Innovation That Matters

Buy a bottle of wine and donate clean water

Retail

Some 42,000 people die each week for lack of clean water, and the majority of them are children under 5 years old. Aiming to help alleviate this problem, online wine vendor CellarThief donates 100 days’ worth of clean water for every bottle of wine it sells. Launched earlier this year, California-based CellarThief sells only three wines on its site at any given time, and they’re typically available for just 48 hours or until they sell out. All wines are hand-picked from world-class wineries by industry veterans, and CellarThief presents the story of each vintage as well as suggestions for food pairings. Prices are heavily discounted, CellarThief says, and shipping is USD 5 for any order of at least three bottles. Most interesting of all, however, is that the company has partnered with Charity: Water to provide clean water to those who need it. In addition to the donation made each time a bottle of wine is sold, further donations are made each time a wine sells out. CellarThief’s corporate generosity will surely please the discerning palates of the members of Generation G, who increasingly expect such benevolence in return for their business. Currently the company ships only within the continental United States. One to partner with or emulate for the ethically minded oenophiles near you? (Related: Pepsi asks crowds which community projects to fundBuy a onesie, donate one to a baby in needBuy one house, give one free.) Spotted by: Brent Samuels

Email: info@cellarthief.com

Website: www.cellarthief.com

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