KIND’s latest marketing effort seems a bit counterintuitive at first. The company is encouraging consumers NOT to eat its famous KIND bars. 

Instead, it is pointing them to “whole, fresh foods over its own packaged offerings.”

KIND will also stop selling its packaged snacks on kindsnacks.com on March 1-2 while encouraging consumers to purchase its KIND Whole Fruit and Nut Box instead. The KIND Whole Fruit and Nut Box will be filled with fresh fruit, raw nuts and seeds, and will be available exclusively on kindsnacks.com, while supplies last. 

The moves are meant to celebrate National Nutrition Month. 

"There's a time and place for eating a KIND bar, but we believe it should never replace eating the whole, fresh foods that are essential to staying healthy," says Russell Stokes, CEO at KIND. "Since our founding, we've always advocated for nutrition transparency and encouraged people to eat better, even if that means buying raw almonds and fresh apples over our bars."

To celebrate its new offering and continued nutrition commitment, the company also will launch the Secret KIND Farmers Market. It’s hidden behind a faux KIND bar-filled vending machine in the heart of New York City's Greenwich Village neighborhood, where upon "purchase" of one of its snacks, the machine opens and transports shoppers into the Secret KIND Farmers Market. There they can fill their baskets free-of-charge with fresh, whole produce like fruits and vegetables — not packaged snacks. 

"According to the CDC, only about 12 percent of American adults are eating enough fruits and vegetables," said Sammi Brondo, registered dietitian and KIND spokesperson. "Instead, they are relying on easy, convenience foods that usually don't contain the same, important nutrients as fresh produce. KIND's efforts will be a small, but highly effective way to help in our nationwide effort to make fruits and vegetables more easily accessible and readily consumed." 

To visit the Secret KIND Farmers Market in New York City, stop by 9 West 8th street on Feb. 23-Feb. 24 from 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Please note proof of vaccination, mask wearing and social distancing will be required for your safety and the safety of all visitors.