At the heart of Zen of Slow Cooking is our desire to create an inclusive economy.  

Providing employment for adults with developmental challenges 

Zen of Slow Cooking is committed to helping individuals with developmental disabilities through our employment model. And in turn, you can feel good knowing the spices you buy from us are enriching lives. As a Certified B Corporation, the impact work we do is assessed as part of the certification process.  Our score demonstrates that our business meets the highest standards of social impact.

The Employment Gap -  Zen of Slow Cooking is based in Illinois, where only 25% of people with disabilities are employed. For adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, that number drops to just 9%. 

Creating Sustainable Employment - With our belief that everyone has something positive to contribute to the world, we approached a local social enterprise to partner with us to pack and ship our spice blends.

Our Committed Partner - Planet Access Company was founded in 1997 by Search, Inc. They are committed to expanding employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Now 40% of their permanent team members are individuals with disabilities.

Handled With Care - Planet Access Company packages and ships hundreds of our spice blends each month. Along the way, adults with disabilities take care of that journey, helping our Zen Blends find their way to stores and customers around the country.

See Meg and Jane on NBC "making a difference" with their integrated employment model.

Supporting communities  

Local Events - We support community events which share our values. We have collaborated with local partners to promote health and wellness, cancer research, fair trade, sustainable business (find out more about B Corp) and more. Need our support for your event? Learn about how we are giving back.

Community Dinners - We believe in bringing people together over a shared meal to foster deeper connection. We co-hosted a dinner with Community Dining (Chicago) on Conscious Governing, we partake in global community dining with 91 Ways in England and new friends Amal in Marrakech, as well as bringing people together in our own homes. Inspired to do the same? Find out how we can help you host a Zen dinner.

Giving Back - Since the very beginning, we have worked with several non-profit organizations to help them raise awareness and funds. We have focused on issues close to our mission, such as food scarcity, learning disabilities and health issues. Need our support for your cause? Spread Some Zen.

Teaching - From cooking classes to in-store demos, we love to help people gain the confidence to cook a meal for themselves. Our classes have included children with learning disabilities and underserved populations.