Eden Foods, Inc., (also known as Eden Organic) is an

organic food Organic food, also known as ecological or biological food, refers to foods and beverages produced using methods that comply with the standards of organic farming. Standards vary worldwide, but organic farming features practices that cycle resou ...

company based in Clinton, Michigan. It is best known for its Edensoy line of organic

soy milk Soy milk (or soymilk), also known as soya milk, is a plant-based milk produced by soaking and grinding soybeans, boiling the mixture, and filtering out remaining particulates. It is a stable emulsion of oil, water, and protein. Its original ...

, and its line of organic

Japanese food Japanese cuisine encompasses the regional and traditional foods of Japan, which have developed through centuries of political, economic, and social changes. The traditional cuisine of Japan (Japanese: ) is based on rice with miso soup and other ...

s and condiments. The company claims to be the oldest independent organic food producer in the United States, and the largest supplier of organic dry grocery items. Eden was founded in 1969 as a co-op grocery store in

Ann Arbor, Michigan Ann Arbor is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851, making it the List of municipalities in Michigan, fifth-most populous cit ...

, to continue the operations of a defunct macrobiotic food buying club. Originally incorporated as a nonprofit, it became a for-profit company in 1970. In 1972, the company began importing Japanese foods such as

miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning. It is a thick paste produced by fermenting soybeans with salt and kōji (the fungus ''Aspergillus oryzae''), and sometimes rice, barley, seaweed, or other ingredients. It is used for sauces and spreads; p ...

and

soy sauce Soy sauce (sometimes called soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of China, Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermentation (food), fermented paste of soybeans, roasted cereal, grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or ''A ...

for both the retail and commercial markets. Many of Eden's Japanese foods are still sourced in Japan. Most of Eden Food's products are organic, most are certified

kosher (also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, ), from the Ashke ...

, and most are

vegan Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products and the consumption of animal source foods, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. A person who practices veganism is known as a ve ...

, except for their

katsuo Katsuo (written: , , or ) is a masculine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include: *, Japanese basketball player *, Japanese boxer *, Japanese boxer *, Japanese footballer *, Japanese sumo wrestler *, Japanese actor *, Japanese l ...

(Japanese fish flakes). Many of Eden's prepared foods are also

gluten-free A gluten-free diet (GFD) is a nutritional plan that strictly excludes gluten, which is a mixture of prolamin proteins found in wheat (and all of its species and hybrids, such as spelt, kamut, and triticale), as well as barley, rye, and oats. ...

, and have therefore been recommended for those on a gluten-free or gluten-free casein-free ( GFCF) diet.

Products

Soy milk

In 1997, an independent test by ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' looking for traces of

GMO A genetically modified organism (GMO) is any organism whose genetic material has been altered using genetic engineering techniques. The exact definition of a genetically modified organism and what constitutes genetic engineering varies, with ...

s in 11 soy and corn-based products found Eden's milk to be the only product that tested clean, a finding that Eden Foods attributed to their extensive certification and testing program. In 2020, Organic Unsweetened Edensoy

won the Lausanne Index Prize - Environmental Possibility Prize.

Soy sauce

In 2001, Eden shoyu

was rated highest for flavor by ''

Cook's Illustrated ''Cook's Illustrated'' is an American cooking magazine published every two months by America's Test Kitchen Limited Partnership (ATK) in Brookline, Massachusetts. On February 2, 2023, ''Cook's Illustrated'' was one of ATK's brands included in th ...

'' in a comparison of 12 brands. In 2007, Eden's tamari was rated best out of seven brands tested in a comparison conducted by the ''

San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and M. H. de Young, Michael H. ...

'' for its "Taster's Choice" column.

Extra virgin olive oil

In 1999, ''

Prevention Prevention may refer to: Health and medicine * Preventive healthcare, measures to prevent diseases or injuries rather than curing them or treating their symptoms General safety * Crime prevention, the attempt to reduce deter crime and crimin ...

Magazine'' rated Eden's "Extra Virgin Spanish Olive Oil" highest in flavor and protective nutrients out of the 22 brands of

extra virgin olive oil Olive oil is a vegetable oil obtained by pressing whole olives (the fruit of ''Olea europaea'', a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin) and extracting the oil. It is commonly used in cooking for frying foods, as a condiment, or ...

studied.

Canned food

Eden uses BPA-free enamel-lined cans for most of its products (the only exception being tomato-based foods), and was subsequently recommended by the

Center for Science in the Public Interest The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is a Washington, D.C.–based non-profit watchdog and consumer advocacy group. History and funding CSPI is a consumer advocacy organization. Its focus is nutrition and health, food safety ...

as a safer option for canned food. In a 2005 study, Eden's canned

refried beans Refried beans (from , ) is a dish of cooked and mashed beans that is a traditional staple of Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisines, although each cuisine has a different approach when making the dish. Refried beans are also popular in many other Latin ...

were rated best in nutritional value among commercial

by ''

Men's Health ''Men's Health'' (''MH''), published by Hearst Communications, Hearst, is the world's largest men's magazine brand, with 35 editions in 59 countries; it is the bestselling men's magazine on American newsstands. Started as a men's health magazin ...

'' Magazine.

Controversy

Infant formula charges

In 1988 CEO Michael Potter was charged and later served 30 days in jail on misdemeanor charges for misrepresenting Edensoy soy milk as an infant formula. The suit was brought after a Canadian infant developed a rare eye and bone disorder as a result of vitamin deficiency from being fed the product. The child's physician later reported the patient to have "completely recovered".

Employee healthcare

In March 2013, Eden Foods filed suit against the Obama administration seeking an exemption from the mandate to cover contraception for its employees under the

Affordable Care Act The Affordable Care Act (ACA), formally known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and informally as Obamacare, is a landmark U.S. federal statute enacted by the 111th United States Congress and signed into law by Presid ...

. According to the company's CEO Michael Potter, providing access to any form of contraceptives would violate his beliefs as a Catholic. (This stance against all types of birth control differs from Hobby Lobby's refusal to cover several types of contraception.) Eden Foods lost its suit in both the District Court and the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals (''Eden v. Sebelius''), and appealed to the Supreme Court. The ''

Burwell v. Hobby Lobby ''Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.'', 573 U.S. 682 (2014), is a landmark decision in United States corporate law by the United States Supreme Court allowing privately held for-profit corporations to be exempt from a regulation that its owners ...

'' decision by the

US Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all Federal tribunals in the United States, U.S. federal court cases, and over Stat ...

on 30 June 2014 overrules the lower courts. The next day, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case, ''Eden Foods v. Burwell''. In response, some customers urged a boycott of the company on popular

liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * Generally, a supporter of the political philosophy liberalism. Liberals may be politically left or right but tend to be centrist. * An adherent of a Liberal Party (See also Liberal parties by country ...

websites, as well as the company's own

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page.

Trademark infringement lawsuit

In October 2021, Eden Foods, Inc. filed suit against Eden Burger Ltd., a single-location vegan burger restaurant located on the campus of the Ohio State University, alleging infringement of Eden Foods's trademark on the word "Eden." Notably, although the Eden Foods, Inc. complaint notes Eden Foods's possession of trademarks on the word "Eden" for use in conjunction with the sale of numerous prepackaged food products, it does not appear to claim that Eden Foods possesses a trademark on the word "Eden" in the context of restaurants and catering.

Sexual harassment lawsuit

In April 2022, the

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is a federal agency that was established via the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to administer and enforce civil rights laws against workplace discrimination. The EEOC investigates discrimination ...

filed suit against the owner/president of Eden Foods for repeatedly harassing female workers and ignoring complaints about his behavior. In Fall of 2023, Eden Foods was ordered to pay more than $182,500 in the settlement of the suit.

References

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External links

Eden Foods
- official website Organic farming organizations Food and drink companies established in 1969 Vegetarian companies and establishments of the United States 1969 establishments in Michigan Food and drink companies based in Michigan