The mission of Minnetonka start-up company Union Protein is simple: Help all Americans eat well, especially those who don’t have the resources to sustain healthy eating habits, and especially members of the U.S. armed forces.
Founder Steve Coonan left California, and a job in finance at JP Morgan, and moved to Minnetonka to make nutrient-rich food available.
“My mission is to help people eat—people who don’t have the budget to feed themselves and their families,” says Coonan. “What is the most expensive macronutrient? Protein.” Coonan and his team make whey protein isolate powder, which can be mixed into traditional protein shakes or other foods, and is available to customers online and at several local retailers.
Why the move to Minnesota? Coonan says that the best whey protein comes from the Midwest, especially from dairy state Wisconsin. And a strong health and fitness community in the Twin Cities helps foster his mission.
Coonan has a unique business model for Union Protein that leans heavily on giving back. “There’s a saying: ‘Rob Peter to pay Paul.’ I want to be a company that becomes Peter to pay Paul,” Coonan says. He explains that the future of nonprofits might be for them to become for-profit institutions, which then donate a percentage of their earnings to charitable causes. He hopes consumers will come for the high-quality, nutritious protein powder and stay for the philanthropic aspect.
Union Protein donates some of its products, financial contributions and volunteer hours to two nonprofits, the Food Group and Operation Gratitude. As of January, Union Protein raised their profit donations to 90 percent of their net profits, up from 75 percent in 2015.
