Kraft Foods
Responding to Issues Facing Society and the Business
TCC Group has been a consultant to Kraft's Contributions department since the late 1980's. In the early 1990s TCC assisted Kraft in the development of their strategy focused on "Ending Childhood Hunger in America", fitting within the broader corporate theme of addressing hunger. More recently, TCC's work with Kraft has resulted in a strategy targeted toward physical activity and nutrition, focusing on the growing epidemic of obesity in children, especially in lower-income communities.
As the nation's largest food company, Kraft has proven that it is willing to confront the issues facing the company and the industry, and has developed major ongoing partnerships with national nonprofits and academic institutions, creating carefully documented studies and action plans against childhood hunger, and becoming a widely recognized corporate leader in putting these issues on the map. When appropriate, Kraft leant its prestige, leadership, and resources to anti-hunger advocacy groups across the country which, although an unusual strategy for corporate funders, earned Kraft a reputation for being truly concerned about the plight of hungry and food insecure children and their families.
Benefits for the Business and Society
The positive benefits that Kraft continues to accrue as it strategically addresses major issues facing society and the food industry include:
- Distinction within the very competitive food industry
- Brand promotion and recognition
- Access to senior public officials at federal, state and local levels
- Successful cause-related marketing initiatives building off the company's reputation
- Increased employee pride and involvement in local voluntary efforts
Building a Strong International Reputation
With the IPO establishing a separate corporate entity and the name change of Kraft's parent company from Philip Morris to Altria, Kraft now seeks to build on its domestic reputation to create a similarly robust reputation as an international corporate citizen. Kraft is the world's second largest food company and has widespread involvement in the sustainable production of food commodities worldwide beyond its retail operations. The Company also hired TCC to assist in the first phase of that development, performed research that provided the basis for the creation of a new international Community Engagement strategy.
