Shoppers Find Easy Way to Spread Love Around the World by the Spoonful

RICHMOND, British Columbia, Feb. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Nature's Path Organic Foods is joining forces with Whole Foods Market's nonprofit Whole Planet Foundation to help shoppers donate to fight global poverty and spread the love around the world.

Nature's Path is launching Love Crunch – a delicious, limited edition dark chocolate granola – exclusively at Whole Foods Market. For every box sold, Nature's Path will donate $1 – up to $25,000 – to the Whole Planet Foundation to help empower poor women around the world to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.

Inspired by a true-life love story and philanthropic endeavor, Love Crunch was created by Arjan Stephens, son of Nature's Path's founder, and his wife Rimjhim as a wedding favor for those who helped celebrate their marriage.  In lieu of wedding gifts, the two asked guests volunteer in their communities and post photos on a project page which they aptly named "The Experience Giving Project."  The result was countless acts of kindness in local communities worldwide.

"We at Nature's Path are so excited to see this project come to life as it is near and dear to our hearts," said Stephens. "By purchasing Love Crunch you can experience giving and help provide an opportunity for these women to lift themselves out of poverty and support their families."

Nature's Path Love Crunch is the perfect marriage between the whole grain goodness of flax granola, the sweetness of strawberries and the tartness of raspberries, and the decadence of coconut and dark chocolate chunks.  Like all Nature's Path products, it is USDA certified organic, which means it doesn't contain artificial preservatives, additives or synthetic pesticides.  Love Crunch also bears the new Non-GMO Project Verified Seal, which helps shoppers recognize products that meet rigorous genetically modified organism (GMO) avoidance practices.

"Kudos to Nature's Path for creating an easy way to donate and make a real difference in the fight against poverty," said Philip Sansone, Whole Planet Foundation's president and executive director. "By selecting this delicious product, shoppers will be directly helping the poor in the developing world to improve their own lives."

Nature's Path is also hosting an Experience Giving contest to win a trip for two to India with Whole Planet Foundation to witness the transformative power of microcredit. To enter the contest go to Nature's Path's Facebook page and enter your personal story of good works, then invite your friends to vote.

Established in 2005, the Foundation empowers the poor through microcredit in developing countries where Whole Foods Market buys products.  To date, the Foundation has authorized more than $11.5 million and disbursed more than $9.5 million to microfinance institutions, reaching nearly 100,000 clients in 29 countries and has positively impacted more than half a million people worldwide.

The Foundation funds microcredit loans of $200 or less that require no collateral or contract to provide aide to the poorest of the poor with a focus on women wanting to finance self-employment projects that will generate income.  The microloans help women escape the vicious cycle of poverty by allowing them to use their own energy and creativity to help themselves.

Nature's Path Love Crunch is available exclusively at Whole Foods Market nationwide.

About Whole Planet Foundation

Established in 2005, Whole Foods Market's non-profit Whole Planet Foundation funds poverty alleviation through worldwide microfinance institution partners in developing communities where the company sources in Africa, Asia and Latin America.  Through microcredit – small loans, usually less than $200 requiring no contract or collateral - the Foundation seeks to empower impoverished entrepreneurs with the opportunity to create or expand home-based businesses and lift themselves and their families out of poverty. To date, the Foundation has authorized more than $15 million and disbursed more than $9.5 million to microfinance institutions, reaching over 133,000 clients in 29 countries and has positively impacted more than half a million people worldwide.

About Nature's Path

Founded in 1985, Nature's Path Organic Foods is headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia and employs more than 350 people at its four facilities in Canada and the United States.  The privately held, family-owned company produces breakfast foods and snacks sold in specialty foods stores and retailers in 40 countries around the world.  The company's innovative brands include Nature's Path®, Flax Plus, EnviroKidz®, and Optimum®.  Visit Nature's Path online at www.naturespath.com and www.facebook.com/naturespath.  For the latest news and updates, follow us on twitter: @naturespath and @envirokidz.  

Did you know?:  Nature's Path recently purchased 2,240 acres of fertile Saskatchewan farmland while partnering with local organic farmers on a cooperative crop-share basis. This represents our latest initiative to increase organic cropland and support family farms.

Editors' note:  Nature's Path believes that sustainability is where our future lies as a people, a society and a company and we endeavor to minimize our ecological footprint while striving to maintain social, environmental and financial integrity.  This means that as a company, we do our best to create systems that reduce the unnecessary use of resources.  Thus, most of the communication you receive from us will be electronic, but we are happy to send anything you request in hard copy form as well.  

SOURCE Nature’s Path Organic Foods