Good Worldwide ramps up efforts to end child hunger with bolt-on of celeb-founded This Saves Lives

12-Nov-2022 - Last updated on 12-Nov-2022 at 15:37 GMT

TSL's founders are a troupe of American actors who are actively helping to fight childhood malnutrition. Pic: TSL

The US-based mission driven company has acquired the humanitarian snack brand created by Hollywood brat pack Kristen Bell, Ryan Devlin, Todd Grinnell and Ravi Patel to shine a spotlight on the hunger crisis.

The acquisition marks a significant milestone for both companies: Good will be able to continue its larger mission of spreading good works and elevating brands with enormous impact, while This Saves Lives will have the platform to raise even more awareness, and in turn, activate a larger population toward eradicating global hunger.

Feed a child

This Saves Lives (TSL) was founded in 2013 with a mission to actively help eradicate early childhood severe acute malnutrition. Cofounders Bell (Frozen, The Good Place, Veronica Mars), Devlin (Marmaduke, House of Lies), Grinnell (Four Kings, Desperate Housewives) and Patel (Meet the Patels, Transformers) launched TSL with a simple motto – Buy A Bar. Feed A Child. We Eat Together.

With every product purchased, TSL sends life-saving food to a child in need, both in the US and abroad (South Sudan, Haiti, Ethiopia, the DRC, Somalia, India, Guatemala, Mexico and the Philippines). World hunger remains a persistent crisis, with approximately 842 million people going hungry every day.

Of that number in 2020, the WHO estimated that 149 million children under 5 years-of-age were stunted (too short for age) and 45 million were wasted (too thin for height), thanks to malnutrition.

Almost half of all deaths among that demographic is linked to undernutrition, mostly in low- and middle-income countries, like Somalia, DR Congo, Haiti and Yemen – although 12 million children in America are struggling with hunger today. Sadly – and perhaps surprisingly – these countries are seeing an increase in childhood obesity.

This is only going to get worse with the impacts of the Ukraine conflict on food costs and availability, as well as one of the worst droughts in 40 years in the Horn of Africa.

As of 2022, TSL had donated more than 30 million packets of life-saving food – specifically Plumpy’Nut, a ready-to-eat therapeutic food packed with vitamins and minerals used to treat malnourished children – to children in need around the world, including 275,000 packets for children in the US.

Good’s debut into retail

Details of the acquisition were not disclosed, but a spokesperson for Good told BakeryandSnacks the bid was under $5m, and upon completion, “TSL will operate as a standalone brand under the Good Worldwide umbrella of companies, alongside social media juggernaut Upworthy and the company’s consulting arm Good Consulting Group.”

We were told, “The valuation is complex and as a private company, TSL is not disclosing this information,” but also that “Good is excited to take this step into the retail world and continue TSL’s impactful work to end early childhood severe acute malnutrition in countries all over the world.”

Added TSL cofounder, actress and philanthropist Kirsten Bell, “It’s a beautiful thing when two companies share the same DNA. It’s even more impactful when they can make a real difference in some of the world’s most devastating issues. I could not be more excited for the future of This Saves Lives as a Good Worldwide company.”

Good Worldwide is a B. Corp social impact company with a global audience of over 150 million people.

Since 2006, the US-headquartered company has been on a mission to empower people and organisations to be a force for good, together. The company helps people bring their purpose to life in ways that stand out and drive lasting results. It produces an online new site, a magazine, online videos and events to highlight issues that impact business, the environment, communities and individuals around the world. It was founded by Ben Goldhirsh (son of Inc. magazine founder Bernie Goldhirsh) who wanted to create a ‘free press for the critical idealist’.

“GOOD Worldwide is proud to bring This Saves Lives into our brand family, uniting under the mission to end child hunger,” said Good CEO Max Schorr.

“This Saves Lives shares our core purpose to do good and extends this purpose to products where every purchase creates a positive impact. We are excited to combine forces and envision a future where every child is safe, happy and healthy.”

TSL’s celeb connections

On completion of the transaction, Jeff Goldberg, a board member of pasta company Banza, will serve as interim CEO of TSG.

“I am delighted to join forces with GOOD Worldwide to advance This Saves Lives. There is tremendous potential in this effort and I look forward to achieving our goals together.”

TSL has attracted venture funding from a number of notable investors, including John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, Prince Amukamara, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Green and Alyssa Milano, among others. In June 2018, it raised $250,000 of venture funding from Working Lab Capital and WorldQuant Ventures.

Its portfolio ranges from snack bars (all under 180 calories), to Kids’ Snack Bars (with 5g or less of sugar), Krispy Treats (a full serving of fruits and veggies, and allergen-free), Kids’ GranolaPop and Kids’ Oatmeal. The products are also non-GMO, gluten-free and kosher-dairy.

Every time a consumer purchases a product, a pack of Plumpy’Nut is donated to one of TSL’s partners like Action Against Hunger. TSL’s giving partners then distribute these packets where they are most needed throughout the world – specifically, Somalia, South Sudan and Kenya.

Products are available online and in select retail stores across the US, including Kroger, Whole Foods, HEB, Rite Aid, Stop & Shop, Hannaford Brothers and Winn Dixie.