ME to WE Social Enterprises

What ME to WE Social Enterprises does

ME to WE Social Enterprises Inc. is a Toronto-based for-profit social enterprise founded in 2009 by Craig and Marc Kielburger as the commercial arm of the WE movement (WE Charity, WE Day). It operates four integrated business lines: ME to WE Artisans (handcrafted bracelets and jewelry produced by 1,500+ women in Kenya and Ecuador), ME to WE Chocolate that Changes Lives (Fairtrade chocolate from Ecuador, launched 2016), ME to WE Coffee that Changes Lives (Fairtrade coffee from Kenya, Ethiopia, and Nicaragua, expanded through a 2019 VHCA partnership), and ME to WE Trips (immersive volunteer travel to Kenya, Ecuador, and India). A fifth line, ME to WE Leadership Programs, sells customizable youth-leadership workshops to schools and organizations. The company employs 101-250 staff (86% female at management level), is B Corp certified since 2015 (score 108, top 5% of Canadian B Corps), and is governed by a board that includes the Chair of WE Charity.

ME to WE's core technology is the "Track Your Impact" platform, which assigns unique codes to products so consumers can trace each purchase to a specific WE Villages outcome in partner communities. The business model is a closed-loop fair-trade architecture: products are sourced from artisan and farming cooperatives in WE Villages communities, sold through own e-commerce (shop.metowe.com) and retail partnerships (Nordstrom, Staples, David's Tea, Fossil), and a minimum 50% of net profits (averaging over 90% over the past five years) is donated to WE Charity, with the remainder reinvested to grow the enterprise. Leadership programs and trips are sold directly via sales-led outreach and event-driven group bookings. Since founding, the company has directed approximately $20 million in cash and in-kind donations to WE Charity, and 40,000+ travelers have used its services since 2002.

The company is privately held, has never paid dividends, and is not venture capital-backed. It is currently operating, though ME to WE Trips are suspended due to COVID-19 and the online shop is paused to focus on artisan and community needs. Distribution spans North America (Canada, U.S.) and select international markets, with supply-chain operations across Kenya, Ecuador, India, and Nicaragua.

Name

ME to WE Social Enterprises

Legal name

ME to WE Social Enterprise Inc.

Website

https://metowe.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

ME to WE Social Enterprises is a Toronto-based for-profit social enterprise selling Fairtrade chocolate, coffee, and artisan jewelry produced by 1,500+ women in Kenya and Ecuador, alongside volunteer trips and youth leadership programs, donating a minimum 50% of profits (averaging over 90%) to partner WE Charity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Enterprise Consumer Products & Experiential Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Costume Jewelry & Novelties (3960), Jewelry, Silverware & Plated Ware (3910)

akta.pro primary industry

Circular Economy & Sustainable Products (Reuse, Repair, Upcycling) (BPAGALAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Social Entrepreneurship & Impact Business (EDAMAHAK)

Keywords

• Fairtrade consumer products
• Volunteer travel programs
• Social enterprise retail
• Artisan jewelry products
• Youth leadership workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Retail Product Sales: Sale of socially conscious products including ME to WE Artisans (bracelets, jewelry), Fairtrade chocolate, coffee, and accessories through own e-commerce, retail partners, and third-party stores. Half of profits donated to WE Charity.
2. Volunteer Travel Experiences: Immersive service trips to Kenya, Ecuador, India and other destinations for youth, families, schools, and corporate groups. Revenue funds WE Charity projects in destination communities.
3. Leadership Programs: Customizable learning workshops for young people including WE Are Canada, 21st Century Leadership Skills, Safe and Caring Schools, and Indigenous Leadership programs sold to schools, school boards, and organizations.
4. Donations to WE Charity: Minimum 50% of net profits donated to WE Charity, with over 90% donated on average over past 5 years. Remaining profits reinvested to grow social enterprise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ME to WE Social Enterprises is a for-profit social enterprise that sells ethically sourced consumer products including Fairtrade-certified chocolate, premium coffee, and handcrafted artisan jewelry (bracelets, necklaces, bag charms), alongside volunteer travel experiences to Kenya, Ecuador and India, and customizable youth leadership workshops. At least 50% of net profits (averaging over 90% over the past five years) are donated to WE Charity to fund international development work through the WE Villages model.

Product overview

ME to WE Social Enterprises is a social enterprise offering a portfolio of consumer products and experiential services designed to enable people to do good through their everyday choices. The core product lines include ME to WE Chocolate (Fairtrade-certified chocolate from Ecuador), ME to WE Coffee (Fairtrade coffee from Kenya, Ethiopia, and Nicaragua), and ME to WE Artisans bracelets (handcrafted by women in Kenya and Ecuador). These retail products are complemented by ME to WE Trips (volunteer travel experiences to Kenya, Ecuador, and India) and ME to WE Leadership Programs (customizable workshops for youth covering leadership, social justice, and civic engagement). The Track Your Impact platform provides transparency by linking product purchases to specific charitable outcomes. All profits support WE Charity's development work, with 50% of net profits donated and over 90% donated on average over the past five years.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ME to WE Artisans: Handcrafted accessories made by women artisans in Kenya and Ecuador, featuring bracelets and jewelry that empower communities through a closed-loop system.
• ME to WE Trips
• ME to WE Chocolate that Changes Lives
• ME to WE Coffee that Changes Lives
• Track Your Impact

Products and services

• ME to WE Chocolate that Changes Lives Handcrafted chocolate made with Fairtrade-certified cacao sourced from Ecuador, sold to conscious consumers and available through retail partners. Proceeds empower cacao farmers and their families by providing access to education and economic opportunity.
• ME to WE Coffee that Changes Lives

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 90% of profits donated to WE Charity annually (2014-2018)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• VHCA (Vitality Health & Coffee Alliance)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 June 2019ME to WE Coffee partnership focused on ethical, transparent coffee supply chain from Kenya, Ethiopia and Nicaragua with impact tracking
• AugeominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 March 2019Partnership announced March 2019
• Nordstrom / Treasure & BondflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 12 February 2018Nordstrom Give-Back Brand Treasure & Bond named WE Charity as 2018 Nonprofit Partner; Nordstrom provides hundreds of storefronts and trains sales associates to speak about WE Charity development work; largest donation to date
• Friendship SocksminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 November 2017First-ever sock collaboration with Friendship Socks
• Winnie HarlowminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 April 2017Model and activist Winnie Harlow partnered for launch of semi-precious jewelry collection
• The Travel Corporation / TreadRight FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 September 2016Global partnership celebrating World Tourism Day; The Travel Corporation's family of brands and TreadRight Foundation partnered with ME to WE for sustainable travel initiatives
• FossilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 March 2016Collaboration to empower women through ME to WE collection of bracelets, necklaces, bag charms
• David's TeacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 16 February 2016David's Tea partnered with ME to WE to give clean water; product line introduced to benefit Kenya
• Staples and ACCO BrandscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 11 August 2015Back-to-school gear partnership providing shopping that gives back
• ME to WE Artisans AtelierminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2015High-end artisan line launched at H Project
• DHL ExpresscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 April 2014DHL Express connected mothers around the world for Mother's Day through conscious consumerism campaign
• WE CharityflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity partner receiving minimum 50% of ME to WE profits; ME to WE supports WE Charity through donations, in-kind services, and hosting travelers/donors at trip locations; WE Villages model drives development projects in Kenya, Ecuador, India
• B Lab / B CorpcoreOthersB Corp certification since 2015; ME to WE scored 108 on B Corp evaluation (double median); reviewed suppliers, finances, governance, HR policies
• Participant MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner
• Virgin AtlanticminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner
• DHLcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner for logistics and Mother's Day campaigns
• Canadian LivingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner
• Student UniverseminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEducational tours partner
• Toronto Transit Commission (TTC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAssociate member partner
• AvonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEducational partner
• Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner
• Toronto District School Board (TDSB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner for leadership programs
• York Catholic District School BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner for leadership programs

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bombas: Bombas is a direct peer — a B Corp apparel brand selling socks and basics with a one-for-one donation model, distributed through D2C e-commerce and wholesale retail, with mission-led branding analogous to ME to WE's social impact story.
• Rustic Pathways: Rustic Pathways is a direct peer for the ME to WE Trips line — a student volunteer-travel provider sending youth and families to developing-country destinations for service projects, with a comparable school and family customer base.
• Noonday Collection: Noonday Collection is a direct peer — a social enterprise sourcing artisan jewelry and accessories from developing-country makers, selling through a combination of D2C, stylists, and trunk shows, with impact stories tied to artisan livelihoods similar to ME to WE's artisan narrative.
• TOMS: TOMS is a direct peer — a purpose-driven consumer brand built on a one-for-one giving model, selling shoes and apparel through own e-commerce and major retail partners, with a comparable social enterprise narrative and impact tracking.
• Pura Vida Bracelets: Pura Vida is a direct peer — an artisan bracelet brand that partners with global artisan cooperatives, sells through D2C and retail channels, and donates a share of proceeds to charitable causes, closely mirroring ME to WE Artisans' business model.
• Tony's Chocolonely: Tony's Chocolonely is a direct peer in the Fairtrade/ethical chocolate category — a mission-driven chocolate brand focused on slave-free cocoa sourcing and farmer welfare, with comparable bean-to-bar traceability positioning to ME to WE Chocolate.

Emerging players

• Allbirds: Allbirds is an emerging player in sustainable consumer goods — a B Corp footwear and apparel brand emphasizing natural materials, supply-chain transparency, and environmental impact metrics, comparable in mission and B Corp positioning but operating in a different product category.

Broad incumbents

• Patagonia: Patagonia is a broad incumbent — an established B Corp and sustainability leader in consumer apparel and outdoor goods, with deep environmental and supply-chain ethics, comparable in mission credibility, B Corp status, and cause-marketing partnerships to ME to WE.
• Seventh Generation: Seventh Generation is a broad incumbent — an established sustainable consumer products brand (household, paper, cleaning) with a Certified B Corporation-equivalent mission, broad retail distribution, and a track record of mission-led marketing comparable to ME to WE's retail model.
• Warby Parker: Warby Parker is a broad incumbent — a B Corp consumer brand with a buy-one-give-one social mission, broad D2C and retail distribution, and proprietary technology (virtual try-on) layered onto a cause-driven core, comparable in mission branding and scale ambition to ME to WE.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/metowe

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ME to WE Social Enterprises