“COVID has shaken us in a good way,” said Freshly Chief Marketing Officer Mayur Gupta during a recent Brand Innovators Livecast. “If there’s one benefit, it’s taken marketing back to its roots.” Freshly, which went national in 2019, delivered roughly 5 million total meals during the month of march despite the COVID-19 crisis. Gupta points out that one-third of the brand’s customers are over the age of 50.
Gupta spoke at length about Freshly’s mission. “Great brands put their purpose and mission at the core of everything they do, even in the most difficult times. They don’t choose between purpose and growth. Instead they use their purpose, their mission to drive growth.”
Meals on Wheels, which has worked for decades to improve seniors’ quality of life, has been rising to the challenge of the current moment, according to President & CEO Ellie Hollander. “With all Americans being urged to remain at home,” she says, “we are experiencing a new wave of homebound seniors who may not know from where their next meal will come. Local Meals on Wheels programs are uniquely positioned to reach these at-risk individuals and are working tirelessly to adapt to the rapidly evolving situation, deliver meals safely and respond to an unprecedented increase in need.”
In just over a month since establishing its COVID-19 Response Fund, Meals on Wheels America has distributed more than $5.1 million in emergency funding to local senior nutrition providers.
Nestlé, which acquired a minority stake in Freshly in 2017, is more than happy to support these efforts. “As this crisis continues to disrupt the lives of our employees, consumers and communities, this is one of the ways we’re mobilizing relief efforts across the US, and around the world to help,” said Steve Presley, Chairman and CEO of Nestlé USA. “I’m proud of the collective efforts across Nestlé and the industry to extend our support to communities in this time of need.”
Hollander from Meals on Wheels says the joint donation from the brands will help provide certainty and much-needed support during this critical time. “Local Meals on Wheels programs in communities across the country are working tirelessly to deliver a vital lifeline to our most at-risk Americans and this generous contribution is an incredible example of how concerned companies can step up for seniors during this extraordinary time of need.”
If you’d like to learn more or donate to Meals on Wheels, go here.
