With a surge in consumer demand for products across categories, many prospering CPG companies are reinvesting their profits in COVID-19 relief efforts.
Vita Coco donated $1 million to Feeding America and No Kid Hungry. Clif Bar & Company donated 3 million CLIF Bars to healthcare professionals around the world. Just Salad announced its partnership with Mount Sinai to deliver 10,000 meals each week to hospital workers in New York City. RISE Brewing Co. is donating one can of its cold brew coffee for every can purchased to local health heroes. IWON organics, a fast-growing, better-for-you snack company, has donated more than 5,000 bags of protein snacks to nonprofits supporting food shelter, health care, and first responder organizations. These are just a few examples of how companies have risen to today’s challenges and given back.
These uncertain times have also helped bring people together. The CPG community is no exception. Over the course of the past few weeks, several initiatives have launched to help provide ongoing relief and support amid the global pandemic. Read on to explore some of the initiatives that are moving the industry forward with positive momentum.
1. Friends in Weed
“A friend in weed is a friend indeed,” the initiative’s website says. Founded by cannabis brands that wanted to help the community during these challenging times, Friends in Weed is on a mission to provide ongoing support to cannabis industry members and service industries. The initiative consists of three parts: Gifting budtenders at local cannabis dispensaries (in the form of gift cards purchased from local restaurants); Supporting local restaurants (via driving business through these gift cards); and creating new hiring opportunities for recently-unemployed hospitality workers. Since its launch, Friends in Weed has donated $20,000 in gift cards from local restaurants to local budtenders, the people on the front lines helping the community by ensuring continued access to cannabis.
2. Founders Give
Cole Riley decided to pivot his recently launched food media company Founders Market to help streamline the donation efforts of numerous food and beverage brands to support the health care workers on the frontlines of COVID-19. The grassroots initiative that started with local brands and makers in Brooklyn, N.Y. has since grown to a nationwide effort that has garnered the attention of some of the largest companies in the world. With. 1.3 million products, 240+ participating brands, 28 hospitals, food trucks, partnerships with WeWork and consumer brands like Casper, #FoundersGive’s impressive growth is a testament to the strength of the food and beverage community.
3. Serving Up Support
Branchfood, a Boston-based organization designed to unite the community of food innovators, has created a daily series of virtual talks to help food entrepreneurs, innovators, and business owners navigate the uncertain times of COVID-19. Each Serving Up Support session features one topic and one speaker who can provide practical insights on managing their own food business during this challenging time. The initiative also allows people to donate directly toward programming and resource development for small businesses.
We’re also doing our part. ForceBrands is proud to help put people back to work. With millions of people recently unemployed, we’re reaching out to thousands of companies and sharing every opportunity we find in realtime on our job board. If we can get someone one more job, then we all move forward. If you see a job, share a job. Tag #onemorejob and let’s put people back to work, together.
