Partake Foods expands social impact in 2023

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Partake Foods has official become a B Corporation company. Pic: Partake Foods

The Black-owned and woman-founded vegan and allergy-friendly producer has officially become a Certified B Corporation, hot on the heels of its partnerships with Eat. Learn. Play., The Birthday Project and #HashtagLunchbag in 2023.

The B Corp verification process is administered by the nonprofit B Lab and measures a company’s social and environmental performance. To qualify, companies undergo a rigorous review of the impact of their operations and business model on their workers, customers, communities and environment.

Great place to work

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Happy workers. Pic: GettyImages (LUIS ALVAREZ)

It is yet another confirmation of Parktake’s social ethos, having recently received the nod on the ‘Great Place to Work’ 2023 list, a globally recognised platform founded by business journalists Robert Levering and Milton Moskowitz 40 years ago to uplift workplace culture.

“Earning the B Corporation Certification is something that our company is very proud of as it reiterates our commitment to making good products for good – better for people and the planet, high-quality, gluten-free, vegan, and allergy-friendly,” said Denise Woodard, Partake’s founder and CEO.

“With radical inclusivity at our core, we are committed to providing everyone the ability to partake and share in life’s joys – big and small.”

The official cookie

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Pic: GettyImages

Over the past year, Partake has partnered with 75 nonprofits that champion food insecurity, access to safer foods and creating opportunities for underserved communities. It is continuing these efforts with the announcement of three new annual partnerships, as the official cookie partner of Eat. Learn. Play., the official cookie of the nationwide 2023 Birthday in a Bag programme for The Birthday Party Project, and the presenting partner for the Atlanta Chapter of #HashtagLunchbag.

“The tremendous support from Partake will help us continue our mission of empowering humanity with the tools to create, spread and benefit from organised acts of love,” said Ajay Relan, founder and executive director of #HashstagLunchbag.

“This partnership will allow us to expand our efforts to include a greater number of meals provided throughout 2023, and further develop our chapter in Atlanta, which is made up of an extremely active, kind, and inspirational community of humans.”

Woodard founded Partake in 2016 to create treats for her daughter who was diagnosed with multiple food allergies, and today offer a vast selection of allergy-friendly foods for those with and without restrictions to enjoy with confidence. All its products are certified gluten-free, non-GMO, vegan and are free of the top nine allergens (wheat, tree nuts, peanuts, milk, eggs, soy, fish, sesame and shellfish). Partake’s products are sold in more than 9,000 retailers across the US, including Target, Kroger and Walmart.

California-based Eat. Learn. Play. – founded by Stephen and Ayesha Curry in 2019 – is rooted in three of the most vital pillars for a healthy childhood – nutrition, education and physical activity – and works to ensure every child in Oakland has access to the nutritious food; resources to learn to read; and safe places and equitable opportunities to play.

The Birthday Party was developed to ensure that no child misses out on the important celebration. This year, 2.5 million children experiencing homelessness or transitional living might miss out on a birthday celebration, which could make them feel isolated and overlooked. The nonprofit partners with agencies in 19 cities across the US to bring together party supplies, activities, cake, gifts and lots of love to create special experiences that allow these kids an opportunity to feel carefree and joyful.

#HashtagLunchbag is dedicated to empowering and inspiring humanity to reap the benefits of giving through the use of social media, one small act at a time. It’s become more than just a programme that feeds the hungry in local communities – creating and using bagged lunches, complete with handwritten love notes, as a vessel to spread love and hope.