Guest post from Morgan Larson from Dallas, Texas.
Early this week, PepsiCo subsidiary Frito-Lay held its biannual farmer’s market in Plano, Texas. Dozens of local farmers, spice makers, craftsmen, and others were invited to share the fruits of their labor. However, this farmers market was very different from the ones I regularly attend in my community.
First of all, the market was a private event held exclusively for the Frito-Lay workforce at its huge corporate headquarters in Plano, Texas. Secondly, it’s a clear case of corporate greenwashing coming from a company that produces truckloads of unhealthy snack foods, many of which contain the controversial ingredient, palm oil. As we know, palm oil is a leading cause of rainforest destruction across the globe and the supply chain is rife with human rights and labor abuses. So much for Frito-Lay trying to feel good about that locally grown kale.
Fortunately, Dallas area activists were able to infiltrate the private corporate event and expose the truth behind PepsiCo/Frito-Lay’s palm oil problem. A local activist subversively distributed over 100 postcards across the corporate campus urging employees to contact executive leadership for action to end palm oil worker exploitation. You can send your own message to PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi here.
Here are a few photos of the postcards distributed inside the Frito-Lay corporate headquarters:
Palm oil postcards inside the Frito-Lay employee cafeteria
Palm oil postcards next to PepsiCo/Frito-Lay’s greenwash awards
The palm oil postcards even made it inside a bathroom stall!
