Lesser Evil: Embracing Multifaceted Sustainability

SUSTAINABLE AND ORGANIC INGREDIENT SOURCING:

The ethic of sustainability at Lesser Evil begins with providing their customers with natural, non-GMO ingredients. The company operates under the assumptions that “lesser is better,” and attempts to reduce as much as possible the long ingredients lists filled with chemical additives and preservatives that have come to dominate most industrially produced food products.

According to a letter to their customers, Coristine says that “as for our products — it’s all about sourcing the very best ingredients and providing them at a value proposition that no other brand can. Because we own our own facility, we don’t have to pay a middleman to manufacture our products like many food companies do. We also have built an amazing supply chain and warehouse our own ingredients which adds to the cost savings. While we source many of ingredients as locally as possible, there are some ingredients we have to source internationally.” [4]

Some of the international ingredients they use in their products include organic cold-pressed, extra virgin coconut oil from the Philippines, cold-pressed avocado oil from Mexico, and organic grass-fed ghee from New Zealand. All of the popcorn they use is locally sourced and 100 percent organically grown.

Despite the fact that most of the sustainably-farmed and produced ingredients they use cost up to three times as much as conventional crops produced with an abundance of agro-chemicals, Lesser Evil is still able to sell all of their snack food products at cost-competitive prices. Coristine adds that “our mantra around food is that we would not put anything in our snacks that we wouldn’t feed our own children.”

PRODUCTION EFFICIENCIES

One of the hidden environmental and social costs of the dinner on our dining room table is related to the production of those foods. Even the most environmentally-conscious consumers who prioritize sustainably-farmed ingredients and fair trade food products rarely think about the greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental consequences that come from the production and manufacture of foods.

The food industry is responsible for up to 26 percent of all global greenhouse gas emissions. [5] While much of those emissions are tied to crop production and changes in land use patterns, almost one-fifth of food-related emissions come from the supply chain, including processing, transport, packaging, and retail.

Lesser Evil is committed to reducing the carbon footprint of its manufacturing and production facility. Coristine says that “we also believe in global warming and believe the time to act is NOW. In connection with the state of CT we are participating in energy saving initiatives at our factory and office.” [4]  The fact that they also source locally much of their ingredients also cuts into the emissions associated with the transport of food.

Caitlin Mack, Senior Brand Manager for Lesser Evil says that: “I think that the world is continuing to evolve. We´re seeing things with our planet and global warming and as a company we are trying to do a small part. Our goal is to have what we´re making have as little negative impact as possible.” Owning their own factory and manufacturing facility has also allowed the company to take direct control of the process of cleaning up the inefficiencies involved in production.

They have installed on demand water faucets and use an energy recovery ventilator that utilizes the hot air from the facility and uses that to melt oil instead of using any extra heating source. The company is also in the process of installing solar panels on their factory. According to Mack, “owning our own facility allows us to impact the manufacturing process to be as green as possible.”

PACKAGING THAT IS LESS DAMAGING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

In recent years, millions of shoppers around the world have taken the “plastic vs. paper” shopping bag debate to more profound levels. Reusable, cloth bags are commonly used by shoppers across the country. A 2018 survey found that 38.68 percent of people aged 18 to 29 years claimed to regularly use reusable grocery bags made from cloth or other materials. That number increased to almost 50 percent for shoppers over the age of 50, perhaps challenging the assumption that younger consumers are more environmentally conscious than older generation. [6]

While reusable shopping bags have avoided the production of millions of plastic and paper “one-use” bags, the amount of throw-away plastic, paper, and cardboard that we accumulate when purchasing items throughout the aisles of a supermarket is a more worrisome source of waste associated with grocery shopping. Even if you try to purchase mostly fresh fruits and vegetables, the majority of other common food items that the vast majority of people rely on come packaged in absurd amounts of plastic.

The growing trend of plastic-free supermarkets expanding across Europe offers a hopeful example of cutting plastic out of our food sourcing. [7] Lesser Evil contributes to this “less-waste” ethic by using only enhanced biodegradable packaging for their products. Specifically, the company uses NEO plastics for their packaging.

This type of plastic incorporates a type of enzyme that helps break down more quickly. “We are always wanting to up the level of the packaging,” Mack tells us. We care about this and we know that’s consumers care about that as well.” The company also composts a large amount of its factory waste, thus further reducing stress on landfills around the country which are quickly filling up.

Lesser Evil, with its rigorous focus on sustainability, has naturally found an ally in third party certifications as they seek to take their healthy and environmentally sustainable snack alternatives into the mainstream. In the past couple of years, several of the products marketed by the company have achieved Paleo Certification, Keto certification, and Grain-free certification through the Paleo Foundation. The brand is also certified USDA Organic, non-GMO verified, and Kosher certified.

Caitlin Mack, the senior brand manager at Lesser Evil, believes that these certifications fit into the company´s sustainability-focused business model. “We started with Paleo and Grain-free/Gluten-free certification,” Mack says. “We thought there was a gap in the marketplace. People are looking for grain-free products due to dietary restrictions and lifestyle choices, and honestly, there are not a lot of tasty options in the grain-free market.” In the past couple of years, the company has created innovative, grain-free products such as their Paleo Puffs, Power Curls, and Veggie Sticks that fit in with their growing portfolio of grain-free and certified Paleo snack options.

Mack believes that the company´s Paleo certification has played a major role in increasing its customer base. “Even if people aren’t eating a Paleo diet, they understand the different values behind the Paleo diet,” Mack says. “If they choose a snack, they want minimal processing, clean ingredients. So our certifications let people know that everything is tested. This ups our trustworthiness.”

Though Lesser Evil was originally focused on carving out a niche within the popcorn market, their product innovation, and Grain-Free and Paleo certifications have opened a whole new market for the brand.   “At first, we were heavily focused on popcorn as our key product line,” Mack says.