This web site is being put up after a year of frustration, conversations and general disregard for corporate responsibility. Further motivation was provided when they refused to replace my microwave and offered me $30 as a "goodwill" gesture and threatened me with breach of contract/legal action if I disclosed any of this information to anyone. As you can see below, my microwave was ruined by one of ConAgra Foods, Inc. dba Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Microwave Popcorn bags. It caught on fire, turned the inside of my microwave brown and smoked up my house. It was taken outside immediately, extinguished and then thrown in the garbage. Of course the Claims Management Services Company (Sedgewick CMS), which is on retainer with ConAgra Foods, said that I needed to provide the burnt bag to verify my claim. Needless to say that was not possible. I shared with them all of the pertinent information with them, jumped through hoops, sent the other bags with the box, etc. "Their lab" tested it and it popped wonderfully of course.

Mr. Redenbacher was a genius and built an amazing Company through hard work, dedication, continual improvement and a passion for his popcorn. He was growing his own by the age of 12. I am sure Mr. Redenbacher was a very honorable man during his lifetime. If he was still alive there would be no need for this site. He understood customer service.

My beef is with ConAgra Foods who unfortunately bought the Orville Redenbacher Company in 1983. As usual the corporate giant has lost touch with the very consumers that put the company on the map in the first place. All of this could have all been avoided if they had just replaced my microwave. It would have cost a mere $115 dollars. Now this is being released to the media and I am sure that I am not the only person who has had this experience. Please post a blog about your experience.

So Corporate Bigwigs, what now?

If you have had a similar experience or if the reading of this just inspires you as one man stands up against the Ivory Towers, drop me a line at [email protected] or Please Post a blog. Thank you for your encouragement and support. I will forward all emails to ConAgra Foods.

ConAgra sells a product called Hunt's [Tomatoes] Paste, which is
called "tomato paste" in the product literature at Hunts.com. The cans
are the same size and shape as those containing plain tomato paste,
but the Hunt's product contains herbs and spices. Nowhere on the
label, except in the tiny black-on-red list of ingredients on the
back, is there any mention of these additives. This labeling would
seem to violate 21 CFR 155.191, specifically this subsection:

(ii) The following shall be included as part of the name or in close
proximity to the name of the food:

(c) A declaration of any flavoring that characterizes the product
as specified in Sec. 101.22 of this chapter and a declaration of any
spice that characterizes the product, e.g., "Seasoned with ------, "
the blank to be filled in with the words "added spice" or, in lieu of
the word "spice, " the common name of the spice.

Even if the Hunt's labeling somehow meets the regulatory standard
(perhaps by substituting "tomatoes" for "tomato"), I still contend
that this is a deceptive practice.

I wrote to the company a week ago, using a feedback form on their Web
site; because they haven't replied, I cannot include their email
address here. I explained that people are being misled into purchasing
this product, believing it to be unadulterated tomato paste. I wrote
that if I had received no response in a week.