10 Buffalo Business Autumn 2017
How alumni, faculty and students are tackling
global issues through social innovation
Partnering for Progress
B y M A T T H E W B I D D L E
Ten years ago, Plum Organics began with a
mission to inspire a lifetime of healthy eating by
delivering nutrient-dense food to babies across
America. That mission drives every aspect of
operations and culture at the certified B Corp,
even when it may not improve profitability.
Employees are trained on Plum's social mission
and set metrics as part of their ongoing review,
and the company reports annually on its social
and environmental impact.
"By working with renowned pediatrician
Dr. Alan Greene, we discovered things about the
industry we felt were upside down and developed
a food philosophy to change them. For example,
many of the lowest nutrient foods were the foun-
dation of baby food," says Tyler Ricks, MBA '96,
former chief marketing officer and sales officer
for Plum.
Ricks led marketing during Plum's con-
version to a public benefit corporation and was
instrumental in developing The Full Effect, a
program that fights food insecurity by part-
nering with nonprofits to promote nutrition
education, deliver organic food and support
breastfeeding initiatives and other programs in
low-income and rural communities. With com-
mitments from organizations along its supply
chain, Plum also debuted a buy-one, give-one line
of products called Super Smoothies.
