Whole Earth Brands, a global leader in organic, Fair Trade sweeteners, including sugars, agaves, honeys, and zero-calorie options such as stevia, monk fruit, and allulose, has appointed independent agency The Variable as its agency of record (AOR) for the Wholesome® and Whole Earth® brands in the US.
This decision follows a competitive review process that began in February 2024, as Whole Earth Brands seeks to disrupt the premium sweetener market. The company aims to position its brands as high-quality, positive-impact solutions for bakers and makers, as well as a bold and modern choice for consumers looking for sweeteners aligned with their wellness-focused lifestyles.
In the pitch process, The Variable collaborated closely with Power Digital, which will manage all digital media buying, planning, and strategic duties. Moving forward as AOR, The Variable will work as an extension of Whole Earth Brands’ marketing team, helping to develop strategic marketing platforms and execute integrated creative campaigns that align with the unique missions of both the Wholesome® and Whole Earth® brands in the US market.
Wholesome®, with a portfolio of high-quality, organic and Regenerative Organic Certified®, and Fair Trade Certified™ sugars, honeys, agaves and syrups, is driven by a mission of creating meaningful connections between farmers and the makers and bakers who care about where their products are sourced from. Wholesome® has strong distribution with natural retailers such as Whole Foods and Sprouts, and is expanding its distribution across mainstream grocery and mass retail, where it has a presence at divisions of Kroger, Albertson’s, Publix, Sam’s Club and Costco.
Whole Earth®, a premium sugar substitute brand with products that include Stevia, Monk Fruit, and Allulose-based sweeteners, is targeted toward health-conscious consumers seeking great-tasting, and non-GMO sweeteners that easily fit into their daily routine – in beverages, baking and more. The brand is available nationally at major retailers like Costco, Walmart, Kroger, and Publix.
“We are very excited to be working with The Variable. The strategic and creative work on Whole Earth brings a bold edge and cultural relevance to the brand, which is critical in the relatively low engagement category that we play in” said Mitchell Kruesi, VP Marketing at Whole Earth Brands. “On Wholesome, they’ve stepped up the creative impact of how our quality transforms your bakes, and we’re inspired by where we can continue to take this growth brand with them”.
The Variable’s first project for Whole Earth was the launch of “It’s a Whole Vibe,” a campaign that sought to redefine wellness by rejecting conventional standards and focusing on the modern consumer’s individual, and flexible, definition of self-care. To Whole Earth, “wellness” is, simply put, “whatever makes you feel well.” That’s it. Period. If working out every day is your thing, then hats off to you. If you’re interested in reducing sugar in your diet, then you-do-you. If you want to sleep in on a Sunday morning, we see that as straight-up self-care. You can view a selection of that work here. That work will continue to run in select markets through 2026.
The Variable’s first work for Wholesome is slated to launch in November. The work builds on the 2023 “All The Best™” campaign, enhancing it to showcase how Wholesome’s minimally-processed , Fair Trade, Organic sweeteners bring all the best to your bakes – from crop to kitchen.
“Whole Earth and Wholesome have already created impressive reputations for quality and trust, and we are excited about tapping into the amazing potential that exists to push these brands even further,” said Courtney Lewis, CMO at The Variable. “With consumers expecting more than ever, we’re eager to help both brands break through the noise with bold, creative campaigns that make them the go-to choice for modern consumers looking to sweeten their lives in wellness-conscious ways.”