Pass me a Pim’s
LU, how I love thee. Or, at least, that’s how I felt before reading the fine print this evening on a box of Pim’s Raspberry Biscuits. The famous LU brand is a product of the multi-billion dollar food conglomerate Groupe Danone. Cripes.
Groupe Danone’s stated mission is to “help people around the world grow, live better and get more out of life through tastier, more varied and healthier food products every day.” I guess they plan to do this by offering drinkable yogurt to kids in Mexico. Groupe Danone claims to be the number one supplier of fresh dairy products and bottled water worldwide, and the number two supplier of biscuits and cereal products. Breakfast anyone? Besides LU, Groupe Danone also owns Evian, Volvic, Fontvella, Stoneyfield Farm (sigh), Danone (of course), and Lea & Perrins among others.
I guess this should come as no surprise to anyone who knew that Ben and Jerry’s sold out to Unilever four years ago. Alas, they are but part of a trend. ConAgra, HJ Heinz, General Mills, Kraft, Philip Morris, one by one they are gobbling up my favorite brands.