Innovation For Good: Chum Bites and WildAid

You might not immediately perceive a connection between healthy fruit gummies and endangered species conservation, but it made perfect sense to Ben Bartley, creator of Chum Fruit Bites. His passion for creating healthy snacks for his kids was matched by his devotion to alerting the world to the perils faced by endangered species.

So yes, Chum Bites are pure fruit, nothing added, “100% Wild. No Fake Stuff”. But there are benefits beyond the deliciousness of the fruits: the biodegradable packaging offers accessible information about threatened and endangered species, and 15% of the company’s profits go to support the mission of WildAid.

Elephants and rhinos, pangolins, pandas, and polar bears—these are just a few of the targeted species depicted on Chum Bites packaging. “Did you know that 30 elephants, 5 rhinos, and millions of sharks are slaughtered every single day?” Ben urges. “We want to show how conservation, protecting wild animals in their natural habitat, stopping the illegal wildlife trade, and protecting the health of our oceans, is so critical for the future of our own species.” Looking forward, Ben hopes to innovate and expand into veggies, superfoods, and more, creating ever greater support for WildAid. “WildAid are the real heroes. If we can change beliefs and stop the demand, we can end the illegal wildlife trade in our lifetime.”

WildAid

Using innovative approaches and thinking “outside the box” can be crucial strategies for success. Wildlife conservation group WildAid is doing just that. Unlike other such groups that may concentrate on scientific studies and on-the-ground anti-poaching efforts, WildAid seeks to influence the minds and hearts of the public and government officials.

Their goals are specific and focused: to reduce consumption of wildlife products such as shark fin and pangolin meat, and to work with local partners and officials to establish new social norms around protecting wildlife and the environment using positive and aspirational messaging. Their new mission statement expresses it perfectly: “Be a force for change in protecting wildlife and vital habitats from imminent threats to realize a sustainable future.” With an impressive portfolio of celebrity ambassadors and an international network of media partners, WildAid takes advantage of pro-bono publicity across multiple platforms to achieve their primary goal: When the buying stops, the killing can too.

Founder and CEO Peter Knights puts it this way: “We believe changing social behavior toward wildlife products also provides a foundation for effecting environmental change to protect millions of animals and endangered species, as well as the health and prosperity of many nations.”