Bob Gerner, the owner of Berkeley Natural Grocery, has a mission to provide healthy food, free of chemical pesticides and GMOs. His passion for organic produce has inspired his company to partner with local, family farmers. He has a variety of community initiatives in place that support local farmers. These include a non-GMO project and an Employee Stock Ownership Plan. In addition, Bob Gerner is also an avid vegan.
Bob Gerner
The Berkeley Natural Grocery building has been sold. The sale was announced last month, and the store will remain open during the transition. The building, located at 1330 and 1336 Gilman St., is currently owned by the Gilman Group, which is 15.7% owned by the financier George Soros. The new owner plans to capitalize on the growth of its subsidiary, Westbrae Natural Foods. The company started as a coffeehouse in Berkeley that offered natural and organic foods. Gerner founded the company in 1971 and eventually moved it to Gilman Street.
While the business has thrived for nearly four decades, it has faced some challenges, including a plethora of national and local grocery chains. Earlier in the decade, Berkeley’s Natural Food Works store was threatened by the opening of Whole Foods on Gilman Street and Sprouts on Albany Avenue. These new competitors have made natural food stores more competitive. In response, the Berkeley Natural Grocery Company has made plans to invest more in the business.
The natural food industry is booming, and it has a number of pioneers. Founders of Berkeley’s Natural Grocery Company and a Toronto natural grocery store started a campaign to increase awareness about genetically modified products and food. The Berkeley Natural Grocery Company and Big Carrot Natural Food Market also founded the Non-GMO Project, which standardized the definition of non-GMO. Ultimately, these small businesses will be a major force in the future of organic and natural food.
The Non-GMO Project is a growing grassroots organization aimed at helping food retailers avoid GMOs. In 2002, three employees of a Berkeley natural grocery became concerned about hidden GMOs in food products. They investigated hundreds of products and launched a letter-writing campaign. Together with a Toronto natural food market, they started the Non-GMO Project. Today, it grandfathers in new products that contain GM ingredients.
Non-GMO Project
The Non-GMO Project began as a grassroots organizing effort in Berkeley, California. Three employees from a neighborhood natural grocery store became concerned about the presence of GM soy lecithin in their products, so they began researching and writing letters to grocers. The resulting findings led the Berkeley Natural Grocery Company to start the Non-GMO Project, a nonprofit organization with the goal of standardizing non-GMO definitions.
The Non-GMO Project started as a campaign that asked consumers what they were buying. After a year of research, they partnered with a Toronto-based store to develop a trusted seal for non-GMO products. The company joined the Independent Natural Food Retailers Association, or INDIE, in 2009 and has since grown to 93 members and 142 storefronts. The organization has seen a steady growth over the past year and aims to continue its efforts.
Since then, the organization has expanded to over 300 natural grocery stores and cooperatives in the United States and Canada. These stores offer the Non-GMO Project Verified label to their customers. They also have a special label called the FAIRTRADE Mark, which represents the internationally recognized Fairtrade system. Purchasing products that carry this mark supports farmers, communities, and workers. If a product has the FAIRTRADE Mark, it is guaranteed to be non-GMO.
Originally founded in 2007, the Non-GMO Project aimed to create a common definition of “non-GMO” for the food industry. In 2010, the organization verified 4,163 products. Today, there are more than 34,000 products labeled as non-GMO. A nonprofit organization, the Non-GMO Project has expanded its efforts to include more products. They strive to ensure that consumers can make informed choices when purchasing food.
The Non-GMO Project requires grocers to verify their products by ensuring that they don’t contain GMO ingredients. The organization’s standard is updated regularly to reflect new information. Products that meet the standard will be able to carry the Non-GMO Project Verified trademark and will appear on the Non-GMO Project’s website and mobile app. The organization is completely independent of vested interests and offers independent and third-party verification.
Employee Stock Ownership Plan
The Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) at Berkeley Natural Grocery has been approved by the company’s board of directors and will be implemented immediately. The plan allows employees to earn shares of the company, giving them an ownership stake in the success of the business. The plan also offers employees tax benefits. The ESOP has allowed Gerner to fund the opening of the new Prepared Foods Annex. While the ESOP has helped him grow his business, he has plans to continue operating the company after retirement.
The ESOP can use the distributions to repurchase more shares and build cash for future repurchases of employee shares. This allows employees to receive a percentage of the company, allowing them to participate in the business’s success. However, this does not mean that employees can cash out their ESOP. The ESOP is important to the growth of the company, and the success of the company depends on the success of the ESOP.
The natural food business has undergone a transformation over the years. In the first place, the company launched a granola business that soon turned into a full-fledged grocery store. Today, there are two locations in the Bay Area: El Cerrito and Berkeley. Since its beginnings in 1971, the company has positioned itself as an alternative to many of the everyday items that consumers find in supermarkets. Today, however, the company is facing a tougher challenge: competition from national grocery chains and local stores.
The main advantage of having an ESOP is that it allows employees to feel more appreciated by their employers. The plan also offers a number of tax benefits. Employees who buy shares in a company are free from capital gains tax. These advantages are especially beneficial for those who are planning to retire and wish to leave the business. However, employee stock ownership plans should not be used as an exit strategy in a closely held company.
Community alliance with family farmers
The California Association of Family Farmers (CAFF) is a nonprofit organization that helps family farmers thrive by promoting organic farming. The organization began by organizing the Tasting of Summer Produce festival in the Bay Area. The event has been repeated many times since, from 1986 to 1989, at the Oakland Museum. In the same year, the organization introduced its first farm inspector training program. New Leaf Farmers Market in Pleasanton, California, now offers produce from the farm’s neighbor, the Foolish Hens Farm in Sunol, California.
While the Berkeley Natural Grocery has become increasingly popular, the program continues to face resistance. Although the store sells mostly organic produce, some customers still prefer to purchase non-organic foods, such as milk, cheese, and eggs. The store is exploring switching its dairy department to a 100 percent organic version, but some customers rely on less expensive conventional products. The California Community Alliance with Family Farmers, which is aimed at encouraging consumers to support local farms, also offers non-organic milk that comes from hormone and antibiotic-free cows.
In addition to providing technical assistance to farmers, Kali also works with the nonprofit organization California Institute for Rural Studies (CIRS). She is the Director of the California Ag Roots Project, which studies the history of farming in California and tells stories about key moments in the state’s agricultural history. She also works on various food movement initiatives, including the Farm to School Program and Associate Director of an empowerment program for youth.
CAFF is a pioneer in California in advocating for family farmers. The organization helped to pass Assembly Bill 2663 (an agriculture bill) in 2000. It also helped lead efforts to permanently fund a sustainable agriculture research and education program. CAFF also became a founding member of Californians for GE-Free Agriculture in 2002. Agrarian Advocate, a bimonthly magazine, was launched in Berkeley in 2004.
The CSA model has many advantages for both farmers and consumers. CSA memberships encourage consumers to buy seasonal produce and learn to cook vegetables that they may have never tasted before. The program also encourages people to stay at home and cook more than they used to. This is especially important in the Bay Area, where food production has been booming for years. The food supply is booming and the demand is higher than ever. In Berkeley, the Cannard Family Farm supplies produce to a popular restaurant.