CRISIS Corporate WatchTower: The surreptitious takeover of wholesome businesses by The Mask

[milkydoo]

We are in the 'end times', however you want to define it. Whether you are religious, or simply believe that America and freedom is on its' way out. I'm creating this thread so we can have an easy, and undeniable reference as to how the few remaining wholesome businesses out there are being bought up, shut down, throttled, tainted and twisted by the PTB.

There have been many individual threads, but time is short. We need a magnet reference thread for this infiltration by The Beast. This thread will not replace individual threads. It's still a good idea to create separate threads for new stories, imo, to make sure that people get the breaking news.

Please, everyone, post your stories and links to other TB2K threads here to help create this reference. This thread can reference those threads and stories, as well as maintain copies here.

I had been thinking about this thread for awhile, but after listening to yesterday's show on Rense regarding the coopting of freedom seeds (is that the one...I forgot?) by Mars Inc. (correction requested....I'll update this after work), I was inspired to post. The guest also mentioned that Bigg-Bizz (coining a term) has now found a legal loophole around the USDA in creating GM seeds! They can now make GM seeds and label them as organic!

Some stories off the top of my head. I'm rushed, so I'll update this OP later with correct info.

* Tom's of Main bought out by Bigg-Bizz
* FreedomSeeds (??) bought out by Bigg-Bizz
* Mention of some pasta brand in health food stores bought out by Bigg-Bizz
* Ceberus buying up major gun corps

Guys, not only is there a threat to the wholesome supply chain by allowing Bigg-Bizz to take over, but now these freedom hating scum are making all of the money! They make money off of the junk food at the same time they make money off of the health food! There aren't going to be any decent people in the supply line anymore, except those at the bottom, picking the fruit and working the assembly lines!

This is about much more than just availability of health food. This is about the guys who have wrecked our world having complete control over what we consider wholesome! It's like giving the neighborhood bank robber the keys to your house, and saying, "make yourself comfortable....it's not stealing if I give you the keys"!

ETA: This is not intended to just be a reference to food related businesses. Any kind of business can be referenced here, such as the gun corp. item I listed earlier.

 

[Flippper]

Whole Foods was bought out by some evil empire last year if memory serves, as well as Burt's Bees. Burt's never did follow FDA labeling guidelines so they have always been suspect in my book anyway.

Anyone listen to Coast to Coast last night? Stuff on the heavy metals being found in dirt samples that are stunting the growth of gardens, trees, etc., apparently especially aluminum. Didn't listen to it all, those longazz commercial breaks and repetitious phone numbers met my bs tolerance levels and had to turn the radio off.

You should run an individual thread about the GMO seeds loophole making them legal to be sold as organic now-people need to know that.

 

[Windy Ridge]

Flipper, aluminum is NOT a heavy metal. It is a light metal. It is also incredibly common. Indeed, so common that it would be extraordinary if it wasn't found in a soil sample. Low grade aluminum ore is commonly known as clay. It also forms compounds with silica.

Windy Ridge

 

[milkydoo]

Tom's of Maine

Tom's of Maine (from 2006)

http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/toms060326.cfm

Colgate Buys Out Tom's of Maine Body Care Company

http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2006/03/22/colgate_will_buy_toms_of_maine/

Colgate will buy Tom's of Maine
$100m deal may help boost sales of leader in natural products niche
By Chris Reidy, Globe Staff | March 22, 2006

Tom's of Maine -- a niche brand whose renown as a socially
responsible maker of natural products exceeds its market share -- is
selling itself to Colgate-Palmolive Co. for about $100 million, the
company said yesterday.

Best known for toothpaste, Tom's of Maine got its start in 1970 by
making a phosphate-free laundry detergent. Over the years, cofounder
Tom Chappell, 63, poked fun at major brands like Colgate, saying they
put artificial additives in their toothpastes while Tom's of Maine
used natural ingredients.

Chappell said he will continue to run the brand from its Kennebunk
headquarters. None of the privately held firm's approximately 170
jobs will be lost, he said.

''We'll be a stand-alone subsidiary," said Chappell. ''And we have a
commitment from Colgate that our formulas will not be tampered with.

Colgate-Palmolive of New York plans to keep the Tom's of Maine brand
name and hopes to use its significant distribution network and
marketing muscle to boost sales. With annual revenue of nearly $50
million, Tom's of Maine said it can grow faster with Colgate in what
Colgate estimates is a fast-growing $3 billion US market for natural
oral-care and personal products.

''People are more and more concerned about what's going in and on
their bodies," said Bruce Cohen, a strategist in the San Francisco
office of the consulting firm Kurt Salmon Associates.

''Tom's has been around for a long time and they have very passionate
employees and very passionate consumers. People who use Tom's
products use all of Tom's products -- the toothpaste, the deodorant,
and facial products. And they're evangelical about it. You can't say
that about Colgate toothpaste."

Other New England companies that focus on natural ingredients have
also sold to bigger players in recent years. The list includes ice
cream's Ben & Jerry's (Unilever PLC); Nantucket Nectars of Juice Guys
fame (ultimately bought by Cadbury Schweppes); and Stonyfield Farm
yogurt (Groupe Danone, a French company known for its Dannon brand
yogurt).

While entrepreneurs at these kinds of companies do financially well
for themselves while running them, they can reap bigger returns by
selling their firms.

''At some point, some of these guys just might want to buy a small
island off the coast of Belize," said Tobe Berkovitz, an associate
dean at Boston University's School of Communication.

Cofounders Tom and Kate Chappell said the decision to sell to Colgate
was partly about broadening Tom's of Maine's reach.

''We chose Colgate as our partner because they have the global
expertise to help take Tom's of Maine to the next level," they said
in a statement. ''We see Colgate as an excellent fit with our
cultural values." Those values include a policy of giving 10 percent
of pretax profits to community groups that benefit the environment
and other causes.

During a telephone interview, Kate Chappell, 60, offered another
reason to sell:

''We're not going to be here forever, and we needed to find a good
home for the company."

The combination of Colgate, the global leader in oral care, and Tom's
of Maine, the leader in the natural oral-care category, represents
''growth opportunities for both companies," Colgate chief executive
Reuben Mark said in a statement.

Natural toothpaste currently makes up only a small fraction of what
US consumers spend on toothpaste each year.

Still, it's important for Colgate to preserve the distinctiveness of
a brand that found favor with local consumers, said chief executive
Fran Kelly of the Boston advertising agency Arnold US.

''Tom's has a northern New England, down-to-earth sensibility, and
people like things that are unique and genuine," Kelly said. ''The
challenge for Colgate is to keep Tom's uniqueness and quirkiness alive."

Colgate won't put its name on Tom's of Maine products, Tom Chappell
said. And that strikes Berkovitz as a smart move. ''You try to keep
it stealthy," Berkovitz said of a buyer's strategy after buying a
beloved regional company. ''I think the average person in a store
thinks that Ben & Jerry's ice cream is still being mixed by two guys
in a Vermont barn."

Colgate plans to buy 84 percent of Tom's of Maine. The Chappell
family will retain the rest. The sale is expected to close in the
second quarter.

Chris Reidy can be reached at reidy@globe.com. Globe staff writer
Jenn Abelson contributed to this report.

=========

Lots of unhappy customers on Tom's blog

http://www.tomsofmaine.com/blog/blog-detail/our-new-look

 

[milkydoo]

Cerberus

http://www.redicecreations.com/article.php?id=17858

Gun company ownership is being centralized by Freedom Group and Cerberus
2011 12 08

From: accurateshooter.com


Cerberus Capital Management could cut off all gun and ammunition sales in the US. Many Americans are totally unaware that Cerberus has for the past decade acquired nearly every gun and ammunition maker in the United States and consolidated them into a holding company called The Freedom Group.

There has been some rumors that George Soros is connected or even owns Cerberus. This have been refuted by a number of people looking into the claim. It doesn’t make it any less concerning though. Cerberus has a lot of it’s tentacles in the pie.

"Cerberus, the hound from hell, was the guard dog of the gates of hades (hell)". If you haven’t heard about Cerberus before. Read this article: Cerberus: Guarding the Gates of Hell - Dynecorp, Pegasus, BP, Goldman Sachs - Gulf Oil Disaster Planned?

Cerberus Capital Managment, through its Freedom Group holding company, has acquired yet another well-known gun industry company: Barnes Bullets. On December 31, 2009, Freedom Group, Inc. entered into a purchase agreement to acquire certain assets of Barnes Bullets.

In recent years, Cerberus/Freedom Group has acquired Remington, Bushmaster, Marlin, H&R, DMPS and other smaller firearms-related companies. By acquiring Barnes, the Freedom Group gains entry into the ammunition component business at a time when brass, bullets, and powder remain in high demand. As the Freedom Group continues to build a vertically integrated firearms-related mega-corp, one wonders if Cerberus will look to acquire a powder-maker next. Freedom Group already sells Remington-brand factory-loaded ammunition.

Barnes Bullets, located in Mona, Utah, is the industry-leading supplier of copper bullets, including copper-tin composite core bullets. Barnes is a major player in the “lead-free” bullet market. This has become important as lead-core bullets have been banned in many hunting areas, and lead-free bullets are required in many indoor shooting facilities. Barnes Bullets will continue day-to-day operations at Utah facility under the guidance of company founder, Randy Brooks.

Ted Torbeck, CEO of the Freedom Group, Inc. stated: “With the acquisition of Barnes, the Freedom Group continues to demonstrate our commitment to the ammunition business. Barnes offers a premium line of high performance bullets for the hunting and shooting communities; and for law enforcement, military and commercial consumers. We are excited about their R&D capabilities and the breadth of the products they bring to our portfolio.”

Freedom Group is now one of the world’s largest producers of guns and ammo. Freedom Group brands include Remington, Bushmaster, DPMS/Panther Arms, Marlin, H&R, NEF, LC Smith, Parker, EOTAC, AAC, Dakota and INTC. The company distributes its products throughout the U.S. and in over 80 foreign countries.

Source: accurateshooter.com

 

[milkydoo]

Here's a site that has already started what I'm doing with this thread, although theirs is from a vegan pespective. I'll post their findings here:


http://www.veganstreet.com/community/buyoutwatch.html

For the past five years, a lot of the companies vegans have supported in the past have been acquisitioned or merged with other companies, often large conglomerates. Also, a lot of once-small vegetarian product companies have formed financial partnerships with others. In an effort to keep abreast of where money spent ultimately goes, we will be updating this list as changes in the industry occur.

This is not meant to be a value judgment about how we choose to spend our money, but rather just as a means to stay aware of where the money goes and whom it profits.

Kraft Foods has bought out Boca Burgers. Boca is the largest veggie burger producer in the U.S. Kraft is home to Oscar Mayer, Breyers Yogurt, Cheez Whiz, Jell-O and Velveeta, among other brands. Kraft is owned by tobacco giant Phillip Morris.

ConAgra has bought out Lightlife. Lightlife makes meat substitutes, such as Smart Deli slices, Smart Bacon, and Gimme Lean Sausage and Beef, among other items. ConAgra owns many brands, including Healthy Choice, Butterball, Bumblebee, Slim Jim and Armour. ConAgra is also North America’s largest food service supplier.

General Mills owns Cascadian Farm and Muir Glen. Cascadian Farm produces a wide variety of frozen vegetarian entrees; Muir Glen sells organic tomato sauces. General Mills is home to Betty Crocker, Hamburger Helper, Yoplait, Wheaties, and Lucky Charms cereal, to name just a few brands.

Smucker owns After the Fall, Santa Cruz Organic and R.W. Knudsen juices and natural sodas. Smucker makes name-brand jams, jellies, preserves and peanut butter.

Heinz owns nearly 20 percent of the Hain Celestial Group (a merger of the Hain Food Group and Celestial Seasonings). The Hain Celestial Group includes Westbrae, Garden of Eden, Arrowhead Mills, Health Valley, Terra Chips, Celestial Seasonings teas, and Earth’s Best Organic Baby Food, among other brands. Additionally, in 2001, Yves Veggie Cuisine, manufacturer of meat analogs merged with Hain. Heinz holdings include Boston Market, Kibbles and Bits, StarKist tuna and Heinz ketchup.

Dean Foods went from being a minority shareholder of White Wave in 1999 to buying it outright in 2002. White Wave produces Silk brand soymilk along with tofu and other soy products. Dean Foods has become the largest dairy processor and distributor in the United States after its merger with dairy giant Suiza, which manufactures Sun Soy brand soymilk.

M&M/Mars has acquired Seeds of Change, an organic seed company that also sells ready-made products like organic pasta sauces and salsas as well as grain-based side dishes. M&M/Mars produces candy and chocolate bars, such as Starburst, Skittles, Snickers, Milky Way and M&Ms.

Walnut Acres organic soups, salsas and tomato sauces (which also owns Mountain Sun juices and Millina’s Finest pasta sauces), is owned by Acirca, Inc., a privately held company owned by employees and investors.

Worthington Foods, Morningstar Farms, Natural Touch and Loma Linda, all of whom make meat substitutes and other vegetarian products,are owned by the Kellogg Company. Kellogg’s produces a variety of popular supermarket items, from cereals like Rice Krispies and Crispix to Eggo Waffles and Pop -Tarts.

Celentano vegetarian Italian frozen entrees has been acquired by Rosina Food Products, makers of meatballs, Italian sausage and other frozen items.

 

[milkydoo]

Seeds of Change


(I'm not sure if we're allowed to post whole blog posts here, so I'll just post a paragraph or two and the link. I've had difficulty actually finding a news story because the buy out was back in 1997)

http://ppjg.wordpress.com/2011/12/02/major-organic-seed-company-owned-by-pro-gmo-group/

Barbara H. Peterson

Farm Wars

I recently found out something shocking. This revelation happened as I was meandering through the Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association (OSGATA) website and ran across the “about” page. It just so happens that Joel Reiten is one of the Board of Directors – “Currently seed production manager for Seeds of Change, a division of Mars, one of the world’s largest producers and marketers of 100% organic seed.”

Hold it right there, Nellie. Did I see that right? Seeds of Change, one of the world’s largest producers and marketers of 100% organic seed is a division of Mars? WTF??? You know, Mars!!! That pillar of corporate hypocrisy that is also leading the fight alongside the USDA and IBM to spread GM cocoa around, starting in Africa. What’s IBM got to do with it? Hell, I don’t know. What did IBM have to do with the holocaust?

But I digress. One of the largest organic seed producers is a division of a company that wholeheartedly supports GMOs. Does anyone see a conflict of interest here? Does anyone else think there might be a problem? --snip--