Gen Z-founded sustainable snack brand launches ‘world’s first’ carbon positive plant-based superfood bars

By Gill Hyslop

- Last updated on GMT

For every purchase made, Impact Snacks is granting consumers carbon credits to invest in renewable energy projects. Pic: Impact Snacks
For every purchase made, Impact Snacks is granting consumers carbon credits to invest in renewable energy projects. Pic: Impact Snacks

Related tags Impact Snacks plant-based Greenhouse gas emissions Carbon footprint Gut health Superfoods

Impact Snacks is rolling out its flagship range of sustainable superfood bars – packed in 100% home compostable bioplastic – following a ‘much-buzzed-about’ Kickstarter campaign that surpassed its goal of $20,000 in just 13 hours.

Corey Nobile and Nick Oliveri founded Impact Snacks in 2016 in partnership with neurosurgeon Dr Matthew Phillips to create snacks that are equally as good for people as they are is for the planet.

The Boston, US-based producer is laser focused on ensuring that everything it produces is net-positive for the environment.

From holistic ingredients to carbon-neutral offsetting initiatives to ethical packaging, the founders hope their planet-conscious approach is one that other companies – inspired by the possibility – will implement themselves.

Feeding the mind, body and soul

The bars use minimal plant-based ingredients that have health benefits for the mind, body and gut, like pea protein, maca root, kale and monk fruit and lion’s mane mushrooms, which are believed to ease anxiety and depression, improve brain function and repair nerve damage.

Available in two variants – Dark Chocolate Brownie and Iced Caramel Latte – the bars contain 6g of prebiotic fibre and are gluten-free, soy-free and dairy-free.

“After four years of work, we're excited to see Impact Snacks finally come to life,”​ said Nobile.

“We’re changing the way people look at single use products by making everyday snacking sustainable – and that's just the beginning.”

Impact’s full supply chain is transparently tracked and audited by LCA-compliant carbon accountants.

Each snack bar’s carbon footprint is tracked through a life cycle analysis, which takes into account harvest, production, packaging and shipping. In partnership with Clearloop, the startup has detertermined each bar produces 0.38 of greenhouse gases, which Impact plans to offset. According to the startup, of the 0.38 pounds of carbon produced by each bar, they reclaim one pound or 250% more than the original offset by granting carbon credits to consumers for every purchase made. This can be used to invest in renewable energy projects, to donate to non-profits or to buy more sustainable products, making Impact the first snack company that actually takes away more carbon than it produces.

It is also investing in renewable energy initiatives itself; a solar farm in Jackson, Tennessee, being the first project.

The superfood bars’ wrappers are also made from certified marine-biodegradable 100% home-compostable bioplastics, which, Oliveri claims, costs less than petroleum-based plastics.

“The foundation of sustainability is both possible and desired by consumers, and we hope to inspire other companies to value purpose over profit,”​ he added.

“If we as an early start-up can use resources that are net-positive for the planet, what's stopping big food corporations from doing the same?”

Impact Snacks Superfood Bars are available on the company’s website.

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