It all started in 2019 with Benno, who was still living in his shared apartment in Cologne.
Alongside his sports studies, he worked as a self-employed sports massage therapist, climbing instructor, and route setter. And what do you need for these professions? That's right! Functional and healthy hands. But since bouldering and climbing put a lot of strain on the skin, and the magnesium (for grip on the wall) only exacerbates the problem, he needed a hand cream that would solve these issues.
So Benno set out to find him.
...looking for a sustainable and organic hand cream that would care for and heal his battered hands. But almost all creams in pharmacies and drugstores come in plastic tubes that end up in the recycling bin after a single use. Benno was also bothered by the fact that almost all creams list "AQUA," meaning water, as the first ingredient, and deciphering this and the other ingredients practically requires a degree in Latin.
Solid, refillable, and made from only five organic ingredients.
He couldn't find a suitable hand cream. So he decided to make his own for himself and his climbing community. In his shared kitchen in the Belgian Quarter in the heart of Cologne, he experimented and produced the first "Thumb Feast": beeswax from a friend and various ingredients from the organic shop around the corner. It was so well received by his friends that the first 12 "Thumb Feasts" sold out immediately.
The product and its effects impressed not only Benno's friends.
Their mutual school friend Lennart and his brother Fritz quickly joined the project, and plans were hatched for how to not only produce and sell cosmetics but also create social value. The idea of a social business focused on genuine ecological benefits has been a core element of the venture from the very beginning.
Creating social value and profit through entrepreneurship
The Kiel University network, with its yooweedoo initiative, refined the concept of "social entrepreneurship," and Marc (Fritz's former roommate) was soon enthusiastic as well. This led to the idea of creating a meaningful impact through product-based, non-profit initiatives. The goal was to be as regional, fast, and effective as possible. A wildflower meadow to protect insects and bees seemed like a natural fit, since organic beeswax is a key ingredient in the "Thumb Feast" product.
Planting trees had long been a worn-out marketing promise.
In contrast, wildflower meadows have a regional impact, quickly store CO2, provide habitat for all kinds of insects, and give the soil a chance to recover. Many people are unaware that species extinction is the planetary boundary that has already been exceeded most significantly (even before climate change), and the consequences are unpredictable.
The first production facility was set up in Westensee in the parents' house of Benno and Fritz.
Not quite meeting hygiene standards yet, but functional and affordable, the first production line was set up, and the "Thumb Feast" was produced on weekends after university. At its peak, 400 pieces were produced daily. However, the first orders were already coming in (see picture with stack of packages), and 30 bouldering gyms needed to be supplied. For the first six months, Lennart, Benno, Fritz, and Marc were producing almost every other weekend. The beeswax has been supplied by Dorothea since the beginning and is of Demeter quality.
The first dedicated office with a cleanroom production facility in Hamburg
Living at home became too cramped, and the Daumenschmaus project was taking up too much time "on the side." So, jobs were quit, theses were quickly completed, and a move to the first office in Hamburg with in-house production was imminent. At the same time, new products were developed, the impact model with the wildflower meadow donation was rolled out nationwide, and 4peoplewhocare was founded as a GmbH (limited liability company).
11 employees, 350,000 square meters of flowering meadow and 12 products
Our packaging looks a little different now.
Over time, production has become much more professional and is still constantly being rethought and improved.
What else has happened:
We have moved our production facilities within Hamburg,
Since 2023, we have also been shipping our products to stores outside the DACH region, and we are on the shelves of some large organic supermarket chains.
We have been working really hard, but we are also very grateful for your support in the form of reviews and purchases from us.
Here's to many more years of 4 people who care!
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