Our first class of the session we took a trip to three local businesses who all produce organic sustainable products while actively incorporating environmental concerns and community involvement in their business plans. These living example of successful business models that work with the community and each other are inspiring and show us all that it is not only possible to survive doing what we love and believe is right but it is possible to thrive.
Our first stop was Vermont Soy Company. I myself am not a fan of soy milk or of tofu, not for nutritional reasons but for simple flavor preferences. That is because I never tasted proper soy products before. But what really got my attention was not that the product is not pasteurized at a high temperature so the flavors are preserved or that the distribution network the company has delivers it all within 24 hours to the shelf.
What impressed me was the connections and contacts made between the company and its neighboring businesses. Vermont Soy cooperated with Highmowing Organic Seed company, in the same town (which we later visited), with UVM and with two local farmers to find a variety of seed that would grow well in New England, produce the right flavor and texture bean for the desired finished product and be economic to grow.
As a result, not only does Vermont Soy have an excellent product, they are also providing continuous income to the seed company and the farmers. Making the decision to purchase slightly more expensive beans from the local farmers using the specifically developed seeds from the local company was progressive and shows that businesses that take their role in their community seriously can help not only themselves but their neighbor.
Our first stop was Vermont Soy Company. I myself am not a fan of soy milk or of tofu, not for nutritional reasons but for simple flavor preferences. That is because I never tasted proper soy products before. But what really got my attention was not that the product is not pasteurized at a high temperature so the flavors are preserved or that the distribution network the company has delivers it all within 24 hours to the shelf. 
It's great that these businesses are able to support each other in this way, but I also love how every choice they make to collaborate is also beneficial to themselves. When thinking about sustainability, we often focus only on environmental sustainability. But to make long-lasting change, a business that is environmentally sustainable also has to be economically sustainable. In this case, High Mowing developed new seeds with a known market - an opportunity for increased sales. Vermont Soy has the marketing advantage of now saying that their "Vermont" soy is now actually from Vermont! In each case the support these businesses offer to each other has an economic value to themselves - which instead of decreasing the moral value of their actions (as some purists might claim), actually means that they can be financially successful enough to continue doing exactly what they're doing - and bravo to them for doing it!
ReplyDeleteI was also impressed with the connections Vermont Soy made with farmers and other local businesses. I can't drink milk without getting a really bad stomach ache and until I tried the Vermont soy milk I thought it was all bland and gross. The milk tastes so good and the dried beans are great. I am still not a fan of the tofu though, it was just weird. The vermont soy company also provides quite a few jobs to the small area and is a good source of income for farmers. This place was really cool, I wish we could go back when the machines were on a making products.
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