Creative business models flourish in natural products industry

Mission-driven commerce—Radical change-makers are doing the hard work to create products or brands focused on improving how commerce is conducted to address social or environmental issues.

Multi-stakeholder—These brands were not necessarily created solve poverty, hunger or environmental problems but they are rethinking how they conduct business. Instead of focusing only on profits, they aim to reduce their companies' negative impacts on people and planet.

Diversifying ownership—The faces of founders and shareholders in a brand are shifting. Through different types of employee ownership or new enterprises with people of color, Latinx or Asian-American founders, entrepreneurs are changing who owns food brands and, thus, who drives innovation.

Sourcing responsibly—To mitigate the extractive tendencies of our food system, many brands pay closer attention to how and where they source ingredients. Brands now form transparent and direct trade relationships with farmers and communities, which make the supply chain more equitable.