The founder of organic baby food brand Ella’s Kitchen, Paul Lindley, says industry should put a “heritage message” at the heart of future organic campaigns.
In his Saturday Essay piece for The Grocer, Lindley (pictured with daughter Ella) claims that the organic sector is still failing to communicate its benefits effectively. The result, he says, is that overall market penetration is stuck at 2% — and falling.
Lindley writes: The problem is that ‘Brand Organic’ fails to convert occasional purchasers into regular ones. In fact, it doesn’t yet really exist
The organic baby food entrepreneur also challenges the thinking behind the current ‘Why I Love Organic’ consumer campaign which he says labours under too many messages. But he insists advertising can work for organic “if the message is consistent and understandable: ask Yeo Valley”.
Lindley believes that organic food and farming’s heritage is its strongest selling point. He writes: “Organic is mainly about heritage it’s the way we’ve farmed for centuries. It’s sustainable for the land, livestock and people, and we tinker with its natural balance at our peril. Is that so hard to understand?”
