The Earth's Best Story: A Bittersweet Tale of Twin Brothers Who Sparked an Organic Revolution
The Washington Post-Let's eat! No two words could be more universal or -- according to three new books -- more controversial. These authors have different stories to tell, different flags to wave, but they're all marching forward in agreement on one thing: The food we eat is in danger, and so is our environment. Readers who open these covers will hear the shouting on every page: It's time to take action! It's time, in short, for a food fight.When twin brothers Ron and Arnie Koss launched their business in the mid-1980s, they found themselves on the front lines of a brand-new movement. Their weapon of choice? Baby food -- the first organic baby food in the United States. "Our goal was to make the world a better place," writes Ron Koss, "nothing less. This is how we would define 'success.' This was our bottom line." A rip-roaring entrepreneurial tale,The Earth's Best Storyis packed with drama, from exploding equipment and workers drenched in apple juice to relentless financial crises and complex boardroom battles. Who knew baby food would be such treacherous terrain? Writing in a sort of back-and-forth, journal-entry format that some may find too detailed and confessional, the Koss brothers offer a candid account of their start-up venture, from the moment of inspiration to the bittersweet end. Although the brothers wound up losing control of the company (and leaving even before it was sold to Heinz in 1996), their efforts helped forge a new organic path through the mainstream food wilderness, and that's a lasting victory."A fascinating look into the minds of two entrepreneurs interested in more than the bottom line."--John Seabrook, author ofFlash of Genius"Environmentally and socially responsible businesses don't just happen--they are created by passionate and persistent people. Arnie and Ron Koss's pithy account of birthing the nation's first organic baby food company is an intimate, no-holds-barred look at what it takes to launch a transformative business. It's an entertaining and enlightening textbook for anyone who dares to live their green dreams."--Joel Makower, Executive Editor of GreenBiz.com and author ofStrategies for the Green Economy"For parents concerned about health and the environment, and organic consumers, this is an enjoyable and uplifting book. I highly recommendThe Earth's Best Story."--Ronnie Cummins, Director, Organic Consumers Association"It is always enlightening to read the inside stories of the development of new ventures, but Ron and Arnie's story about the unfolding of Earth's Best Baby Foods is particularly compelling because it traces the experiences of a couple of guys (twins) who invite us into their thinking, the evolution of their personal and professional lives and how it all wove together into the evolution of an incredibly successful company.... The story as a whole is remarkable. And the philosophy to which they subscribed to make it a successful company is, to say the least, unconventional, but one which, I suspect will make it resilient."--Fred Kirschenmann, Distinguished Fellow, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, and President, Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture