Dive Brief:
- The NPA has been split over whether to expand membership (and thus resources) or to preserve its legacy as group for small grocers.
- Large retailers and online operators had sought to join the association.
- Only 27 percent of the group''s membership participated in the mail-in vote.
Dive Insight:
We have a bit of a soft spot for the NPA, which was founded in 1936 -- when "natural" products were what crazy old ladies, hermits and other lunatics consumed. But our sense is that NPA hasn't grown much since then. While natural and organic foods have soared in popularity, the NPA has been pushed to the sidelines. "Big Food" has hijacked the term "natural" and big retailers like Whole Foods lead the organics movement.
But in the end NPA is a trade association, not a consumer-advocacy group. And the business needs of small retailers are distinct from those of major retailers. We think the NPA's decision not to expand membership ensures that the group will not be a major voice in the food industry, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The industry needs small, specialized voices too.