Craig Sams Home
Page
Welcome to my home page.
My name is Craig Sams, I live
in Hastings in the south of England. This site links to
things I do or in which I have involvement or interest.
Biography
I was born on a farm in Nebraska in 1944.
After taking a B.Sc Economics from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania I moved to London in 1966 with the aim of opening a macrobiotic restaurant. In 1967, after a brief career in the ethnic fashion and import business (Afghan coats, Indian posters, Tunisian kaftans, Tibetan shoulder bags, hand-dyed silks) I founded, in partnership with my brother Gregory, Whole Earth Foods, a leading organic food company, expanding from its original organic macrobiotic restaurant 'Seed' into retail, wholesaling and manufacturing.
Author of four books: "About Macrobiotics" (1972), The Brown Rice Cookbook (1982, new edition 1992), The Little Food Book (1993) and, with Josephine Fairley, The Story of Green & Black's. The Sams family (our Dad Ken, Gregory and me) published "Seed Magazine - The Journal of Organic Living" from 1972-1977. I was Hon. Treasurer of the Soil Association from 1990 to 2001 and was Chairman from 2001-2007. I then chaired Soil Association Certification Ltd from 2007-2009 and continue as a director.
In partnership with my wife Josephine Fairley I founded Green & Black's Organic Chocolate in 1991, an award-winning organic and fair trade confectionery brand whose Maya Gold chocolate was the first product to carry the Fairtrade Mark. I grow most of my own vegetables organically in our potager garden in Hastings and on my allotment nearby. I’m now President of Green & Black's Ltd as well as Chair of the Soil Association. I am Executive Chairman of Carbon Gold Ltd, a carbon sequestration business based on the use of biochar as a soil improver. In addition I continue to serve as a director of Duchy Originals Ltd, as a trustee of the Slow Food Trust UK and of Judges Bakery Ltd, our organic bakery in Hastings. We host the Wellington Square Natural Health Centre in Hastings, a venue for alternative and complementary therapies.
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Green
& Blacks:
I am proud to have founded, with my wife Josephine
Fairley, this excellent brand which embodies some
of the finest chocolate products ever made. Maya Gold,
which I created to underpin a developmental relationship
with the cacao-growing Maya of southern Belize, was
the first product to carry the Fairtrade Mark and
remains an idealised model of how it is possible to
have mutually beneficial relationships between developing
world producers and developed world processors.
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The whole story is in “Sweet Dreams – The Story of Green & Black’s” by Craig Sams and Josephine Fairley.
To purchase our book click on cover. |
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Soma
Smoothies:
My son Karim founded this business in the summer
of 2001. His organic smoothies are fantastic, if I
do say so myself.
Nomato:
Created for those who wish to avoid nightshades (tomatoes,
potatoes, aubergines, chilli peppers, capsicums, tobacco).
Tasting as good as or better than their tomato-based
equivalents, Nomato ketchup, pasta sauce, baked beans,
soup and chilli are a dream come true.
Books
and Articles
Over the years I've written About Macrobiotics (1972)
which was reprinted many times and in many languages,
The Brown Rice Macrobiotic Cookbook (1980) and (1994)
and, in 2003, The Little Food Book.
I've written columns for Natural Products News and
given a few speeches from time to time. Here
is a selection.
Macrobiotic
Sea Cruise:
In March 2003 we went on a macrobiotic sea cruise
in the Caribbean. It was quite an experience and we
heartily recommend it as a healthy, holistic holiday
option. Here's
how it went.
Whole
Earth Foods:
My brother Gregory and I founded Whole
Earth Foods back in 1967.
Lower
Torfield Allotments:
Every spare minute that isn't spent on more urgent
but less satisfying activities, is spent with the
"other woman" in my marriage. "Lottie"
- my allotment just 4 minutes away from home at Lower
Torfield |
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