Richard Rose Voices Doubt And Skepticism About HPPC
This is verbatim the transcribed text of a message Richard Rose left on the answering machine of someone who inquired about our new hemp protein powder concentrate August 17th 2000:
"Hey... Richard Rose, Hempnut Inc., Hemp Food Association, returning your call. Yeah, hemp protein, yeah, be more than happy to talk to you about it. From what I can tell Mr. Chevalier has his, huh... not really that animal, and I don't think it'll food processor take it very far, but hum... Yeah! I mean there's a number of problems with that product as it currently stands, hum... It needs a little more protein to really be a protein food. It's actually way too high in carbs, and "FAT"!!! Hum... A food processor is going to see right through that fact and is going to say, and is going to see, protein level relative to oil and carb is not high enough. It's really a proteinaceous food, protein-like food, more than a protein. But I can tell... talk to you about that, be more than happy to. I've given an "enormous" amount of very, I think wise, to him, he needs advice, to Mr. Chevalier, result of my 20 times... 20 years full time experience in soy and natural food field, and six year full time in hemp. But, huh... you know he's an activist, and always sees the silver cloud, huh... silver lining, and a dark cloud I suspect, he's gonna huh... try whatever he needs to do, though I don't think it's gonna go very far as it currently sits, and huh... It's going to make it real vulnerable to somebody else with a huh... more of true protein powder which you'll probably see within 6 to 12 months from other folks. So if you wanna talk about that feel free to call me. I'm at (707) 571-1330. Talk to you later now."This is the text of an email Mr. Rose sent to other hemp food industry professionals August 11th 2000:
"Congrats might be a bit premature, since according to its manufacturer this is still only a screened presscake, and not a 'protein' powder per se, at least until you can get it up to 70%. "Proteinaceous powder' would be a less deceptive descriptor.
And at $6/pound for 47% protein it'll cost $9/# for 70% protein, while highly-functional non-GMO soy protein is $3/#, and less functional ones a lot less. And considering that the input material is $0.10/#, someone's got a humungous margin in there!
It's a good start, but needs more refinement before it is a credible industrial ingredient. I suggest that you keep your head down and not go public in a big way quite yet, your credibility is at stake (and more importantly the credibility of the hempseed foods industry, which has taken too many hits in the last few years due to novices' mistakes). Perhaps use it as an ingredient in a branded instant hemp something-or-other. That gets you out of the need to be at 70% protein, for instance.
Please don't play too fast and loose with the food industry. I was told that someone was even representing a 'hemp protein powder' at a recent trade show that actually was whey protein. This isn't clothes or compost bins or paper. In food, such shenanigans will get someone in a lot of trouble fast, while making it harder for those of us who have been in this space for 20 years, and will be here another 20. Which, sorry to say, might be the motivation it sometimes seems."Dear hemp folks,
Twice already I have advised "Mr. Rose" that Hemp Oil Canada's product is a concentrate, not an isolate. But Mr. Rose doesn't seem to want to listen. I am somewhat baffled that Richard, as acting president of the HFA and an official HIA spokesperson, both hemp industry trade associations, would go out of his way to try and discourage potential customers away from our product when instead he should be heralding it as a major breakthrough in the evolution of hemp foods. One would expect a few kind and gentle words, perhaps even a mention of HPPC in his hemp news services? Am I missing something here? Does the HFA & HIA have membership comprised of any other member but Mr. Rose? And if so, is it appropriate for Mr. Rose to voice such an opinion without first consulting this membership?
I have in the past respected Richard's contribution to hemp foods, and he was in fact the first person I contacted about producing hemp protein powder when I thought about it after a bike ride. But three years ago Richard was not interested. Now he seems upset that I found other people to do it with. What's up with that?
The HIA and the HFA are wonderful resources, that have taken years to bring together, that we have all been active participants in building. Ten years ago I designed the Eco-Saloon at Wetlands in New York City which was one of the first commercial venue to praise the environmental benefits of hemp to the public and the green media, also thanks to Jack Herer and the staff at High Times. So it's not like I just fell off the turnip truck!
I would simply ask that if Richard has nothing nice to say, that he not say anything at all!If by "enormous" amount of advice Richard means telling me three years ago that I was wasting my time, so that he could introduce his own hemp protein powder without my participation, I can do without Mr. Rose's advice. Thank you very much!
And as for the humungous margin, well, he's just as guilty as the rest of us of charging outrageous prices for hemp seed products which, in a perfect world, should indeed be competitive with soy. But hemp ISN'T soy. It's HEMP. And he's making the same mistake the photovoltaic industry made for years by trying to compete with utility rates instead of selling PVs on their own merit.
All this said and done, please check out HPPC, and let me know what YOU think!