KIND Impact Report

KIND

impact report

a look at our collective impact
- one act, one snack at a time.

a letter to the KIND community

KIND Community,

Welcome to our second KIND Impact Report.

When reflecting on what inspires us as a team at KIND, I often come back to our founding principles. Daniel Lubetzky founded KIND with a vision for a kinder and healthier world – one in which people didn’t have to choose between nutrition and taste. Since then, we've remained committed to crafting products that taste great and that help people get more nutritious, recommended foods – like nuts, whole grains, and fruit – into their diets. Put simply, this is the reason we exist.

And while our products help consumers be kinder to their bodies, we don’t stop there. Our purpose gives us the privilege of championing worthy causes like nutrition education and access to healthy food, supporting communities who haven’t always received their fair share of kindness, and mobilizing to help protect our planet.

But perhaps most importantly, we’ve moved forward with our mission and journey the KIND way, bit by bit – and bite by bite. On the following pages, you’ll see exactly what that means.

Until next time,

Russell Stokes
CEO, KIND North America

our mission

creating a kinder and healthier world -
one act, one snack at a time

kinder to our

bodies

kinder to our

communities

kinder to our

planet

LIVE KIND^®

kinder to our

bodies

One of our biggest public health concerns linked to nutrition is a low intake of recommended foods like whole grains, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. That’s why we craft snacks that are nutritious and delicious – so that consumers can get more of these recommended foods they need into their diet, without compromising on taste. We remain committed to the KIND Promise and always leading with a nutrient-dense first ingredient, like nuts or whole grains, in our products. And beyond our dedication to wholesome ingredients, we champion nutrition through advocacy, education, and access. In this report, we celebrate progress toward greater transparency in the food industry, educating our community about the importance of nutrient-dense foods, new partnerships that increase access to nutritious foods, and product innovation that pushes snacking forward.

In 2020, we set out to add 2 billion servings of nutrient-dense foods into the diet by 2025.

June 2023 Check-In:
3 billion servings and counting!

Download PDF Impact

nutrition from whole ingredients

When it comes to snacking, people feel like they have to choose between what they should eat and what they want to eat. We’re building a kinder, healthier world by inspiring Americans to eat nutritious, whole ingredients when they can – whether that’s by eating a handful of nuts or enjoying the nuts in a KIND^® Dark Chocolate Nuts and Sea Salt bar. That’s why we launched the Secret KIND Farmers Market, a pop-up nutrition initiative, to create a space that makes getting nutrition from whole, real foods easy, tasty, and fun. At Secret KIND Farmers Market events in 2022 and 2023, visitors entered through hidden doors in New York City and Houston and uncovered secret experiences, while shopping fresh, whole ingredients free-of-charge.

Visitors participated in an interactive and educational experience while learning about our longstanding nutrition commitment at the Secret KIND Farmers Market

11,000+

visitors in New York and Houston, who received fresh produce, nuts, whole grains, and KIND bars

88,000

pieces of produce distributed and donated

4,000

pounds of nuts and whole grains distributed and donated

24,000

bars sampled and donated

Did you know?

According to the CDC, only 12% of American adults are eating enough fruits and vegetables.

We will always embrace our responsibility of inspiring and educating consumers to make better-informed nutrition choices – and what better way to do it than with an extra helping of secrets and fun?”

Kelly Solomon, Chief Marketing Officer at KIND

the KIND nutrition collective is back

We’re reigniting conversation and community with 5,000+ Registered Dietitians. It’s all about real food, wholesome ingredients, and sound nutrition. Are you an RD interested in joining the KIND Nutrition Collective? Reach out to KINDRD@kindsnacks.com to learn more.

"Consumers are faced with a multitude of food choices throughout the day. The priority should be to select whole, recommended foods. Our goal is to have a positive impact on diet quality by providing a nutrient-dense food, like nuts or whole grains, as the first ingredient in our products and offering nutrition education so consumers can make empowered eating decisions."

Kristin Rubin, PhD, Global Head of Nutrition at KIND

welcome to the KIND Kitchen: evolving healthy snacking

We’re working to reimagine how to deliver nutrient-dense ingredients in craveable snacks. We continued to push the snack category forward in 2022 with new options to add to your breakfast that deliver recommended foods, like whole grains.

Increasing access to nutritious food with Wellfare

We’re investing in organizations addressing food insecurity in groundbreaking ways. Our multi-year partnership with Wellfare kicked off in 2022. Through product donations, volunteering, and an annual gift, we’re proud to support the non-profit’s mission to solve food insecurity in New York City as they think “outside the box” with their Better Box program.

Nourishing kids’ health, education, and sense of belonging with FoodCorps

To elevate our KIND Snack & Give Back EQUALITY Bar partner, we’re supporting FoodCorps’ efforts to ensure every child has access to food education and nourishing food in schools.

our historic journey of redefining "healthy" continues

We have been on a multi-year journey to redefine “healthy” as a regulatory term. For us, “healthy” is more than just a word on a label – it reflects our promise to craft snacks made with wholesome ingredients and empower our community to make more informed food choices.

In 2015, we petitioned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to update the definition of “healthy” to reflect current nutrition science.

Seven years later, in 2022, the FDA proposed an updated definition that reflects changes we advocated for, including:

An emphasis on nutrient-dense food groups for their contribution to a healthy diet

The addition of nutrient thresholds to help ensure that foods bearing the "healthy" claim do not contain excess saturated fat, sodium, or added sugars

on the front lines
In February 2023, we hosted nearly 1,400 RDNs to discuss the FDA’s proposed rule and implications for their work in partnership with Oldways, a food and nutrition nonprofit.

in the news...

The FDA announces new definition of what’s “healthy”

The problem with the FDA’s New Definition of “Healthy”

“Healthy” gets a new definition from FDA

go to communities

kinder to our

communities

We’re on a mission to mobilize both everyday and extraordinary acts of kindness – in our own communities and for those who need it most. This year, we expanded our commitment to our communities, celebrated the power of kindness, and championed the charitable efforts of our teammates and partners. Because together we can create a healthier and kinder world, one act and one snack at a time.

We keep kindness at our core, and we will continue to do our part to spread kindness across communities near and far.

Download PDF Impact

transforming our wrappers for good

The KIND Snack & Give Back project is a multi-year program designed to inspire kindness and empathy. Through the project, we wear our heart on our wrapper by showcasing custom designs and elevating communities that haven't received their fair share of kindness. We donate $50,000 annually to each non-profit supporting a community in need and partner with the organization on meaningful activations throughout the year. In 2022, we proudly welcomed Legacies Alive and FoodCorps as new partners and reaffirmed our longstanding partnership with The Ali Forney Center.

KIND Snack & Give Back

The Ali Forney Center is the nation’s largest non-profit organization aiding homeless LGBTQIA+ youth. Our 2022 donation supports their housing and healthcare services.

We are humbled by and grateful for KIND's continued and generous support of our homeless LGBTQ youth. The KIND team and community of consumers have demonstrated for LGBTQ homeless youth that they are valued and cared for no matter what. Through KIND's support we have been able to offer street homeless youth a host of services, including meals, medical and mental healthcare, and a continuum of care designed to help them find housing and the stability they need.”

-Alexander Roque, President and Executive Director, The Ali Forney Center

Legacies Alive’s mission is to strengthen and support the Gold Star Families of our nation’s fallen heroes, bringing national awareness to their lives and character. Our 2022 donation supports their awareness efforts.

KIND has made an impact on Legacies Alive by bringing awareness to our nation's Gold Star Families and by bringing KINDness into their homes with handwritten letters to the families of our Fallen Heroes. We are grateful for this exemplary act of kindness and our continued partnership with KIND.”

-John Dudo, Executive Director, Legacies Alive

FoodCorps creates welcoming school food environments for kids of all cultures and identities. Our 2022 donation supports their efforts to provide access to healthy foods and nutrition education to all kids.

This partnership is helping to ensure that every child will have food education and access to nourishing meals in school by 2030. We are honored to partner with KIND to nourish the futures of thousands of children and their communities.”

-Dr. Robert S. Harvey, President, FoodCorps

The Ali Forney Center is the nation’s largest non-profit organization aiding homeless LGBTQIA+ youth. Our 2022 donation supports their housing and healthcare services.

Aligned with our inclusive values and longstanding support of the LGBTQIA+ community, we proudly advocated for the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act to ensure that everyone has the right to love and marry who they choose. We put our allyship into action by signing the Human Rights Campaign’s Letter to the Senate in support of the Respect for Marriage Act.

celebrating everyday
acts of kindness

Kindness has a ripple effect. To create a wave of empathy in our own communities and beyond, we launched our biggest World Kindness Day campaign yet. To spread the word, we teamed up with Beast Philanthropy Productions, a non-profit working to alleviate hunger, homelessness, and unemployment. Together we encouraged everyone to take part in an act of kindness, no matter how big or small.

We partnered with influential changemaker MrBeast to ignite a celebration of everyday acts of kindness.

Giving back is one of the best parts of my job, and I’m excited to have teamed up with KIND to encourage even more kindness in my community and across the country.”

Jimmy Donaldson, also known as MrBeast

7446

acts of kindess

inspired by mr beast and kind

5.3m

views

and 11,000 comments on MrBeast’s World Kindness Day video sponsored by KIND

100k

KIND bars

donated to Beast Philanthropy

160

KIND team members

volunteered for 10 charities across the country

Thank you to retail partners Harris Teeter and Instacart for shining a spotlight on our campaign!

"We don't just work here to make a profit, but to make a difference in the world. Our teammates are truly kind and want to help one another. Being transparent, going out of your way to help others, understanding that it's not just what we do, but how we do it—that’s all part of the culture at KIND."

Tom Trocola-Barone
Senior Manager, Office Operations &
Experience and Culture Champion at KIND

We believe kindness has no borders and mobilized quickly to support communities around the world facing unimaginable hardship.

350k bars

donated to Feeding America, World Central Kitchen, and the American Red Cross in support of Hurricanes Fiona and Ian

44k products

donated to support relief efforts in Turkey and Syria

$200,000

donated to World Central Kitchen to help provide nutritious food to Ukraine

$13,600

raised for charities supporting Ukraine through KIND’s 2:1 matching program

In support of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, our flower wall in New York City’s Flatiron Plaza was created to spread kindness at a time when the world needed it. Members of the public left kind messages while supporting World Central Kitchen’s Ukraine emergency food relief efforts.

$200,000

donated to World Central Kitchen to help provide nutritious food to Ukraine

$13,600

raised for charities supporting Ukraine through KIND’s 2:1 matching program

The KIND Foundation’s Frontline Impact Project connects those on the frontlines of communities and crises with donors who would like to help.

We worked together to bring:

450,000 KIND bars donated to those in and around the borders of Ukraine, in partnership with the Frontline Impact Project and Beast Philanthropy Productions

Over 3,000 KIND bars donated to eager voters facing long polling lines in Philadelphia and Milwaukee, in partnership with Pizza to The Polls

GO TO PLANET

kinder to our

planet

We believe that being kinder to your body and kinder to the planet go hand in hand. That means sourcing healthy AND sustainable ingredients while bee-ing kind to our pollinators. Testing to ensure that each sustainability effort is backed by science – so that we can keep making progress. The truth is there’s no straightforward answer to any of the world’s environmental issues, but how you start is simple: with kindness.

Our goal is to source 100% of our almonds on a mass-balance basis from bee-friendly farmland and farmland leveraging regenerative agriculture practices by 2030.

Download PDF

a kinder way to grow food

It’s no secret that we love almonds. We use tens of millions of pounds of them in our snacks each year. We know regenerative agriculture (also called regen ag) in almonds is nascent, so helping to crack that nut could lower our emissions and lead the industry in a more sustainable direction.

This April, we were proud to announce the KIND Almond Acres Initiative, a three-year, 500-acre pilot project to test regenerative agriculture practices and modern technologies on California almonds. At the KIND Almond Acres Initiative, we’re testing a unique combination of five different practices with the goal of increasing carbon and nutrients in the soil, reducing emissions, using less water, and supporting biodiversity. To make this happen, we’re working with key partners in the region and bringing our consumers along on this journey – providing transparency every step of the way.

Our partner on the ground, who owns our project acres and implements the KIND Almond Acres Initiative.

Pollinator Partnership works to verify that we’re sourcing our almonds from bee-friendly farmland – our goal is to source 100% of our volume on a mass balance basis by 2025.

Our long-term sustainability and research partner, helping us understand how pollinator health and regenerative agriculture can positively impact the almond industry.

We are a member of CWAC and will work with key stakeholders in California on a project to improve the state’s water resilience for people, business, agriculture, and nature.

planet meets communities

We are supporting the next generation of sustainable agriculture through a scholarship at UC Merced, a Hispanic-Serving Institution in Merced County, California. We’ll be donating a total of $20,000 to contribute towards scholarships that will be awarded to eight undergraduate students who have a demonstrated interest in either sustainable or regenerative agriculture.

What is regenerative
agriculture?

KIND defines regenerative agriculture as a set of farming principles and practices which aim to restore soil health and build long-term climate resilience in farming communities.

This will tremendously help our students, many of which are first-generation students, and continue to give back to our planet by investing in the future generation that’s going to change the world. It means a lot to our students to see a brand like KIND invest in our local community and for an initiative that they care deeply about – helping the planet.”

Monica Sozinho
Director of Corporate Relations, UC Merced

pollinating kindness

KIND Almond Acres Initiative is just one way we’re working towards sourcing our ingredients more sustainably. We started this journey when we committed to supporting and advocating for pollinator health – because without bees, there would be no almonds! Here are some milestones we’ve met in pursuit of that goal:

2022

We began a long-standing partnership with the University of California Davis, a leading academic institution for bee and pollinator health. To date, we have invested $350,000 in the university’s Williams Lab to support its pioneering bee health research.

2020

We became the first snack company committed to sourcing 100% of our almonds from bee-friendly farms on a mass balance basis by 2025.

2022 #BeeDayBash

Our #BeeDayBash created a buzz, engaging nearly 20 million users on TikTok and educating our consumers about the importance of pollinators through our advocacy education video.

2023

We’re implementing and testing the benefits of cover crops as one of our five practices at the KIND Almond Acres Initiative. Cover crops help create important pollinator habitats!

2022

We built public awareness and appreciation for the important role that pollinators play within our food system on World Bee Day, partnering with TikTok influencers and the platform’s vibrant bee community.

2023

As of May 2023, we’ve sourced 51% of our almonds from bee-friendly farmland on a mass balance basis, halfway toward our 100% commitment by 2025.

2020

We became the first snack company committed to sourcing 100% of our almonds from bee-friendly farms on a mass balance basis by 2025.

2022

2022 #BeeDayBash

Our #BeeDayBash created a buzz, engaging nearly 20 million users on TikTok and educating our consumers about the importance of pollinators through our advocacy education video.

2023

We’re implementing and testing the benefits of cover crops as one of our five practices at the KIND Almond Acres Initiative. Cover crops help create important pollinator habitats!

2023

As of May 2023, we’ve sourced 51% of our almonds from bee-friendly farmland on a mass balance basis, halfway toward our 100% commitment by 2025.

driving progress through intermodal transportation

How do KIND snacks make their way to your kitchen cabinet quickly and safely? That’s the responsibility of our transportation team, who manage the logistics. Over the past two years, the team has taken the initiative to re-evaluate our freight logistics through intermodal transportation – the use of both trains and trucks. Working with our transportation partner, we’re taking steps to make our product more sustainable and challenging ourselves to go bigger, do more, and reduce our impact.

We increased intermodal transportation of our finished goods by almost 17% in 2022 compared to 2021.

"Caring about people and the planet is who we are behind the scenes, it’s in the fabric of how our organization started, and it’s at the core of our being. And we’re unwilling to compromise that."

Laura Eory, Director of Transportation at KIND

rethinking packaging

Let’s be transparent. We’re on a mission to create a kinder and healthier world and while we have a lot to be proud of, we know there’s always a bigger challenge to meet – especially when it comes to our packaging.

The reason we’re calling this a test is because we don’t yet know if this is the best way forward when it comes to the future of our packaging. But we do know it’s a good first step in learning how we might reduce our plastic usage. The results from this exploratory pilot test will help KIND determine how to scale plastic alternatives in the future.

GO TO LIVE KIND

LIVE
KIND^®

We’re able to make a real, lasting impact because of the people at KIND who live our purpose, believe in our mission, and care about making a difference. Each day we are inspired by the belief that kindness can change lives. That simple idea empowers us, motivates us, and pushes us forward. We’re hungry to deliver, and we have a lot of fun along the way.

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Over 55,000 hours

spent volunteering since KIND’s founding

360 Frozen bars

consumed every month at HQ

19 KIND minis

born in 2022

500+ waffles

made on Waffle Wednesdays at HQ

775 KINDOS

(like kudos, but the KIND way) exchanged between team members

53 million steps

during our Kindness Around the Globe challenge

"The key ingredient is that we’re living our purpose by making sure each individual team member has a chance to contribute to creating a kinder world in a way that is meaningful and authentic to them."

Jennifer Stites, Chief HR Officer at KIND

we’re passionate about giving back. take a look at our team in action at some recent volunteer activities.

Congratulations to Kellie Kesner,
2022 KINDOS of the Year winner

Kellie, VP of Customer Operations Collaboration, was recognized for exemplifying our Hungry and KIND values. Throughout the year, Kellie persevered to achieve exceptional results while exuding kindness along the way.

inspiring and strengthening a culture of diversity, inclusivity, and belonging

Our commitment to fostering empathy and compassion begins with our own teammates. By celebrating our diversity – inside and outside of KIND – we can build bridges and advance our mission of kindness. This work is championed by our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion team, whose leadership has driven progress, engagement, and continued learning for us all.

DEI milestones in 2022

Internally launched the KIND Resource Groups (KRGs), supporting diverse communities within our organization by creating a space for understanding and connection. Through advocacy, education, and awareness, the KRGs are driving a deeper sense of belonging and appreciation for the contributions we each make at KIND. In just our first year, we formed 6 KRGs consisting of more than 200 members and hosted 17 events.

Expanded our commitment to two adopted Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU) and Fayetteville State University. Our commitment to the schools seeks to impact diverse future leaders through our scholarship program, mentorship, and on-campus activities – as well as the KIND Perfect Pitch Challenge at FAMU, which awarded three winning teams with $40,000. Since adopting the schools in 2021, we have provided grants and scholarships totaling $360,000.

Celebrated kindness and solidarity in June, evolving our approach to be inclusive of several diverse communities. Engagement opportunities for our team members throughout the month included volunteering with The Ali Forney Center, a day of listening, learning, and reflecting on Juneteenth, and participation in the annual NYC Pride March.

“Research shows that having a designated space to be yourself not only improves work performance but improves our overall wellbeing. It's so important for me that folks in my community know that I am someone they can always come to for anything - I want to be a shoulder to lean on, someone to talk through experiences with, and someone who loves others unconditionally.”

Collin Worley
Consumer Insights Analyst and KIND & Proud KRG Lead at KIND

“Our team members drive us to be true to our mission and our values and ensure that we always lead with empathy, compassion, and honesty. When we are hitting our mark, we are sure to celebrate our wins and lift each other up, and when we are missing by a mile, we are strong and honest enough to call out our faults and take up the challenge to do better."

Ryanne Goodwine
Manager, Governance, Risk and Compliance, KRG Lead, Culture Champion and 2022 Values Champion Award Winner at KIND

spreading kindness around the globe…

Supporting refugees and displaced people around the world through our partnership with CHOOSE LOVE.

In the UK, we launched three special-edition bars with wrappers designed by talented Iranian artist Majid Adin, drawing inspiration from the kindness he experienced as a refugee. We donated £50,000 to support the charity’s humanitarian aid and advocacy for refugees around the world.

Celebrating everyday heroes like foster carer Jo Newby, who has dedicated her life to caring for others.

Nominated by her husband for being the true definition of kindness, Jo received the 2022 UK KIND Hero Award to recognize her tireless efforts to help hundreds of members of the community during the past two decades and better the lives of local pan-disabled youths and children in need. Over the course of 18 years, Jo has fostered 92 children. We were proud to recognize Jo’s kind heart with a statue in her honor on the River Thames, created using 3D scanning technology and made from recycled materials.

Advancing our commitment to sustainability.

In the UK, we introduced new packaging that incorporates recycled content made from advanced recycling, reducing virgin plastic use. The project is a unique ‘closed loop’ collaboration. Created for maximum circularity, the new material is produced through the recycling of used mixed plastic that would otherwise be destined for incineration or landfill – making it eligible for drop-off recycling in the UK and curbside recycling in Ireland.

a few words from Daniel Lubetzky, our founder

As important as what we aim to achieve is how we strive to achieve it.

How we act along our daily journeys ultimately defines us and determines our destination. We can take the path of least resistance, or we can muster the strength of action required to be kind.