Whole Story

The Official Whole Foods Market® Blog

Fig Food Co.

By Marc Hamel and Ha Lam, October 8, 2011  |  Meet the Blogger  |  More Posts by Marc Hamel and Ha Lam
We love our producers, suppliers and vendors and we think most of them have some pretty interesting stories behind their products too. We’ll be sharing some of our favorites here in an ongoing series. Read on for a chance to win a $50 gift card. Fig Food makes delicious soup. If you’ve tasted it, you may already know this — but did you know that in every batch of organic, kosher soup, someone has thought about how to pack in the most organic plants possible? “The choices we made around being kosher, being organic, using a new package; it all comes from my own personal passion and wanting to leave a legacy of making the world a better place,” says Joel Henry, founder and owner of Fig Food. Every choice that Henry has made can be traced to this philosophy, from the seasoning of their soup, the decision to go organic to naming the soups after the areas from which they draw flavor inspiration. (Tuscan White Bean, Yucatan Black Bean and Umbrian Lentil are a few examples.) “Part of making the world a better place is about reconnection; connecting to the farmer, connecting to other people,” says Henry. “I thought if we named the soups with cool names, people would explore the regions to see what they stood for.” When Henry made the decision to go organic, he asked himself, “ ‘Is it more important to get more people access to plant-based foods and be conventional, or be organic?’ To me, organic growing practices are all about a better environment, and so if I have healthier people in an environment that’s declining, that didn’t sit well.” And so it was. Their lightly salted soups are organic, plant-based and tasty. Have you ever considered all of the thought that goes into the soup you’re eating? Let us know about your thoughts on Henry’s soup philosophy. Watch the slideshow above and leave a comment with your answer by October 25th. One comment will be chosen at random to win a $50 gift card to our stores.

 

495 Comments

Comments

Chris Stotts says ...
We just recently are going through a complete 'detoxing' in our home..and whole foods has been our main shopping spot to get our products at..anyhow..making one or two 'soup(s) of the week ' has been a huge part in this..so finding awesome recipes has been SO HELPFUL! Trying out new recipes etc has been REALLY FUN! LOVE IT! THANK YOU!!!
10/17/2011 5:44:10 PM CDT
Melody Mascarenaz says ...
Great video! Our family loves soup I will be purchasing Fig Foods soup on my next trip to the store!
10/17/2011 6:12:25 PM CDT
Tim DeRosa says ...
Sincerity and passion... that's what comes through the slideshow and makes me want to see what Fig Food soups Whole Foods is carrying. Now that the Houston summer is almost over (mid-Oct), soup time is here again.
10/17/2011 6:13:12 PM CDT
Nadiya says ...
I love soup and I do put a lot of thought into preparing one - just like Henry does at Fig Food Co. I try my best to buy only fresh, locally grown produce that I later use in my soups - I can sure taste the difference in flavor and feel good for helping local producers and make a way smaller footprint on the environment.
10/17/2011 6:14:18 PM CDT
Teresa E. says ...
Love it and love this soup!
10/17/2011 7:05:15 PM CDT
FatTomato says ...
ooo tasty tasty! Given the company's name, I was under the impression that they used figs in their soups, but, whatever, it still looks darn tasty!
10/17/2011 7:06:22 PM CDT
Helena says ...
I never really thought soups were very important other than a good thing to eat when you're sick until recently. I guess that's why I began to take more care into them, buying the best ingredients, and taking time to prepare them. They're a source of nutrition that can makes us feel better when we're down.
10/17/2011 11:53:12 PM CDT
R. Rubin says ...
I look forward to trying the various soups!
10/18/2011 7:04:31 AM CDT
Kelly says ...
I love Fig Food Soups! Very interesting reading all the thought that really goes into these soups - I'm sure the same cannot be said for the majority of soup cans at the grocery store, where profit and appealing to people's bland processed taste buds are held higher than the health and well-being of the consumers. Thanks Fig Foods for standing above the rest!
10/18/2011 10:09:41 AM CDT
Rebecca Schiff says ...
What a great company! Thanks for all you do! RS
10/18/2011 2:14:35 PM CDT
Susan says ...
Wonderful to have our food producers caring so much about what they put in their products. Great option when you don't have time to cook!
10/18/2011 3:24:19 PM CDT
Melissa says ...
What's not to love? Has all the right "ingredients" for a superior tasting soup. Yum!
10/18/2011 4:56:58 PM CDT
Calvin says ...
Tasty, thoughtful, and wholesome. What a great model for a family experience that can be sustainable and socially responsible.
10/19/2011 11:48:13 AM CDT
Yas says ...
I always look at the ingredients in the food that I buy because I really care what I choose to put directly into my system. I have so much appreciation for those who work so hard to put the highest quality ingredients together for a tasty yet natural source of food. Much support to Henry's philosophy because the more natural the food, the better it tastes :]
10/21/2011 10:00:10 AM CDT
Caitlin says ...
Sounds wonderful! I am very interested in leading a healthy life and am always looking for things like this to incorporate into my life!
10/25/2011 6:36:51 PM CDT
kailey wengoe says ...
Good website. All posts have a process to learn. Thank you for another important article.
11/04/2011 3:12:16 PM CDT
CathyJ says ...
Finally a producer who gets it with soup and the sodium. If you we're making it at home, would you just take the lid off the shaker and dump all of the contents in the pot, then turn around and happily ladle the soup in the bowl for your family? Thank you for getting it, Fig. Taste the soup, not the salt.
10/28/2012 5:20:18 PM CDT
D says ...
I have been looking forward to purchase Fig Food Co. Pumpkin Puree again this year at my local Whole Foods Market but it doesn't seem to carry it anymore. Can I still have any hopes?
11/17/2012 1:25:38 PM CST
Nikki - Community Moderator says ...
@D - I double checked on their website and wasn't able to find a pumpkin puree listed on their site. It's possible that they did not make this product this year. I would encourage you to reach out to them directly at http://www.figfood.com/contact.html as I'm sure they'd be happy to help!
11/19/2012 5:36:33 PM CST
Gina says ...
I absolutely love these soups!! I wanted to eat healthy and organic during my pregnancy and these soups were an easy way for me to do it! Thank you for making them, they are delicious!
11/20/2012 1:20:13 PM CST

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