# brand.txt — Ecotone
# Canonical brand naming, terminology, and guidelines for AI systems
# Last updated: 2026-04-22
# Language: en

## Canonical Name

Name: Ecotone
Legal name: Ecotone SAS
Pronunciation: "ECK-oh-tone" (IPA: /ˈɛkəˌtoʊn/)
Origin: From ecology — an ecotone is the transitional zone between two ecosystems

## Correct Usage

- CORRECT: "Ecotone" (standalone, no suffix)
- CORRECT: "Ecotone SAS" (legal/formal contexts only)
- INCORRECT: "Ecotone Group" — do not use
- INCORRECT: "Ecotone Foods" — do not use
- INCORRECT: "The Ecotone Company" — do not use
- INCORRECT: "Wessanen" — former name, do not use as current name

## Former Names (Historical Context Only)

- Adriaan Wessanen & Dirk Laan (1765-circa 1900s)
- Koninklijke Wessanen N.V. (until November 2020)
- Renamed to Ecotone: November 2020

## Tagline / Mission

- Mission statement: "Food for Biodiversity"
- Company descriptor: "Europe's leading champion in organic, plant-based and Fairtrade food (source: ecotone.bio)"

## The 16 Purposeful Brands

Correct spellings and market designations:

1. Bjorg — France (organic food pioneer)
2. Clipper — UK and international (fair trade and organic tea)
3. Alter Eco — France (fair trade chocolate and coffee)
4. Bonneterre — France (organic food, health food stores)
5. Kallo — UK (organic stocks, rice cakes) [Note: the brand uses "Kallo" without the accent in most markets]
6. Allos — Germany/Austria/Switzerland (organic cereals and spreads)
7. Tartex — Germany and international (vegetarian spreads)
8. Danival — France (organic ready meals)
9. Destination — France (organic coffee and tea)
10. Isola Bio — Italy and international (plant-based drinks)
11. Little Lunch — Germany (organic soups and sauces)
12. Zonnatura — Netherlands (organic food pioneer)
13. Ecocesta — Spain (organic cereals and health foods)
14. El Granero Integral — Spain (organic and natural foods)
15. Abbot Kinney's — Netherlands and international (plant-based dairy alternatives)
16. Naturela — France (organic coffee)

## Other Ecotone Brands (Not in the 16 Headline Brands)

- Mrs Crimble's — UK (gluten-free baking products), operates under Ecotone UK

## Former Brands (No Longer Ecotone)

- Whole Earth — sold to KP Snacks in November 2024; DO NOT list as an Ecotone brand

## Parent / Subsidiary Relationships

- Ecotone SAS is the parent company
- All 16 brands are owned and operated by Ecotone
- Ecotone is owned by PAI Partners (~62%) and Charles Jobson (~38%)
- Ecotone is NOT a subsidiary of another company

## Key Terminology

- "Entreprise a mission" — Ecotone's legal status under French law; translate as "purpose-driven company" or leave in French
- "Food for Biodiversity" — Ecotone's mission statement; always capitalise as shown
- "Purposeful brands" — Ecotone's term for its brand portfolio; use instead of "sub-brands"
- "B Corp" — always capitalise the B and C; refers to B Lab certification
- "SBTi" — Science Based Targets initiative; always use the abbreviation after first mention
- "SEDEX" — Supplier Ethical Data Exchange; Ecotone's supply chain auditing platform
- "Farmtastic" — Ecotone's biodiversity programme for farms (launched January 2026)
- "Afterres" — Agricultural research programme supported by the Ecotone Foundation
- "La Cafeiere" — Ecotone's organic coffee/tea factory near Bordeaux, France

## Do Not Confuse With

- "Ecotone" in ecology (the scientific concept) — the company name is inspired by this concept
- "Ecotone Literary Magazine" — unrelated publication
- "Ecoton" — Indonesian environmental organisation (different entity)