It all began on the icy trails of Mount Everest. In 2005, while trekking to Everest basecamp, Kori Chilibeck met a barefoot man carrying a heavy load of Coca-Cola cans, who was being paid a meagre $0.25 USD per day. This stark contrast between the wealth of major corporations and the extreme poverty of local workers left a lasting impression on Chilibeck.
“Some of the biggest companies in the world are making money off the backs of the poorest people on the planet,” Chilibeck reflected. He returned home with a question: Why couldn’t a company compete with the giants, make great products, and also give back to those in need?
That was the birth of Earth Group, a social enterprise with a unique mission. Earth Group sells products like Earth Water and Earth Coffee and is the only company in the world with the United Nations World Food Programme label on its products.
For every product sold, a portion of the profits funds school meals and education for children in need worldwide. Since its humble beginnings with just a van and a laptop, Earth Group has expanded its impact to more than a dozen countries, providing support for hundreds of thousands of children annually.
The company started with Earth Water, sold in its distinctive and environmentally friendly aluminum bottles. Chilibeck explored selling them in grocery stores and on campus at the University of Alberta, where he was a student. Eventually, he discovered a strong market in food service for places like hotels, restaurants, and offices.
Earth Group’s products can be found in high-profile establishments like IKEA and Hilton Hotels across multiple countries, and the company serves every major production filmed in Canada from Netflix, Paramount+, and HBO.
These partnerships have solidified the brand’s international credibility – helping to open doors to new markets – with Japan and Korea emerging as two of Earth Group’s top international markets.
The company has seen tremendous growth in recent years, particularly in the international market. In 2020, about 10% of its business came from outside Canada – as of 2024, that’s up to 40%. By the end of 2025, Chillibeck said he anticipates that exports will make up more than half of the company’s revenue.
Earth Group has faced its fair share of challenges along the way, particularly with the higher standards for packaging and labelling overseas compared to North America.
“The packaging has to be thoughtful; it has to be beautiful; and it has to be well put together.” Chilibeck said. “All of the details really do matter.”
One particularly difficult incident occurred in South Korea over a misprinted date code. By using “MR” instead of “03” for March, it had caused the entire shipment of 640 containers to be held at customs.
The company then faced three expensive options: either ship the products back to Canada, destroy them, or manually re-label each item. Earth Group opted for the latter, paying workers to replace the date codes to ensure the shipment could reach its South Korean customers.
Earth Group has also grown by leveraging resources like trade missions and support from Alberta Food and Agriculture and Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service, which have been instrumental in helping Earth Group navigate international markets, Chilibeck said. “[Attending trade shows] is something we would never have had access to, being the little company that we were,” he said.
It was a trade show in Japan that started the company’s journey there. Earth Group also benefited from market and shipping tours, translation services, and guidance on cultural nuances that are vital for success.
Chilibeck noted that being based in the Edmonton Region has some key advantages. The Region’s affordable cost of living makes it easier to attract and retain talent and its reputation as an agricultural hub lends credibility to food and beverage companies like Earth Group. “When you say you’re from this area, they’re like, ‘Oh, that makes sense,'” said Chilibeck.
Looking ahead, Earth Group plans to continue innovating with new products, with plans for flavoured sparkling waters and eco-friendly coffee packaging. With its growing list of international customers and a steadfast commitment to its mission, Earth Group is poised to continue making a global impact — both for its business and for the world’s most vulnerable.
“It takes a lot of grinding and tenacity to get to this point,”Chilibeck said. “It’s been a 20-year overnight success.”
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