Dieffenbach’s Potato Chips, based in Pennsylvania, announced that they will be partnering with VivaKids to help fight hunger around the world by reducing food waste. “We are extremely excited about partnering with VivaKids, in conjunction with launching our new brand of kettle chips, called ‘UGLIES,'” said Nevin Dieffenbach, CEO of Dieffenbach’s Potato Chips. The “UGLIES” brand is focused on reducing food waste to fulfill the purpose of feeding the hungry. As reported by National Geographic, “About a third of the planet’s food goes to waste, often because of its looks. That’s enough to feed two billion people.” The partnership with VivaKids aligns the purpose of the “Uglies” brand with the purpose of VivaKids. “We believe there couldn’t be a better match,” said Dwight Zimmerman, VP of Sales and Marketing at Dieffenbach’s. The concept of the “Uglies” brand goes back generations within the Dieffenbach Family.
Mark Dieffenbach, the founder of Dieffenbach’s Potato Chips, would take potatoes from farmers that would otherwise be rejected for cosmetic reasons, and produce a product he called “Seconds.” This helped the farmers save on waste, and allowed the local residents to take advantage of a slightly less expensive product.
“Our new product is building on that same concept of reducing waste, but elevating the
quality by using non-GMO cooking oil and gluten free seasonings to create a premium line of products,” said Dwight Zimmerman. Additionally, to align with one of the company’s key tenets, which is to “Give Back to the Community,” the brand has partnered with VivaKids, and will commit a portion of all profit toward programs to fight hunger. Dieffenbach’s will also be working with retail partners to offer special deals to provide a per bag contribution that will go directly to VivaKids and create awareness of this cause.
“Our partnership with VivaKids, goes beyond the monetary support we plan on giving,” says Nevin Dieffenbach. He went on to say, “We plan on sending teams to help on the ground where VivaKids operates, making this a very personal experience for everyone at Dieffenbach’s.”
Bill Myers, the Executive Director of VivaKids said that “Teaming up with VivaKids will have a tremendous impact on the battle against hunger in the communities we support. The possibilities of what we can do together are endless. The children centers we come alongside are providing Hope for Tomorrow to the children they serve; at VivaKids our role is to Raise Awareness that Leads to Action. We are so excited that the entire Dieffenbach’s organization wants to join us in that mission.”
Source: Dieffenbach’s Potato Chips press release
