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Daniel Lubetzky

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Daniel Lubetzky
Lubetzky in 2015
Born1968 (age 55–56)
Mexico City, Mexico
NationalityMexican, American
Alma materTrinity University (BA)
Stanford University (JD)
Known forFounder of snack company Kind LLC
TitleExecutive chairman, Kind LLC
Spouse
Michelle Lynn Lieberman
​
​
(m. 2008)​
Children4
RelativesEmmanuel Lubezki (cousin)
Websitewww.daniellubetzky.com

Daniel Lubetzky (born 1968) is an American billionaire businessman, philanthropist, author, and founder and executive chairman[1][2][3] of snack company Kind LLC.[4]

Early life and education

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Lubetzky is the son of Sonia and Roman Lubetzky. A Holocaust survivor and a Lithuanian Ashkenazi Jew,[5] Lubetzky's father was a partner in International Bonded Warehouses and United Export Trading Association, two duty-free shop chains with headquarters in Laredo, Texas.[6] Daniel Lubetzky was born and raised in Mexico City, Mexico.[7] As a teenager, he moved with his family to the U.S.

He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and international relations, graduating magna cum laude, from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. As an undergraduate, he studied abroad in Israel and France.[8][9] Lubetzky then earned his Juris Doctor from Stanford Law School in 1993.[10]

In March 2008, Lubetzky married Michelle Lynn Lieberman, a physician.[6] They have four children.[11] Lubetzky is the cousin of three-time Oscar-winning cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki.[12]

Business career

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While in college Lubetzky created a retail watch operation, Da'Leky Times.[13] After graduating from law school, Lubetzky worked briefly at Sullivan & Cromwell[14] and at McKinsey & Company.[14]

In 1993, Lubetzky was awarded a Haas Koshland Fellowship[15] to write about legislative means[16] to foster joint ventures between Arabs and Israelis. While carrying out his research, in 1994 he discovered a sun-dried tomato product that provided the foundation for PeaceWorks Inc.[17] PeaceWorks is a "not-Only-for-profit" business pursuing both peace and profit. Its flagship brand – Meditalia[18] – is made through cooperation among neighbors striving to co-exist in the Middle East.

In 2003, concerned about unhealthy snacking choices and the rising obesity and diabetes epidemic in America, Lubetzky launched Kind Snacks with the slogan "Kind to your body, your taste buds and your world". In 2015, Kind was the fastest-growing snack company in the US.[19]

In 2010, Lubetzky co-founded Maiyet,[20] a luxury fashion venture committed to partnering with artisans in developing economies to create high-end products, while promoting self-sufficiency and entrepreneurship.

In 2015, President Barack Obama and Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker named Lubetzky a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship.[21] In 2018, Lubetzky founded a New York-based family office, Equilibra, which backs entrepreneur-run businesses that offer packaged goods to consumers. Its investments include Greek yogurt brand Ellenos, and social enterprise Yellow Leaf Hammocks.[22][23] As of November 2021, Lubetzky had a net worth of $2.2 billion.[24]

In November 2020, it was announced that Kind North America would be purchased by Mars in a deal worth $5 billion. Lubetzky said he would retain his stake in the company and remain involved in its operations.[25][26][27]

In September 2021, Lubetzky teamed up with two of Kind's former executives to create Somos (meaning "we are" in Spanish), an authentic Mexican food company.[28][29]

In January 2023, Lubetzky relaunched Equilibra as Camino Partners, a business incubation and investment platform.[30]

Investments

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Lubetzky established Equilibra Partners Management Inc. in 2018. The firm backs entrepreneur-run businesses that offer packaged goods to consumers.[31]

In May 2020, Equilibra purchased a 25% stake in Yellow Leaf Hammocks for $1 million when Lubetzky sat as a guest shark on Shark Tank.[32]

In 2020, Equilibra invested $18 million in Greek yogurt company Ellenos.[33][34] Towards the end of the year, it made a $250,000 investment in FitFighter, a fitness brand which began with equipment for firefighter training programs and expanded to full-body fitness tools and workouts.[35]

In 2021, Equilibra purchased a 10% stake in Quevos,[36] an egg white protein snacks company, also on Shark Tank.[37] That same year, they invested in Tandm Inc., a family-owned business that created a tandem boogie board.[38]

Other investments include: Cava Group,[39] Justin's, Krave Jerky, gimme Snacks,[40] Chapul,[41] food company Belgian Boys,[42] and HummViewer.[43]

Media

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Lubetzky is the author of the New York Times bestselling book Do the Kind Thing, Think Boundlessly, Work Purposefully, Live Passionately.[44] The book is based on Lubetzky's entrepreneurial experience, and was inspired by his father's stories from the Holocaust.[45] Lubetzky has also published multiple opinion posts to CNN describing his opinions on how to stop violent extremists and lessons he will pass on to his children.[46]

Lubetzky was a recurring guest shark on Shark Tank from Seasons 11-15. As of 2024, he has been promoted to one of the main sharks.[47]

Philanthropy and advocacy initiatives

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In 2002, he co-founded the OneVoice Movement, an international grassroots effort, to amplify the voices of moderate Israelis and Palestinians seeking to end the conflict.[48]

In 2015, Lubetzky and Kind Snacks created the Kind Foundation. Its signature initiative, Empatico, is a video-conferencing and digital learning platform that connects classrooms around the world to help kids explore their similarities and differences and expand their world views.[49]

In 2017, he launched a public advocacy organization called Feed the Truth to counteract the food industry's influence on food policy and public health. He pledged $25 million to the organization.[50]

In April 2020, Lubetzky's Kind Foundation launched the Frontline Impact Project in consultation with Project N95. The project is a platform for healthcare and other frontline responders to request resources needed in the fight against COVID-19. As of May 14, 2020, Frontline Impact Project had partnered with more than 40 brands including Unilever, Nestle, and Mars, reaching more than 180,000 people working mostly in hospitals, nursing homes, and outpatient medical practices.[51][52][53]

In 2021, Lubetzky launched Starts With Us.[clarification needed] Its movement partners include Jason Alexander, Mark Cuban, and Andrew Yang, amongst others.[54][55]

In September 2022, in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Lubetzky Family Foundation announced a scholarship program for Ukrainian students studying in the US. The program was launched in partnership with Jose Andres and Garry Kasparov.[56]

In a May 2024 TED Talk,[57] Lubetzky announced the nonprofit global initiative "Builders Movement", with Liev Schreiber, Katie Couric, and Lonnie Ali, to encourage people to work together and reduce polarization.[58][59]

Involvement in advocacy and influence

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In 2019, Lubetzky was appointed to the Anti-Defamation League's inaugural board of directors.[60]

In May 2024, the Washington Post reported that Lubetzky was a member of a WhatsApp group of business leaders working to shape US public opinion about the Israel-Hamas war following the 7 October attacks against Israel. The group also organized a Zoom meeting with New York City Mayor Eric Adams after he released a statement condemning the antisemitism on Columbia University's campus,[61] where they discussed making political donations to Adams.[62]

Awards and recognition

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References

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  1. ^ "A Fireside Chat with Daniel Lubetzky, Founder and Executive Chairman, Kind Snacks". NYU Stern. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  2. ^ Lubetzky, Daniel (May 15, 2020). "Kind Snacks founder Daniel Lubetzky: My number-one lesson from 'Shark Tank'". Fast Company. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  3. ^ "Conversations at the Top: Daniel Lubetzky". Hispanic Executive. December 17, 2019. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  4. ^ Lubetsky, Daniel. "Home". Kind Snacks.
  5. ^ "Excerpt: Do the Kind Thing by Daniel Lubetzky". Jewish Book Council. March 30, 2015. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  6. ^ a b "Weddings: Michelle Lieberman and Daniel Lubetzky". The New York Times. March 9, 2008. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  7. ^ Keishin Armstrong, Jennifer. "Setting a High Bar". Fast Company. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  8. ^ "Speaker Series: The Power of AND: Learning to think with AND instead of OR to accomplish seemingly incompatible goals". New York University.
  9. ^ "Trinity University to Hold Commencement May 14". Trinity University. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  10. ^ Driscoll, Sharon. "Peace, Kindness, and Understanding – and Snacks". Stanford Lawyer.
  11. ^ "Using Business as a Force for Social Good". AARP. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  12. ^ Lubetzky, Daniel (February 11, 2015). "So proud of my cousin Emmanuel Lubezki for his BAFTA for Birdman! As Michael Keaton said, a genius and a mentsch!". Twitter. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  13. ^ "Speaker Series: The Power of AND: Learning to think with AND instead of OR to accomplish seemingly incompatible goals". New York University.
  14. ^ a b Lubetzky, Daniel (March 31, 2015). Do the Kind Thing: Think Boundlessly, Work Purposefully, Live Passionately. Random House Publishing Group. p. 18. ISBN 9780553393248. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  15. ^ "Past Haas/Koshland Memorial Award winners". Jewish Community Federation & Endowment Fund.
  16. ^ Rozycki, Bob (June 30, 2015). "Daniel Lubetzky: Try a Little Kind-ness". WAG. No. July 2015. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  17. ^ Fabricant, Florence (November 30, 1996). "A Young Entrepreneur Makes Food, Not War". The New York Times. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  18. ^ "Meditalia Foods - Mediterranean Pestos & Tapenades". Meditalia Foods.
  19. ^ Spencer, Susan (April 12, 2015). "The fastest-growing energy bar, bar none". CBS News. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  20. ^ Menkes, Suzy (November 14, 2012). "Maiyet Embraces the Human Touch". The New York Times.
  21. ^ "About the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship". Department of Commerce, United States of America. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  22. ^ Cooper, Laura (February 25, 2020). "Kind Bar Founder Backs Yogurt Brand Ellenos". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  23. ^ "Kind Bar Founder Invests In Yellow Leaf Hammocks". SGB Media. May 18, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
  24. ^ "#1517 Daniel Lubetzky". Forbes. November 3, 2021.
  25. ^ Sorkin, Andrew Ross; Hirsch, Lauren (November 17, 2020). "Kind Bars to Be Acquired by Maker of Snickers". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  26. ^ Au-Yeung, Angel. "Billionaires United: Candy Maker Mars To Acquire Kind Bars In $5 Billion Deal". Forbes. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  27. ^ "Kind and Mars Announce Next Step in Partnership to Build a Kinder World and Bring Healthy Snacks to People Worldwide Mars to acquire Kind North America; Partnership will build on growth across geographies and categories". Press Release. Mars, Incorporated. November 17, 2020. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
  28. ^ "Kind Bar Founder Launches Somos To Bring Traditional Mexican Flavor And Techniques To The $1.9 Trillion Latinx Market". Forbes. September 28, 2021.
  29. ^ "Kind Founder, Former Executives Launch Somos, a Mexican Food Brand Built on Authenticity". Businesshala. September 28, 2021. Archived from the original on November 4, 2021.
  30. ^ Hall, Christine (January 24, 2023). "Kind Snacks founder Daniel Lubetzky begins new 'journey' with Camino Partners". TechCrunch. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  31. ^ "What is Daniel Lubetzky's net worth? 'Shark Tank' billionaire invests $1M in Yellow Leaf Hammocks for 25% equity". Media Entertainment Arts WorldWide. May 14, 2021.
  32. ^ "'Shark Tank': Why multiple Sharks wanted a piece of this hammock company—that walked away with a $1 million deal". CNBC. May 18, 2020.
  33. ^ "Kind bar owner backs yogurt brand Ellenos". The Wall Street Journal. February 25, 2020.
  34. ^ "Kind Founder Invests 18m in Yogurt Brand Ellenos". FoodDive. February 25, 2020.
  35. ^ "How Sarah Apgar and Fitfighter are Changing Fitness". Muscle & Fitness. n.d.
  36. ^ "High protein & low carb: Kind snacks founder invests in egg white-based snack brand Quevos". Food Ingredients First. January 25, 2021.
  37. ^ "Kind Snacks Founder Daniel Lubetzky Announces Investment in Protein Chips Company Quevos on Shark Tank". Forbes. January 22, 2021.
  38. ^ "Tandem Boogie Created by San Clemente Family Nabs Shark Tank Deal". Orange County Register. March 15, 2021.
  39. ^ "CAVA receives 190 million investment to fuel expansion". QSR. April 27, 2021.
  40. ^ "Snack disruptor Daniel Lubetzky sets his sights on a new category". Bakeryandsnacks.com. February 25, 2020.
  41. ^ "Kind Snacks Daniel Lubetzky Invests in Craft Yogurt Brand Ellenos, Announces 'New Big' Investment Soon". Forbes. February 25, 2020.
  42. ^ Yu, Douglas. "After 7 Years Of Bootstrapping, Snacks Company Belgian Boys Receives Backing From Kind's Daniel Lubetzky". Forbes. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  43. ^ Amundson, Ken (December 4, 2022). "NoCo startup scores investment on Shark Tank". BizWest. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  44. ^ "Books: Best Sellers: Business". The New York Times. May 2015.
  45. ^ "The Amazing Story Behind that Kind Bar You're Eating". USA Today. March 30, 2015.
  46. ^ Lubetzky, Daniel (January 12, 2021). "There's only one way to stop violent extremists". CNN. Retrieved January 31, 2023.
  47. ^ Yildirim, Ece (November 2, 2023). "Kind Snacks founder Daniel Lubetzky: The No. 1 green flag I look for before hiring anyone—especially a Gen Z candidate". CNBC. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  48. ^ "OneVoice International". Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  49. ^ "Kind's Foundation Is Investing $20 Million To Teach Kids Empathy | Fast Company". Fast Company. October 17, 2017. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  50. ^ Dewey, Caitlin (February 15, 2017). "Why one food executive is pledging $25 million to fight his own industry". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
  51. ^ "The Kind Foundation and Project N95 Launch the 'Frontline Impact Project', a Platform to Support the People Risking Their Lives to Keep Us Safe". AP News. April 14, 2020. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  52. ^ Winfrey, Graham (May 12, 2020). "How Kind Prepared for the Crisis It Never Could Have Predicted". Inc. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  53. ^ Srikanth, Anagha (April 17, 2020). "Donations are pouring in during the coronavirus pandemic. But how do you get them to those in need?". The Hill. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  54. ^ Debevoise, Nell Derick. "How Might Social Media Drive Compassion, Curiosity And Courage?". Forbes. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  55. ^ Singman, Brooke (June 29, 2022). "Recurring 'Shark Tank' entrepreneur Daniel Lubetzky launches movement to combat culture wars: 'Starts with Us'". Fox News. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  56. ^ Hounshell, Blake (September 6, 2022). "Enlisting Ukrainian Students to Promote Democracy in America". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  57. ^ Aiello, Chloe (April 19, 2024). "Billionaire Daniel Lubtezky's Simple Strategy for Overcoming Toxic Divisions". inc.com.
  58. ^ "New Builders initiative looks to fight polarization by encouraging collaboration and alliances". AP News. May 14, 2024. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
  59. ^ Gamboa, Glenn (May 15, 2024). "New Builders initiative looks to fight polarization by encouraging collaboration and alliances". apnews.com.
  60. ^ "Our Leadership & Staff". Anti-Defamation League. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  61. ^ Sarnoff, Leah (April 22, 2024). "NYC Mayor Eric Adams says he's 'horrified and disgusted' by antisemitism at Columbia University protests". abcnews.go.com.
  62. ^ Natanson, Hannah; Felton, Emmanuel (May 16, 2024). "Business titans privately urged NYC mayor to use police on Columbia protesters, chats show". washingtonpost.com.
  63. ^ "Executive Profile Daniel Lubetzky". Bloomberg News.
  64. ^ a b "Daniel Lubetzky". World Economic Forum. Archived from the original on December 13, 2015.
  65. ^ "Alumni Awards". Trinity University. Archived from the original on September 10, 2015. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  66. ^ "Alumni Relations". Trinity University. Archived from the original on May 28, 2010.
  67. ^ "2004 WANGO Award Recipients". Wango.
  68. ^ "Trustee Dinner". Catholic Theological Union.
  69. ^ Driscoll, Sharon. "In Focus Peace, Kindness, and Understanding – and Snacks". Stanford Lawyer. Stanford University.
  70. ^ "National Committee on United States - China Relations".
  71. ^ "Social Capitalists: Peaceworks Foundation". Fast Company. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  72. ^ "Skoll Awards Overview". Skoll Foundation.
  73. ^ Perman, Stacy (April 3, 2009). "America's Most Promising Social Entrepreneurs". Bloomberg News. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  74. ^ Sierra-Sampson, Patricia (May 11, 2015). "Changing the Game: Daniel Lubetzky, CEO of Kind Snacks, Shares his Ingredient for Purposeful Success". Latin Post. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  75. ^ Wang, Jennifer (December 20, 2010). "Meet the Entrepreneur of 2010 Award Winners". Entrepreneur. No. January 2011. Entrepreneur. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  76. ^ "Creativity 50 2013: Daniel Lubetzky". Advertising Age. June 5, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  77. ^ "Builders and Innovators 2013". Goldman Sachs. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  78. ^ "Press release Ernst & Young LLP today announced the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2013 Award winners in New York". Ernst & Young. June 19, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2015.
  79. ^ "Heroes of Conscious Capitalism – 2017 Class". Conscious Capitalism. Archived from the original on October 20, 2017. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  80. ^ "2017 Common Ground Awards". Search for Common Ground. Retrieved December 6, 2017.
  81. ^ "Target to present Hispanic Heritage Award for Entrepreneurship to Daniel Lubetzky – Kind healthy snacks Founder and CEO". Hispanic Heritage Foundation. September 5, 2018. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  82. ^ "Kind Healthy Snacks Founder and CEO Daniel Lubetzky to Receive 2019 Horatio Alger Award". Horatio Alger Association. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
  83. ^ "Pedro Pascal and World Bank's Ajay Banga among those named to Carnegie's 2023 Great Immigrants list". AP News. June 28, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
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