Month: March 2023

Whole Foods Market’s flagship store in Austin, Texas will host an official SXSW event on March 17, 2023 to benefit Whole Planet Foundation, a Whole Foods Market non-profit dedicated to poverty alleviation through microcredit loans in the U.S. and around the world where the company sources products.

The event will be a soul-nourishing convergence of music, technology, health-conscious gastronomy, connectivity and social engagement. The event is presented by Bitchin’ Sauce, KeVita, Andalou Naturals and Mineral Fusion and will feature artists, brands and innovators converging to support an impactful cause.

Whole Planet Foundation funds microcredit – small loans with no formal contract or collateral – provided to microentrepreneurs living in poverty to generate income for themselves and their families. This SXSW official event is perfectly timed during Women’s History Month because the most marginalized entrepreneurs are women, who with a microcredit loan can create or expand a business, often home-based. Joy Stoddard, Director of Development and Outreach for Whole Planet Foundation, emphasized that, “This year’s event has already raised $30,000 to support Whole Planet Foundation’s impactful programs 25 cities in the U.S. including Austin and 80 other countries. These funds will go directly to support an additional 1,000 people – women entrepreneurs and their family members – with income-generating opportunities.”  The current Whole Planet Foundation-supported average first loan size around the world is $180, with a 97% repayment rate.

On the music front, this year features a carefully curated lineup showcasing the depth and diversity of modern music. Getting things started will be NYC singer-songwriter Jessica Carter Altman, then performances throughout the day by rising SoCal alt-rock trio L.A. Edwards, German dream-pop stylings of Philine Sonny to Brooklyn EDM hyper-pop duo Frost Children to Catalonian folk-pop composer Núria Graham to Alternative K-pop collective Balming Tiger (known for their collaboration with RM of BTS) to gregarious Canadian TikTok sensation TALK, acclaimed Filipino indie-pop duo Dream, Ivory and legendary alternative Southern rap group Nappy Roots (heralded for their infectious smash “Good Day”). Rounding up the eclectic lineup include SLC indie rockers Krooked Kings, esoteric AZ power popsters Ponderosa Grove, Gibson Guitars’ endorsed punk blues rocker Devon Thompson and nouveau disco rap prodigy Ric Wilson who just dropped the EW&F/Arrested Development-inspired heater “Pay It No Mind” featuring Chromeo and A-Trak.

The event is supported by more than forty brand partners sold in select Whole Foods Market stores including partners EVOLVE Plant-Based Protein, Gimme Seaweed, MaryRuth’s Organics, Nova Naturals, nutpods, ORIGIN Spring Water, RightRice® and RXBAR.

Presenting Sponsor KeVita has been a longtime supporter of Whole Planet Foundation. KeVita National Sales Leader Monica Hardy describes that, “Whole Planet Foundation is dear to our hearts as their programs support mostly women entrepreneurs who grow, build and dream. KeVita was founded by a pioneering woman Chakra Earthsong who has always had a strong desire to discover and create new, innovative approaches to wellness. As such, we are so aligned with Whole Planet Foundation’s mission!”

Supporters sampling products at the event include Applegate, Betty Buzz, Bubbies Ice Cream, Cleveland Kitchen, Culture POP Soda, Death Wish Coffee, De Lune, FAGE, FLOW, Forager Project, GoGo Squeez, GoodPop, Grandy Organics, Honey Mama’s, lil’gourmets, LOVE CORN, Mauna Loa Macadamia Milk Ice Cream, Mother Kombucha, MUSH Overnight Oats, Oishii, Petit Pot, Repurpose, Shire’s, Spinster Sisters Co, Sunwink, Tia Lupita and WishGarden Herbs. Other supporters include ALO, Bluapple, Bossa Bars, D’Angelico Guitars, Health-Ade Kombucha, Hiyo, Lopaus Point, Mad Hippie, Saint James Tea, Seattle Gummy Company, SweetLeaf and Tea Botanics.

This year marks the event’s exciting return to SXSW 2023, one of the biggest weeks in music, film, entertainment and technology. The event is produced by Manic Monkee and Planet LA Records, among the original co-creators of the Quantum Collective which first organized the showcase in 2012.

The Whole Foods Market Lamar store is located at 525 N. Lamar Boulevard in Austin, Texas. Admission to the showcase is free and open to all ages with priority to SXSW badge holders.

Updates: #WholePlanetSXSW, @WholePlanet

Lineup:
11:00am – Jessica Carter Altman
11:35am – Devon Thompson
12:05pm – Philine Sonny
12:45pm – Ponderosa Grove
1:25pm – Frost Children
2:05pm – Ric Wilson
2:50pm – Núria Graham
3:30pm – Balming Tiger
4:15pm – Krooked Kings
5:00pm – L.A. Edwards
5:45pm – TALK
6:30pm – Dream, Ivory
7:20pm – Nappy Roots

Learn more at wholeplanetfoundation.org.