[SUPER RICH] Celebrities running natural product businesses

Hollywood star Jessica Alba is also known for cofounding The Honest Company, an environmentally friendly baby product company. She was inspired to create alternative baby products without synthetic materials after the birth of her child.

The Honest Company proved to be a hit, and Alba, who owns 20 percent of the company’s shares, saw her assets increase precipitously to $340 million.

Channing Tatum

Channing Tatum, star of hit movies such as “Magic Mike” and “21 Jump Street,” is one of the major investors in up-and-coming natural food company Runa.

Tatum, whose net worth is estimated at $29 million, is said to have invested significantly in the company and was seen promoting Runa at the Natural Product Expo West 2015 in California this March.

Runa sells beverages made from guayusa leaf, which grows in the Amazon region and has long been used by the native Kichwa people as an energizing drink. Guayusa is said to provide caffeine equivalent to a cup of coffee and high amounts of antioxidants.

The company obtains the leaves through fair trade and uses environmentally friendly packaging.

Gisele Bundchen

Brazilian model, actress and producer Gisele Bundchen set up the organic skin care company Sejaa in 2013.

Sejaa emphasizes being nature-friendly and makes face creams and masks derived from organic plant materials, with packaging made from recycled paper.

Bundchen, who has an estimated $360 million in assets, currently owns all the shares of Sejaa.

Steve Schirripa

Steve Schirripa, best known for his role of Bobby Baccalieri in the hit series “The Sopranos,” founded his food company Uncle Steve’s in 2014. The Italian-American Schirripa had been long known among acquaintances for his cooking, especially his pasta sauce.

Uncle Steve’s sells non-GMO, U.S. Department of Agriculture-certified organic and gluten-free pasta sauce. Schirripa said he used Italian tomatoes and Greek olive oil in order to bring out the best flavors. His assets are estimated at around $5 million.

Alicia Silverstone

Hollywood actress and well-known vegan Alicia Silverstone collaborated with organic cosmetics company Juice Beauty to launch the organic and cruelty-free “Alicia Silverstone Collection” in 2012.

“This is not just something I’m slapping my name on. I would never align myself with something that I don’t 100 percent believe in,” she said in a media interview.

She also collaborated with Garden of Life to launch multivitamin formula “mykind Organics,” and runs a natural lifestyle blog called “The Kind Life.” Silverstone is said to have assets of approximately $16 million.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow is another celebrity joining forces with Juice Beauty. As Juice Beauty’s newest creative director, her newsletter company Goop and Juice Beauty will cocreate an organic makeup and skin care line to be released next year.

Paltrow also expanded her business to food, announcing this May that she and fitness trainer Tracy Anderson will launch health food company 3 Green Hearts. Paltrow’s assets are currently estimated at $60 million.

Miranda Kerr

Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr, with assets of about $38 million, launched organic cosmetics company KORA Organics in 2009.

KORA Organics’ products are said to contain 98 percent organic materials and are now sold in stores across Australia.

Madonna

Madonna, with reported assets of $520 million, is one of the many celebrity shareholders of coconut water company Vita Coco, having invested $1.5 million in the company in 2010. She helps promote the product by constantly having it at her side.

Coconut water is known to be high in vitamins, minerals and electrolytes, but low in cholesterol and calories.

Vita Coco, established in 2004, has become one of the more popular coconut water brands and has spread to over 30 countries.

Mark Wahlberg

Mark Wahlberg, with an estimated worth of $225 million, is a major shareholder in AQUAhydrate, an alkaline pH-9 water containing extra minerals and electrolytes.

He is said to have become a fan after drinking it during a film shoot, when he found himself feeling lighter and recovering quicker. He became a major shareholder, investing $10 million alongside other celebrities.

AQUAhydrate, founded in 2004, has been constantly growing and also appeared in the film “Entourage,” which Wahlberg produced.

By The Korea Herald Superrich Team (sangyj@heraldcorp.com)

Hong Seung-wan, Cheon Ye-seon, Bae Ji-sook, Yoon Hyun-jong, Min Sang-seek, Kim Hyun-il, Sang Youn-joo