mediaroom/pressreleasearchive.html 10/30/06 – Frontier Natural Products Co-op Works to Rescue Native Plants Retrieved on 12/01/2008
  14. ↑ Organic Products Retailer, July/August 2008, p.18
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