Location: Patagonia Headquarters, Jollemanhof 11, Amsterdam
Max. 100 seats available - admittance with reservation only
Hosted by Jennette Plooij
So you are looking to change how the world eats and drinks. You have a great product, but how will you get it into the hands of a critical mass of people? It’s no secret that what we consume has a profound influence on people and the planet.
At the third Brand the Change Live, we have the honor of hosting two young companies that are trying to change the way we eat and drink. The stories of Frank About Tea and Dutch Weed Burger, though very different, show how smart branding is crucial to creating the change you want to see. These food rebels have learned how to build a brand that pulls customers into their world of flavor and change the world with each bite and sip. 
Frank about tea brand case study
David Kellerman and Valerie Hirschhauser wanted to shake things up in the age-old tea sector, where the power balance in the supply chain is such that only a marginal fraction of the proceeds end up with the farmers who grow the tea. Armed with a motorcycle, they went on a search across the highlands of East Africa, looking for the best teas to source directly from producers. The result: Frank about tea, founded in 2016. By focussing on quality, single-origin loose leaf teas, exclusive tastes, and varieties, and supported by an increasingly high-end brand, Kellerman and Hirschhauser have been able to get a foot in the door of a market dominated by major players on one hand, and niche fair trade and organic brands on the other. Along the way, they have had to search for their audience, and which ways to reach them works best. 
Lessons on building an impact brand
The transcript of the Frank about tea talk is here.
The Dutch Weed Burger brand case study
Mark Kulsdom, the founder of Dutch Weed Burger, believes plant-based food culture is the key to environmental change. With smart, cheeky branding that alludes to Amsterdam’s reputation for a certain other green plant, the Dutch Weed Burger has captured the world's attention since 2012. Now, seven years later, Mark’s humble burger is the foundation of a restaurant (The Joint) and food truck, and a brand name on many a restaurant menu in the Netherlands. Though veganism is no longer the fringe movement it once was, there is still plenty of work ahead. About Brand the Change Brand the Change Live events are an extension of the book 'Brand the Change: the branding guide for social entrepreneurs, disruptors, not for profits and corporate troublemakers', the training method and an online community, where changemakers and brand experts come together to build stronger brands for social and environmental impact.
Lessons on building an impact brand
The transcript of the Dutch Weedburger Talk by Mark Kulsdom is here.
Brand the Change is a production of The Brandling, and hosted by Jennette Plooij, ambassador for Brand the Change in the Netherlands. This event is made possible by the Patagonia team, who are generously opening up their event space for us.
About Brand The Change!
Brand the Change is a book, community and call to action to use the power of branding to advance social and environmental good. In 2014, Dutch designer and brand developer Anne Miltenburg founded the Brandling, an education company to help social entrepreneurs build stronger brands. She realised one of the key aspects of building stronger brands is giving social entrepreneurs access to quality branding knowledge and tools to improve how they sell the change they want to see in the world. As a result she created a full branding guide, with case studies, tools and exercises, and the full branding process from A-Z. The first edition of Brand The Change was crowdfunded through Kickstarter by 271 backers. Brand the Change Live is an extension of the book: reviewing cases live in front of an audience, and offering like minded brand experts and social entrepreneurs to connect.