Prairie Organic Commits to be a “Spirit of Change”

May 24, 2019

 

Organic farming is good for the planet, as well as the bottom line, according to Prairie Organic Spirits. The nation’s leading organic spirits brand, Prairie Organic has built its reputation with consumers through its commitment to creating top-shelf spirits using ingredients produced through organic farming techniques. Now, the beloved titan of earth-friendly spirits is drawing a line in the sand—or, soil, rather—and donating one percent of its sales to “support the next generation of organic farmers and to help transition more conventional farmland to organic,” according to a statement from the company.

Automatic Organic

Through the new “Spirit of Change Fund,” Prairie Organic Spirits is pursuing a bold goal: to have organic spirits account for five percent of all alcohol category sales. That type of “organic” growth won’t come easy, but it is possible, given the prevalence of organic foods in overall sales figures. According to the Organic Trade Association’s 2017 survey, more than 80 percent of U.S. households purchase organic food or beverages on a regular basis, accounting for roughly five percent of the total U.S. spend on food and beverage sales. Given that state of affairs, it seems reasonable that organic spirits sales would follow suit. Currently, organic spirits make up less than one percent of total alcohol sales.

By encouraging greater adoption of organic farming techniques, Prairie Organic Spirits hopes to make organic ingredients more mainstream and, consequently, more affordable for use in the spirits industry. Mike Duggan, Chief Executive Officer of Prairie Organic Spirits, sees this shift as an overall benefit to the spirits business. “The spirits industry significantly lags behind food and beverage when it comes to organics,” Duggan said in a statement. He added, “it’s time we lead the industry to do better, so we started the Spirit of Change Fund as our commitment to helping make a significant, lasting impact on our environment.”

The One Percent


Through the Spirit of Change Fund, Prairie Organic Spirits will donate one percent of its sales to help foster and sustain the next generation of organic farmers. Aiding Prairie Organic in this endeavor will be Rodale Institute, a non-profit committed to growing the organic movement through research, farmer training and consumer education.

Through an introductory initiative, Prairie Organic will provide “seed money” for 10 scholarships for interns accepted into Rodale Institute’s Next Generation Scholarship Program, a hands-on experience for interns to learn practical, applicable skills and knowledge of organic agriculture.

Jeff Moyer, Rodale Institute’s Executive Director praised the new partnership, saying “with Prairie Organic’s support, we’re able to train a new generation of farmers to employ regenerative practices in their community—improving the land, air and soil, but also access to healthy food and thriving jobs. This partnership represents hope and the positive potential of organic farming.”

Organic Growth

Through the Spirit of Change fund, Prairie Organic Spirits is also campaigning for commitments from others in the industry—distributors, retailers, bars, restaurants—to help in this audacious undertaking by promoting organic products and utilizing organically grown ingredients. According to Prairie Organic Spirits, if organic spirits grew to the current goal of five percent of total U.S. alcohol sales, it could potentially mean the conversion of approximately 8.0 million acres of conventional farmland into organic, and approximately 7.4 million pounds of pesticides would go unused annually. 

Prairie Organic is also demonstrating leadership on this issue internally, with the new “OneTeam G.R.E.E.N.” initiative, uniting employees, partners, suppliers and the community through small, positive changes, with the goal of demonstrating that small choices can have a great, positive impact on society and the environment by creating a more sustainable company and industry. By reducing electrical usage, improving water conservation, decreasing waste sent to landfills, and promoting recycling within its facilities, Prairie Organic hopes to make a positive impact on the environment and community.

Consumers can also make a positive difference, according to Duggan, who said recently, “the next time you’re enjoying your favorite cocktail with friends and family, make it with Prairie Organic vodka or gin. You’ll feel good that this small action will have a lasting, positive impact on our farmers and future.”

Prairie Organic Spirits can also have a lasting, positive impact on the sales figures for businesses, too. Talk to your Breakthru Sales Consultant today to place an order and find out more about how Prairie Organic can help your business grow.

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