This is the story of how Earnest Labs, the innovation arm of Earnest, inspired Lunchbox - the contactless donation box that enables customers to fill a tummy with a tap for just 30p

1. Earnest Labs is about
inspiring innovative
solutions to tricky
problems.

2. And it was an Earnest
Labs Pub Quiz that
inspired this piece
of insight.

3. “For many children in Africa having a
school lunch is the difference between
getting an education and not…
…we could use technology to enable
people buying lunch in the UK, to do the
same for a child across the world”

4. If we can spot a problem,
we can solve a problem.

5. The way people pay for goods and
services is changing, with a 240%
increase in payments made using a
contactless card since last year
But charities have not caught up,
and still rely on traditional
donation channels.

6. Our solution is simple.
It’s called Lunchbox.

8. Lunchbox is a contactless donation
device that gives customers the chance
to make a small donation to charity each
time they use their contactless card.
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It’s about enabling charities to tap
into the potential of contactless
payments – making the act of
giving easy and habitual.

10. It’s easy
A donation is just one tap, and the
amount is small.
We hope to create a new social norm
Supporting children through Lunchbox taps
will become a natural part of buying lunch.
No pressure, just pleasure
Tappers can enjoy giving without
commitment or hassle.
Right place, right time
What could be more natural than buying lunch
for hungry children when we’re buying lunch for
our hungry selves?
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11. From an idea to reality:
Finding the right
technology partner.

12. Charity contactless donations are
in their infancy, but Save the Children ran
a 100-day test. And it was a success.

13. Payter are the technology partner
with experience in this field: most
importantly they are a small company
who are excited to bring our idea to life

14. They could help us create a stand alone
device, independent from payment
systems and completely mobile.

15. But they relied on a bigger network

16. A worthwhile cause:
Finding the right charity partner

17. We needed a charity with a similar
purpose and mission.

18. Mary’s Meals started in 2002 with the
aim of supplying lunch to schools in
countries across the world.
Through Mary’s meals a donation of
30p is all it takes to feed a child school
lunches for a week.

19. That means that the average £6.60
spent a day on lunch could feed a child
for 22 weeks.

20. Mary’s Meals are fully on board,
and aware of (and excited about)
the project at right up to board level.
We are now working with the CFO to
make it happen effectively.

21. The trial:
Kicking off 2nd May

22. Five shops now signed up for trial

23. Marketing the launch
Lunchbox gives your customers the
chance to make a small donation
to charity each time they use their
contactless card – turning a flick of
the wrist into a much bigger gesture.
What’s it all about?
How does it work?
80% of people in the UK already give to charity on
a regular basis, donating over £12 billion each year
to worthy causes. But as technologies adapt and
evolve, it’s becoming clear that we could be doing
much more to simplify the process of donating –
making it a no-hassle, no-pressure spontaneous act.
We want you to be part of our mission to create a way
for charities to tap into the potential of contactless
payments, making the act of giving easy and habitual.
Lunchbox donations go directly to our chosen
charity, Mary’s Meals – supporting their school
lunch programmes in developing countries.
For millions of the world’s poorest children, a
school lunch is so much more than just a meal
– it’s the fuel they need to stay focused and
ensure their minds get fed too. And that means
a brighter future.
Incredibly, in many developing counties, just
30p is enough to pay for FIVE school lunches.
And we’ve set up the Lunchbox to take 30p
with every tap, so your customers can give lunch
to five children while they’re buying their own.
The Lunchbox is a contactless payment terminal
made by our technology partner, Payter.
The device is completely stand-alone so it’s
not connected to your till or payment systems
– it’s effectively a digital collection box that sits
on your counter. Once tapped, the box gives
customers a visual message thanking them for
their donation.
It’s as simple as that.
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£6.60
30%
is the average spend
on lunch, per day, in
London. That could
feed a child lunch for
22 school weeks
increase in school
enrolments due to
lunch programmes
All you need to know
Do something beautiful
Lunchbox is a simple new way to make a big difference.
When you’re out buying lunch, you can send a meal to hungry
schoolchildren in developing countries with a tiny tap of your
contactless card.
Each tap on the Lunchbox takes a 30p gift from your card, which is
enough to give lunch to FIVE children – so they have the energy to
go to school and learn. Happy children. Lovely you.
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24. Website and Social Channels

25. 5 terminals
25 clicks per terminal per day
30p per click
£160 per month per terminal
5 terminals + 3 months
£2,400 or 197 kids fed for the year

26. To find out more:
taplunchbox.com