As countries around the world feel the effects of COVID-19, one thing has been made incredibly clear: the expertise and dedication of our healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses, and paramedics are truly essential. As these healthcare workers continue to put in long hours at the forefront of this pandemic, people around the country have come together to help them however they can. One company, Verb Energy, has pledged their support, one energy bar at a time.
How The #VerbLove Campaign Started
Verb Energy, an energy bar company located in Boston, MA, was founded by four Yale students looking for one thing: a healthy and sustainable source of energy. At just 90 calories each, their energy bars have as much caffeine as an espresso, keeping their customers alert and energized throughout the day. Unlike most CPG brands, Verb Energy’s customers can order directly from their website or send their orders via text directly to the team. This not only makes the ordering process a breeze for anyone who needs a pick-me-up, but it also creates a deeper connection between Verb Energy and its customers.
As COVID-19 became more serious in the US, Verb Energy began to experience production changes, as well as increased safety audits, a common experience amongst most food and CPG companies. Worried that this would delay shipping times, the Verb Energy team decided to send an email to their customers assuring them that they were doing everything they could to continue to get bars sent out in a timely way. At the same time, the founders knew they wanted to do something to support the healthcare workers working on the front lines.
So, the team came up with an idea: in the email to its customers, Verb Energy would include a free offer for healthcare workers.
“We included a line that said, ‘hey, if you are a healthcare worker, text us and we will give you some bars for free,’” said Matt Czarnecki, co-founder & CEO.
And that one line got a lot of attention.
“We received thousands of texts in a 24-hour period,” said Czarnecki. In March, the Verb team sent 60,000 bars to healthcare workers including doctors, nurses, and first responders. Then, they decided to open up the opportunity for even more healthcare workers to receive their energy bars.
“We have a super personal relationship with our customers, and since so many got back to us about this, we felt very strongly that we needed to further support our customer base. We were thinking about how we can make a larger impact. Our product works really nicely for these people working super long shifts, and since a lot of coffee shops and cafés are closed, it’s a nice product to fill that need. We thought, ‘let’s do as much as we can, send as many possible,’” said Czarnecki.
With that need in mind, Verb Energy officially launched its #VerbLove campaign on April 2, 2020, with the goal to send as many of its energy bars to healthcare workers as possible.
The #VerbLove Campaign Takes Shape
To support these amazing workers, Verb set-up three ways to get free bars into these essential workers’ hands through its #VerbLove campaign, including:
- Healthcare workers can text Verb and receive free bars, no strings attached.
- For every 2 bars that the company sells, it will send one to a healthcare worker on the front lines of the COVID-19 outbreak.
- Lastly, Verb customers can purchase the bars from the company, and Verb will ship them directly to a nurse, doctor, or first responder.
Czarnecki says they receive thousands of texts per day, be it customers ordering more bars, nurses and doctors signing up for a free package, or even these workers texting “thank you.”
“The response has been overwhelmingly positive,” added Czarnecki. So far, the brand has sent over 200,000 bars out to all 50 states through the three different promotions. While the original goal was to send out 500,000 bars, Czarnecki says they may not stop there.
From Idea to Execution, Packaging Leads the Way
Because you can’t have a standout energy bar without great packaging, Verb Energy bars are packaged in simple yet artistic wrappers that are then packaged in resealable stand-up pouches from ePac. During the #VerbLove campaign, the company has been ordering more packaging than originally forecasted to keep up with increased demand.
As a partner, ePac was able to step up the production of Verb Energy’s flexible packaging to ensure the energy bars could be sent out in a timely manner to support healthcare workers across the United States.
“Because lead times are short, we got to take this from an idea to execution in about a month. That couldn’t happen with an overseas supplier,” said Czarnecki.
The ePac team feels incredibly lucky to be part of Verb Energy’s effort to support healthcare professionals, and to share their story. Head to Verb Energy’s website to be a part of the #VerbLove campaign.
To learn more about how ePac can support your brand’s flexible packaging needs, give us a ring or contact us today.
