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♥︎ The company Back to Nature owns itself. It started off in the 1960's as being sold in a small health food store. In 2013, Back to Nature joined The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to support their Plant a Billion Trees campaign. They were able to plant over 300,000 trees. Back to Nature also donated to TNC to support their efforts.

♥︎ BEAR creates natural and fun treats that are made with real fruit. There is no added sugar and it is never made from juice concentrate. According to the website, BEAR picks and harvests their fruits, as well as the juice from the fruits, while they are in season.

This company was developed when the founder read an article about bears in search for food in bins. The 'city bears' were 30% fatter than the 'wild bears,' 30% less active, and passed away by the age of 10. 60% of the 'wild bears' lived healthy.

In addition to this, people complained about their families not getting enough fruit in their diets. To combat this, the company BEAR was created.

Be mindful that Lotus (The company that manufactures Biscoff cookies) OWNS BEAR.

♥︎ Unlike BEAR, Black Forest uses juice concentrate. However, the products are still yummy. Black Forest products are made with real fruit juice, and are made with colors and flavors from natural sources.

Be mindul that Ferrara (The company that manufactures Nerds, Jelly Belly, Trolli, Sweetarts, Brach's, and other candy brands) OWNS Black Forest.

♥︎ Annie and Steve are the founders of this company, and they still own it. They pioneered the world's first USDA Certified and NON-GMO Project Verified seaweed snacks. Gimme is now the leading organic seaweed brand in the United States.

♥︎ Lara is the founder of Larabar. As Lara hiked up a mountain, she thought of creating a natural product that consists of fruits and nuts. These products were supposed to be tasty and convenient. Lara got started on creating recipes.

This company was created in the year of 2000, and 5 bar varieties were released: Apple Pie, Cashew Cookie, Cocoa Coconut Chew, Cherry Pie, and Banana Bread.

Be mindful that General Mills OWNS Larabar.

♥︎ Loacker has been around since 1925. This company owns itself. Loacker sells different types of cookies such as Quadratini, Classic, Tortina, Patisserie, Gardena, and Chocolaterie.

They even sell chocolate bars that have their wafers in it! For any individuals that want a healthier option, this can be an alternative to KitKat products!

♥︎ The founder of Cascadian Farm is Gene Kahn. He searched for a way to farm that would preserve the earth and the people. Using the land he had, he used trial and error to find a solution. Kahn believed organic agriculture will make a difference in society, and felt that more farmers with the same belief needed to take action. The farm has since expanded. As of Summer 2022, the Cascadian Farm is no longer open to visitors.

Be mindful that General Mills OWNS Cascadian Farm.

♥︎ Annie Withey is the co-founder of Annie's. Bernie was Annie's pet dutch rabbit that became the logo of the company. Annie's brother drew and designed the logo.

The ONLY thing I am upset about regarding this particular brand is that they JOINED General Mills. Maybe, that is why some of Annie's products taste so similar. To be honest, I am not surprised at all about this. I was a little skeptical when I realized Annie's products were slowly appearing in grocery stores.

♥︎ Ice Chips Candy - Bev Vines-Haines and Charlotte Clary are the founders of this company, and still own this company. They have known each other since 1986. Vines-Haines and Clary met each other in Yelm, Washington and researched all sorts of topics in a desperate attempt to generate more income for their families. With their combined experiences, Vines-Haines and Clary created a line of products-An anti-fungal salve to name one, and other products that treat difficult skin conditions.

The best idea these women came up with was ICE CHIPS. It was a billon dollar idea that attracted investors, manufacturers, and retail giants.

♥︎ Organic Nectars - A company that was created in the year of 2004 with the purpose of creating organic, gluten-free, plant based, and environment friendly products that taste delicious. Their product line-up consists of low-glycemic sweeteners, dessert syrups, chocolate, cold-pressed criollo cacao products, and a gelato made from cashews called Cashewtopia that won multiple awards.

This company owns itself.

♥︎ In regard to Rigoni di Asiago, Nonna Elisa is the founder of this particular company. All of the fruit and raw ingredients placed into their products come from organic farming. This company owns their own laboratory, and researches and creates products that are nutritionally balanced and appeal to customers. Rigoni di Asiago has complete control of its production site and supply chain.

This is another company that owns itself.

♥︎ Endangered Species has created chocolate for 30 years. 10% of net profits is donated to organizations and initiatives.

Be mindful that Endangered Species merged with Chocxo. This happened 2025.