Feed the Truth is a left-of-center grant making and political advocacy organization that focuses on issues related to the food industry. ¹ It was founded by Daniel Lubetzky, the billionaire founder of health-focused snack-food brand Kind Healthy Snacks. ²

History

On February 15, 2017, billionaire Daniel Lubetzky, the founder of Kind Healthy Snacks, founded Feed the Truth and pledged $25 million to the organization, though he claims that he is not personally involved in managing the organization. Lubetzky appointed advisors to Feed the Truth drawn from the public-health sector such as Debra Eschmeyer, the former executive director of Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative, and Michael Jacobson, ³ co-founder, former executive, and current senior scientist of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, ⁴ a “pro-regulation” advocacy organization ⁵ that has sought to implement burdensome new food regulations, corporate policies and prohibitions. ⁶

Activity

Feed the Truth makes grants to various organizations including the UCLA Foundation, Tufts University, and Healthy Food America. ⁷ It also publishes reports about issues in the food industry such as how the food and agriculture industry influences politics through lobbying. ⁸

Feed the Truth sponsored a petition that  demanded companies server their ties to the U.S Chamber of Commerce, accusing it of voter suppression. ⁹ Feed the Truth also led sessions on issues relating to women for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. ¹⁰

Feed the Truth is one of the approximately 250 members of the Declaration for American Democracy, ¹¹ a coalition of left-of-center activist groups that advocates for rolling back election integrity laws, restrictions on campaign speech, and automatic voter registration. ¹²

People

Daniel Lubetzky is the founder of Feed the Truth, making an initial contribution of $5 million to the organization and pledging an additional $20 million over ten years. He launched the organization on February 15, 2017. ¹³

Lubetzky is the founder and majority owner of the snack bar company Kind Healthy Snacks and has a net worth of $2.1B. Prior to founding Kind in 2004, Lubetzky established PeaceWorks, a marketing, distribution, and consulting company that specialized in selling items produced by groups in conflict in 1994. He graduated from Trinity University of San Antonio with a bachelor’s degree in economics and international relations. He also graduated from Stanford Law School. ¹⁴

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2. “Kind Bar Founder Launches Feed The Truth Health Organization.” Food Republic. Last modified February 16, 2017. https://www.foodrepublic.com/2017/02/16/kind-bar-founder-launches-public-health-organization/.
3. ^[1] “Kind Bar Founder Launches Feed The Truth Health Organization.” Food Republic. Last modified February 16, 2017. https://www.foodrepublic.com/2017/02/16/kind-bar-founder-launches-public-health-organization/.
4. “Michael Jacobson, PhD.” Center for Science in the Public Interest. Last modified March 23, 2022. https://www.cspinet.org/biography/michael-jacobson-0.
5. Sullum, Jacob. “Loco Over Four Loko.” Reason.com. Last modified February 19, 2020. https://reason.com/2011/02/15/loco-over-four-loko/.
6. “Our Victories.” Center for Science in the Public Interest. Last modified October 13, 2022. https://www.cspinet.org/about/victories.
7. “Feed the Truth.” Cause IQ. Accessed February 6, 2023. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/feed-the-truth,814944037/.
8. Doering, Christopher. “NRA Among Largest Food Donors to Campaigns and Lobbyists, Study Finds.” Restaurant Dive. Last modified February 25, 2021. https://www.restaurantdive.com/news/nra-among-largest-food-donors-to-campaigns-and-lobbyists-study-finds/595735/
9. “Sign the Petition to Corporations: U.S. Chamber of Commerce Funds Voter Suppression. Time to Cut Ties.” Action Network. Accessed February 6, 2023. https://actionnetwork.org/forms/sign-the-petition-to-corporations-us-chamber-of-commerce-funds-voter-suppression-time-to-cut-ties.
10.  “Women Are Key for Sustainable Food Systems and Eliminating Hunger and Malnutrition.” Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed February 6, 2023. https://www.fao.org/gender/news/detail/en/c/1318879/.
11. “Declaration for American Democracy.” Declaration for American Democracy. Last modified October 20, 2022. https://dfadcoalition.org/.
12. “About.” Declaration for American Democracy. Last modified September 20, 2021. https://dfadcoalition.org/about/.
13. “KIND Snacks Founder & CEO Creates New Organization to Promote Public Health Over Special Interests.” PR Newswire. Last modified February 15, 2017. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kind-snacks-founder–ceo-creates-new-organization-to-promote-public-health-over-special-interests-300407636.html.
14. “Daniel Lubetzky.” World Economic Forum. Accessed February 5, 2023. https://www.weforum.org/people/daniel-lubetzky.