Gourmet Brownies Do a World of Good as Greyston Bakery Launches E-Commerce Website

The Greyston Foundation bakes brownies to give people jobs. Its new e-commerce site designed by Ditto! has given its customers a new and delicious way to show that they care.

Yonkers, NY (PRWEB) February 28, 2007 -- Greyston Bakery's new line of gourmet brownies is being sold online (www.greystonbakery.com) where customers can find a delicious way to show that they care. Profits from the sale of these brownies support Greyston Foundation whose social mission is to provide jobs to the chronically unemployed, childcare to an under-served community, housing to the homeless, and healthcare to people in need.

According to Julius Walls, Jr., President and CEO, Greyston Bakery, "We are able to reach a new group of customers through this website, which positions us for significant growth. Feedback we've gotten from customers confirms that it conveys the message we are trying to deliver: great brownies and a great social mission."

Ditto!, the Dobbs Ferry-based brand design firm, created the e-commerce site along with a new identity, package design, direct mail, advertising and marketing materials. According to Rick Whelan, president, Ditto!, "We designed the website for easy navigation and made it very clear throughout the site that by buying these brownies, you are supporting Greyston's social mission." The bakery's tagline, 'Great Desserts by Great People doing Great Deeds' appears on the top of every page." Sidebars with profiles of people who have gone through personal transformation provide real world examples of the Greyston mission.

The Greyston Bakery identity, a triple wheat chafe, has been renovated several times over the past several years by Ditto!. The inspiration for the triple wheat chafe originated from the traditional symbol of Buddhism, the polonia leaf, which has three leaves and was part of the Bakery's original logo. The founder of Greyston was Bernard Tetsugen Glassman, a Buddhist priest. The purple color, which is associated with wisdom, dignity, and independence, was retained from the previous identity system.

Chocolate-colored gift boxes with a gold-foil stamp logo hold 12 brownies and are enclosed with a choice of decorative bands. Printed offset on card stock, customers can choose from several designs, making it flexible enough for corporate customers as well as individuals. Henry Mende, the last remaining member of the Zen community that founded the bakery 25 years ago, designed the first set of seasonal holiday bands. Several new band designs were added by Ditto!.
With one direct mail promotion, the bakery sold out its entire inventory of brownies. An AdWords campaign on Google will continue to help drive traffic to the website.

Ditto! (www.DittoDoesIt.com) is located in Dobbs Ferry, NY, one of the Rivertowns of southern Westchester county with satellite offices in Vermont and upstate New York. They provide graphic design and integrated marketing communications services across all media platforms to companies, non-profit organizations, and individuals.    

For twenty-five years, Greyston Bakery (www.greystonbakery.com) has been a force for personal transformation and community economic renewal in Yonkers, New York. A Zen Buddhist meditation group led by Bernard Tetsugen Glassman, a former aerospace engineer, founded it in 1982. Today, Greyston Bakery is the sole supplier of brownies to Ben & Jerry's, the Vermont-based ice cream manufacturer. Their custom-made desserts have been served at the White House and Lincoln Center, and their story told on CBS's "60 Minutes." The profits from Greyston Bakery support Greyston Foundation community development initiatives, including low-income housing, childcare, health services, and technology education.

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