«Das Grosse Stricken» Wins the 2026 Swissfundraising Award
Innocent and Pro Senectute were honored with the Swissfundraising Award 2026 in the «Most Creative Fundraising Campaign» category at SwissFundraisingDay in Bern. The audience voted «Das Grosse Stricken» as the winner of this year’s awards ceremony.
Knitting Needles for a Good Cause: 2026 Swissfundraising Award for innocent and Pro Senectute
At SwissFundraisingDay in Bern last Thursday, the fundraising campaign «Das Grosse Stricken» by innocent and Pro Senectute was honored with the Swissfundraising Award 2026 in the category «Most Creative Fundraising Campaign.» In addition, the audience voted the campaign the winner of this year’s awards ceremony—a double success for the partnership between the smoothie brand and the Swiss social organization.
Since October 2025, innocent, in partnership with Pro Senectute, has been calling on the Swiss public to knit little hats for smoothie bottles. For every smoothie with a little hat sold starting in the fall of 2026, innocent, together with Pro Senectute, will donate one serving of fruits and vegetables to older adults in Switzerland. The background: Nearly 300,000 people of retirement age in Switzerland are considered at risk of poverty; many suffer from vitamin deficiencies or cannot afford a balanced diet.
An Inclusive Idea with an Impact
«This award shows that a simple, inclusive idea can have a real impact,» says Carla Bayer, Head of DACH and Managing Director at innocent. «It belongs to everyone who has picked up a pair of knitting needles.»
The campaign brings together participants from all walks of life: young and old, experienced knitters and beginners alike can join in. The knitted hats will be collected, slipped onto the smoothie bottles, and the hat-topped bottles will be available in the refrigerated section starting in the fall of 2026.
Send in your hats by the end of July
Until July 31, 2026, you can mail in the little hats or drop them off directly at one of Pro Senectute’s collection sites. Knitting patterns and a list of all collection sites can be found on the campaign website.
Pro Senectute has been advocating for the elderly for more than 100 years and is considered the largest and most important specialized service organization for older adults in Switzerland. The organization provides free counseling to seniors and their families at more than 130 counseling centers and works with approximately 17,700 volunteers.
Innocent was founded in 1999 and, according to the company, is now Europe’s leading brand of juices and smoothies. The company operates in more than 18 countries and donates 10 percent of its profits annually to charitable projects. Innocent has been a certified B Corp since 2018.
More information, knitting patterns, and drop-off locations: https://de.innocentsmoothies.ch/dasgrossestricken
