The founders of e-commerce startup Honest Co. are fighting back against their critics.
The brand, founded by actress Jessica Alba and former nonprofit CEO Christopher Gavigan, has faced some criticism of late as several lawsuits have alleged that the company’s purported all-natural products feature deceptive labeling, contain synthetic ingredients or in same cases, are ineffective. The latest lawsuit came last month, when it was alleged Honest Co.’s organic infant formula contains 11 “synthetic substances that are not allowed in organic products.”
But now the unicorn-valued startup is saying it stands behind the products it produces, specifically defending the Honest Organic Premium Instant Formula.
“As the parents of young children, we know what it means to want to do everything you can to give them the healthiest start possible,” Honest Co.’s founders said in a blog post published over the weekend. “The time and care that we took to create and develop our Organic Infant Formula reflects a personal and professional commitment to giving families an option worthy of their confidence.”
The founders listed the following claims: 1) the infant formula is “fully compliant and meets all safety and nutritional standards,” 2) It has been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration and labeled with the USDA Organic Seal, 3) It is manufactured according to FDA standards, and 4) It is certified organic and contains at least 95% organic ingredients as required by USDA. The 11 ingredients alleged in the suit as non-organic are ingredients that occur naturally in breast milk, Honest Co. asserts, and are important for infant growth and development.
“We stand behind the safety of our Organic Infant Formula and have used it for our own families,” Alba and Gavigan said in their post. “It is unfortunate that some of these groups attempt to leverage the name recognition of Honest and, more specifically, Jessica Alba, to draw more awareness to their efforts.”
