Better Chew’s suite of plant-based proteins mimics America’s most popular comfort and ethnic foods including beef, chicken, and seafood. Our mission is to democratize access to plant-based food for ALL people and change lives for the better, one chew at a time.
WHAT DOES “DEMOCRATIZING ACCESS” MEAN?
To democratize something is to make it accessible to everyone. Quality, nutritious, affordable food should be available to everyone…but it’s not. Access is the root of our mission, and this is why Better Chew exists.
In 2020, almost 1 in 4 households experienced food insecurity or reduced food intake due to lack of money or other resources. Commonly, families lacking these resources live in places designated as food deserts. The definition of “food desert” varies based on an urban or rural setting – in urban areas, a food desert is a residential area that’s more than 1 mile away from a supermarket, whereas in rural areas, people in a food desert live more than 10 miles from the nearest grocery store – but in either case, food is not geographically or economically accessible.
Groceries sold in food desserts can also cost significantly more, with simple staples like milk in some food deserts costing about 5% more than average, and some cereal costing as much as 25% more!
Low-income communities of color often disproportionately feel the burden, and amongst low-income neighborhoods, those with a higher African American population are, on average, 1.1 miles further from the nearest supermarket than White low-income neighborhoods.
This disparity has led to those living in food deserts being 55% less likely to have a good quality diet than people living in areas with more healthy food access. With 4 of the leading 10 causes of death in the United States being diet-related diseases, ailments like heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, which affect members of the African American community the most, have led to the highest mortality rate of any demographic.
This has to change.
WHAT DOES “DEMOCRATIZING ACCESS” MEAN?
To democratize something is to make it accessible to everyone. Quality, nutritious, affordable food should be available to everyone…but it’s not. Access is the root of our mission, and this is why Better Chew exists.
In 2020, almost 1 in 4 households experienced food insecurity or reduced food intake due to lack of money or other resources. Commonly, families lacking these resources live in places designated as food deserts. The definition of “food desert” varies based on an urban or rural setting – in urban areas, a food desert is a residential area that’s more than 1 mile away from a supermarket, whereas in rural areas, people in a food desert live more than 10 miles from the nearest grocery store – but in either case, food is not geographically or economically accessible.
Groceries sold in food desserts can also cost significantly more, with simple staples like milk in some food deserts costing about 5% more than average, and some cereal costing as much as 25% more!
Low-income communities of color often disproportionately feel the burden, and amongst low-income neighborhoods, those with a higher African American population are, on average, 1.1 miles further from the nearest supermarket than White low-income neighborhoods.
This disparity has led to those living in food deserts being 55% less likely to have a good quality diet than people living in areas with more healthy food access. With 4 of the leading 10 causes of death in the United States being diet-related diseases, ailments like heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, which affect members of the African American community the most, have led to the highest mortality rate of any demographic.
This has to change.
WHY GO PLANT-BASED?
The negative health and environmental impacts of meat consumption are huge; especially for those with limited access to quality food. A plant-based diet means more whole foods, like fruits, vegetables, and nuts, that are nutrient-rich, and by replacing animal products with quality plant-based meat alternatives, like Better Chew, we can reduce the demand for animal products, whose production is one of the leading causes of the environmental crisis.
For more information on the health and environmental benefits of a quality, plant-based diet, check out our blog, “Something To Chew On.”
WHY GO PLANT-BASED?
The negative health and environmental impacts of meat consumption are huge; especially for those with limited access to quality food. A plant-based diet means more whole foods, like fruits, vegetables, and nuts, that are nutrient-rich, and by replacing animal products with quality plant-based meat alternatives, like Better Chew, we can reduce the demand for animal products, whose production is one of the leading causes of the environmental crisis.
For more information on the health and environmental benefits of a quality, plant-based diet, check out our blog, “Something To Chew On.”
FLAVOR & FAMILIARITY
We understand the reluctance to try plant-based foods. We truly do. Our founder, GW Chew, grew up in the country with a family of devoted carnivores. A lifetime of eating fried chicken, ribs, Philly cheesesteaks, and fried fish burns those incredible flavors, textures, and experiences into your brain; into your sense of self. It creates emotional bonds that are hard to break. Chef Chew, as much as anyone, knows that to convince someone to abandon these traditional foods in favor of a healthier plant-based diet, flavor and familiarity are essential. Most plant-based foods miss the mark. Better Chew is different.
It looks like your meat-based favorites. Tastes like ’em. But guess what? It ain’t them!
MANUFACTURING AS A MISSION
We manufacture Better Chew products in our own factory because it’s important. There are very few minority-owned (especially black-owned) manufacturers in the US. Most of the food products on any grocery shelf are made by people that don’t look like us. We recognize that Better Chew can provide more than healthful food. Our mission of changing lives one chew at a time can extend to providing great jobs, impacting not just the health of our customers, but the lives of those in our communities. We hope that our commitment to the mission in every capacity will further inspire those who may be unsure about a plant-based diet to try it.
MANUFACTURING AS A MISSION
We manufacture Better Chew products in our own factory because it’s important. There are very few minority-owned (especially black-owned) manufacturers in the US. Most of the food products on any grocery shelf are made by people that don’t look like us. We recognize that Better Chew can provide more than healthful food. Our mission of changing lives one chew at a time can extend to providing great jobs, impacting not just the health of our customers, but the lives of those in our communities. We hope that our commitment to the mission in every capacity will further inspire those who may be unsure about a plant-based diet to try it.
