While organic food is often promoted as grown by small farmers, organic food is becoming big business as more manufacturers are promoting it with a large-scale mentality.

Indeed, organic food production has become more mainstream, and supermarkets now have whole sections devoted to the products, which are grown without conventional pesticides, biotechnology, antibiotics or hormones.

Organic food sales reflect this, having increased from $3.5 billion in 1996 to more than $9 billion in 2001.

Food giants such as PepsiCo and Coca-Cola are also breaking into the organic food market. Frito-Lay, which is owned by PepsiCo, has begun selling organic salsa and blue and yellow corn chips with the brand name Tostitos.
In 2001, Coca-Cola purchased the beverage line Odwalla and is selling organic carrot, apple and orange juices.

Additionally, the spice producer McCormick & Co. has been selling organic spices, including thyme and rosemary, since 2002.

However, organic farmers still play a role in the organic market as some of the large processors purchase all of their ingredients from such farmers.

Along with the change in organic food manufacturers, the organic consumer is also changing, according to experts. Families with young children are now the biggest consumers of organic products.

Mindfully.org May 7, 2003