Amid environmental rollbacks, some mission-driven CPG brands are staying the course

President Trump’s national energy emergency executive order and tariff-backed manufacturing mission aren’t exactly an environmental activist’s dream. So in a climate of near-climate crisis denialism, what are brands built on caring about the Earth and its inhabitants to do?

For companies like Califia Farms, a plant-based beverage brand, and Tony’s Chocolonely, an ethically sourced chocolate brand, the political and cultural atmosphere is something they’re considering, but not surrendering to, executives told us. Both brands, which are built on eco-conscious and ethical missions, lean on that value heavily in their messaging, ranging from plant-focused campaigns to educational packaging.

Though the current administration may be deprioritizing—and in some cases, seeking to fully eliminate—climate initiatives, and tariffs could stand to make green manufacturing and clean energy more costly, consumer demand for brand environmental responsibility is only increasing. A Capital One Shopping research report last updated in March found that “an estimated 177 million American adults were eco-friendly shoppers in 2024,” an increase of 7.44% YoY. Shorr Packaging also found in its 2025 Sustainable Packaging Consumer Report that climate-conscious details sway purchase intentions, with 90% of respondents saying they were “more likely to purchase from a brand or retailer if its packaging is eco-friendly,” and 56% noting that the food and packaged goods category particularly stands out for its efforts.

Brands like Califia and Tony’s are balancing the political climate with consumer sentiment, and ultimately, execs say they are staying true to their core values.

“There’s some value in going to where the puck is going, or where the people are going and where the energy is going,” Suzanne Ginestro, CMO at Califia Farms, told us. “It doesn’t mean you have to abandon what you’re doing. It’s an ‘and,’ not an ‘or.’”

Listening in

Major shifts like packaging changes can take a lot of time for a CPG brand like Califia to fully implement, Ginestro said, because of potential impact on multiple parts of the production and distribution process.

“We are very aware of what’s going on at a macro level in the industry and in politics, to see how that’s going to influence some of the choices we make or things we have to do,” she said. “If there’s labeling law changes or nutritional changes or environmental changes that you need to make, you have to be a year ahead of it in order to have it hit the shelf at the right time that the law goes into effect.”

Most recently, Trump’s sweeping tariffs have affected nearly every industry, and dairy alternatives and agriculture are no exception. Ingredients like almonds and soybeans grown in the US are often exported to countries like India and China, and both crops are facing tariff pressures in the escalating global trade war. Ivory Coast, which produces a majority of the world’s cocoa supply, has previously threatened higher prices after threats of tariffs (which have been paused for now).

For a brand like Tony’s Chocolonely, increasing cocoa prices have put pressure on its ethical cocoa sourcing mission in the past. But instead of deemphasizing the core tenet, Aidaly Sosa Walker, VP of marketing for the US and Canada, said the brand leaned into marketing it even harder.

“Last year, we had cocoa prices that went up significantly, so we definitely felt it…The way we solve it is to work more with our marketing, in order to make more noise and get in front of consumers and be more top of mind for them,” she told us. “We need to be more creative, we need to be more bold, instead of investing more money. [We] spend less marketing dollars, but make sure that where we spend that, we make those dollars work harder for us by telling a very genuine story that is very true to the brand and that the consumer can relate to.”

Mission: possible

Doubling down on environmental commitment manifests both internally and externally.

In February, Califia rolled out a campaign entitled “The Green Album,” where every Spotify stream of the brand’s album of plant-themed meditations (read by actor and comedian Chris O’Dowd) resulted in a tree planted in partnership with the charity One Tree Planted, up to 25,000 trees. The public-facing effort, which is planned to run for the next year, started showing up across social media and paid media, and was tied to a TV campaign that Califia ran at the same time, Ginestro said; so far, social efforts like a TikTok video featuring O’Dowd have generated millions of views.

Internally, Ginestro said Califia also holds volunteer days, partners with almond growers, and is working to convert its packaging to recycled plastic. Its most important internal initiative remains its annual impact report, which summarizes the sustainability goals that the organization has been focused on throughout the year. Last year, for example, Califia quadrupled the amount of USDA-organic-certified ingredients, crafted a large-scale trial of more recyclable materials like magnetizable labels, and its plastic components, which have been lightweighted, “avoided 1.17 million pounds of plastic,” according to its 2024 Sustainability Report.

“It’s not just about saying we’re doing things, but we’re putting pen to paper,” she said. “Here’s the proof of everything we’ve done, whether it’s zero-waste initiatives at our plants or contributing to the circular economy.”

Being mission-driven also makes it easier for Tony’s to continue its ethical and eco-conscious initiatives, especially as some consumers seek out brand accountability. And it’s led to results, too: Sosa Walker says that in the five years since she joined the company, Tony’s has seen its revenue increase from $9 million to close to $90 million, a feat she credits to a growing fan base that believes in the brand’s message.

“Our mission drives us, so we don’t need outside pressure to accelerate our intention around it,” Sosa Walker said. “[Customers] really come in for the chocolate, and then when they try it, they read about the brand. They learn more about the brand. It creates a tighter bond with them, and they just understand better that, okay, I’m paying a little more for this chocolate versus other chocolate, but there’s a reason behind it.”