Newman's Own is a food company, but consumers also know it for donating 100% of its profits to camps for sick children and other worthy causes. Such single-minded generosity is relatively rare among food companies.
That's changing. The growth of wellness and sustainability is allowing companies of all sizes to join in the crusade.
The difference between then and now is that manufacturers are moving beyond simple tie-ins and event sponsorships to creating products solely for a cause. Live Energy Drinks, for example, gives 50% of its profits to charity, with each of its four flavors giving to a different cause, including breast cancer, AIDS and HIV, global warming and youth outreach. Started last November, Live now distributes its all-natural drinks to major supermarkets such as Safeway, Kroger, Whole Foods and H.E. Butt Grocery Co.
Companies that cater to kids, such as Santa Monica, Calif.-based Nui, are also donating a portion of profits, as are many personal care companies. Save Your World, which produces an all-natural line for hair and body, promises to conserve one acre of rainforest for every product it sells.
Consumers certainly seem to be in the giving spirit. According to the Chicago-based Giving USA Foundation, charitable donations passed the $300 billion mark for the first time ever in 2007, reaching just over $306 billion in total.
But a good cause alone won't move product, explained Wilson Ling, who was motivated to establish Live Energy Drinks after lung cancer claimed the life of his father.
“The charity aspect can't stand by itself,” he said. “You still have to come up with a product that is engaging in other ways as well.”
