Foodwatching featured Wonderbag a couple of years ago, but now, thanks to a collaboration with Unilever, the simple but revolutionary non-electric portable slow cooker will be available exclusively through online retailer Amazon.com this autumn.
Wonderbag's clever insulation allows food that has been brought to a boil to continue slow cooking while in the bag. No electricity is required. Boil it, bag it, slow cook it, and serve it. Potlucks, tailgating, or dinner parties, Wonderbag is versatile and can be used anywhere you want and for any occasion. It's also perfect for holidays when stove and counter space are at a premium.
Wonderbag isn't just a powerless cooker; it's an instrument for change. Founded in South Africa by Sarah Collins to ease the social, economic and environmental impacts of wood fire cooking, the Wonderbag is proof that a simple slow cooker can make both delicious food and a lasting environmental and humanitarian difference. Collins, the founder of Natural Balance, the company who developed the Wonderbag, was recently recognized by Fortune as a member of the 2013 class of the Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs.
Buy One, Give One
For every Wonderbag purchased in the U.S. through Amazon.com, one is donated to a family in need in Africa. The Wonderbag has already reached more than 600,000 African homes through the international Buy One, Give One campaign. Wonderbag launched in the United Kingdom and Europe in 2012.
"Wonderbag is all about fostering a sense of global community and celebrating what unites us all – our love of cooking and of sharing a meal with those we love," Collins explains. "With the Buy One, Give One program, U.S. consumers have the power to cook wholesome, healthy meals for their families, whilst empowering a family in Africa who could not otherwise afford a Wonderbag."
Powerless is Powerful
Slow cooking is a quick and easy way to create wholesome, healthy, homemade meals. The Wonderbag allows the U.S.consumer not only to slow cook without using electricity or gas, but also to bring these slow cooked favourites anywhere – potlucks, picnics, tailgating, and
dinner parties. Virtually any slow cooker or stovetop recipe can be easily adapted for the Wonderbag, including traditional holiday dishes like mashed potatoes, gravy and soup.
U.S. consumers can also feel great that their Wonderbag has helped empower women across the globe.
Wood fire cooking is the source of major social, economic, and environmental issues in Africa. Families in Africa that use Wonderbag significantly reduce fuel usage, allowing time for other activities such as attending school and work, and not having to collect firewood daily, as well as a significant cost savings that eases the burden of poverty. Using the Wonderbag helps save water, reduces the carbon footprint, and minimizes deforestation and smoke inhalation deaths.
"The Wonderbag is an innovative solution that empowers women and helps them better feed their families, while also helping the environment," says Lauren Bush, CEO, Creative Director, and Co-Founder of FEED Projects. "It is wonderful to see such a simple and brilliant solution come to market in the United States."