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Green-Living Firms Try For Mainstream Balance
Steve Case, co-founder of America Online, is focusing on green living with his new firm, Revolution LLC.
(By Bill O'leary -- The Washington Post)
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Green entrepreneurs at the conference seemed to agree with Case that their ideas are on the verge of mainstream acceptance, but they were divided over the implications. Some wanted to be the next Stonyfield Farm -- a small organic yogurt company that's now 80 percent owned by French multinational Groupe Danone -- and welcomed big business's embrace of their ideas and products. Others feared having to compromise their standards for the sake of expansion.
After someone brought up Wal-Mart's intention to sell organic cotton clothing, Laura Coblentz, vice president of marketing with the Wild Oats grocery chain, spoke of problems that have arisen with the "commodification" of organic food. She was referring to organic food companies that have adopted practices similar to their conventional counterparts to meet higher demand and ship food farther distances.
Rick Ridgeway, Patagonia's executive vice president for marketing, countered that getting a company such as Wal-Mart to go organic was a victory, even if it meant tougher competition.
Case's loyalties are clear.
Though the death of his brother Dan from brain cancer in 2002 spurred his interest in helping consumers make better health-care choices, he also drew heavily on mainstream business thinking to form his new company.
After stepping down as chairman of Time Warner, he went to Branson for advice on building a brand "from scratch," talked to Buffett about taking a 10- or 20-year perspective on businesses, and heard from Denver entrepreneur Philip F. Anschutz about keeping a controlling interest in his investments.
And when a waiter in Santa Monica told him that the greens on an asparagus salad had been picked earlier that day in Oregon by Chief Running Squirrel, Case's mind quickly wheeled.
"What do you do when Chief Running Squirrel gets sick?" Case deadpanned.
"I'm not trying to pass a test," he said later. "I'm just trying to make people aware of more choices."
