1% for the Planet: Pukka’s Partnership with Social Enterprise Acker
“Farming for Our Future” is the shared vision behind the collaboration between organic tea brand Pukka Herbs and social enterprise Acker. Since 2022, Pukka has been supporting its partner schools in growing vegetables and herbs on their own school fields through donations made as part of the 1% for the Planet initiative. This hands-on experience fosters a deeper appreciation for nature and the environment. modem conclusa successfully initiated this strategic partnership, developed the concept, and has been overseeing its progress ever since.
Now, the collaboration is reaching its next stage: Alongside supporting the GemüseAckerdemie and newly designed herb workshops for AckerCoaches and students, Pukka is expanding its engagement. Following modem conclusa’s recommendation, the company will now also support the CampusAckerdemie and launch new projects for the 2024 farming season.
modem conclusa highlights strategic cooperation
Since 2012, modem conclusa has been managing the British organic tea brand Pukka Herbs in the DACH region, handling press relations, social media presence, and strategic partnerships. The collaboration with Acker e.V. successfully showcases Pukka’s “1% for the Planet” commitment through a strategic partnership, bringing the initiative to life in the German-speaking market for the first time. By identifying a perfectly aligned partner in the region, modem conclusa laid the foundation for this collaboration, reinforcing Pukka’s mission to put herbal expertise at the heart of its business strategy.
To ensure a goal-driven approach, key performance indicators (KPIs) have been defined, allowing for a long-term, impact-oriented partnership. modem conclusa also handles press releases, coordinates on-site press events, and provides final reporting for media outlets and Pukka’s website. Additionally, modem conclusa developed a “Cooperation Design” (CD) – not to be confused with Corporate Design – including a custom logo for the partnership between Pukka and Acker e.V.. The agency also supports the project on social media, creating real-time video content and engaging posts to bring the initiative to life online.
Fostering appreciation for food
For herbal tea expert Pukka Herbs, which has always been committed to nature and plant diversity, supporting young people in “farming” is a heartfelt mission. By doing so, the company helps strengthen awareness and appreciation for food. Acker’s various educational programmes are tailored to different age groups – from AckerRacker to the GemüseAckerdemie and CampusAckerdemie. Following two successful years of partnership, Pukka is now supporting the GemüseAckerdemie for the third consecutive year. Additionally, the brand is expanding its engagement to the CampusAckerdemie, working with universities and social education institutions. Here, students learn the fundamentals of vegetable cultivation and receive training on how to create sustainable learning spaces in schools and childcare centres. This contributes to the sustainable development of future generations and reconnects young people with the origins of their food. Thanks to Pukka’s support, an additional university will join the educational programme in 2024. This year, 18 universities with nearly 400 future educators will be tending their own CampusAcker.
“We have been enthusiastically supporting the GemüseAckerdemie since 2022 and are committed to promoting food appreciation and environmental sustainability through the ‘1% for the Planet’ initiative. That’s why we are even more excited to extend our partnership with Acker to the CampusAckerdemie in 2024.” (Valerie Rau, Pukka Brand Manager DACH)
A stronger connection to nature, a greater interest in healthy eating, and a deeper appreciation for food – Pukka, alongside other funding partners, has helped increase the number of students reached by Acker’s programmes by 66% since the collaboration began. To date, Acker has inspired more than 234,000 children and young people to engage with vegetables and healthy nutrition. This is how Pukka continues to drive sustainable change in society.
By supporting the GemüseAckerdemie, Pukka has enabled three partner schools to implement the programme over the past two years. Acker’s vision is that every child in Germany and Austria should experience the full natural lifecycle of food during their school years. The partnership began with the first plantings in spring 2022 on the vegetable fields. To further raise awareness of the power of herbs, Pukka developed a digital herb workshop for the next Acker year. Led by Pukka’s herbal expert and Ayurveda doctor, Dr. Alina Hübecker, the workshop allows students to spend a class at the Acker focusing on herbal cultivation. Beyond direct support at schools, Pukka also contributed to a GenerationenAcker at the 2023 Federal Horticultural Show in Mannheim. This diverse learning and meeting space hosted a wild herb workshop sponsored by Pukka, where visitors could experience and discover the healing power of herbs firsthand.
