How to tackle our world’s challenges through the power of business: the case of Two Degrees Food

Regardless of all advancements in our 21^st century world, childhood malnutrition in BoP areas remains a challenge which needs immediate action and viable solutions. 200+ million children around the world do not have access to appropriate nutrition, thus growing up physically and mentally stunted, vulnerable to infectious diseases, and unable to be productive members of their communities.

Two Degrees, a San Francisco based food company founder by Will Hauser and Lauren Walters, has decided to tackle this challenge by producing its nutrition bars under the one-for-one distribution principle. Under the motto “Is Good, Does Good”, for each food bar sold in the US and in other advanced economies Two Degrees distributes a nutrition pack, also known as RUF (Ready-to-Use Food), to malnourished communities in BoP regions. As convenient packs that do not require water or refrigeration, RUF shift the treatment of hungry children from doctors in hospitals to a community-based model focused on mothers in homes, and have proved to be an incredibly effective solution to treat chronic and severely malnourished children, with a 95% success rate. To pursue its mission, Two Degrees has partnered with Valid Nutrition and Partners in Health, thus also aiming for local sustainability by producing nutrition packs in the areas where they are distributed.

At Impact Economy, as soon as we found out about Two Degrees and its vision we were delighted to support the firm in its scaling efforts in Europe. Last week, we had the pleasure to welcome Lauren Walters in Switzerland and accompany him to present Two Degrees in a series of meetings, including a special session at the Hub Zürich; the activities reached a peak during an event held Wednesday, Nov. 30, in St. Moritz. The event, organized together with co-host Maura Wasescha AG, brought together investors and entrepreneurs for a unique dinner session at the Engadiner Museum.

The word on Two Degrees is spreading fast: currently distributed in the US at Whole Foods Market stores, the firm has set up sales agreements with large corporations such as HP and Cisco, as well as 60+ college campuses and Barnes&Nobles college stores. Moreover, Two Degrees aims at creating a strong, active community raising awareness on the issue of malnutrition and striving to support effective solutions.

Thousands of malnourished children are already receiving nutrition packs, particularly in Malawi. Many more will do thanks to your participation and support. If you are interested in learning more about Two Degrees and find out how you could get involved, we would be delighted to hear from you.