Califia Farms

We still remember years ago when we first saw Califia Farms’ fancy almond milk bottles arrive on grocery store shelves. It was such an exciting moment to FINALLY have people taking non-dairy milk seriously.

Since then, we’ve fallen in love with Califia Farms and all of their amazingly delicious natural products. I mean who wasn’t excited about their non-dairy coffee creamer that actually froths?!!

This month we’re excited to be partnering with Califia Farms to learn more about their non-dairy milks, delicious cold brew coffees, creamers, and agua frescas. We sat down with CEO and Co-founder, Greg Steltenpohl to learn more about the inspiration behind Califia, and his passion for mindful nourishment.

 

All month long, Califia Farms is sharing some of their fav Summer recipes. Check out their Mango Chili Lime Sorbet, Mango Kiwi Chia Pudding, Almondmilk Fruit Dip, and Double Chocolate Mocha Fudgesicles and try for yourself!

 

by CHLOE.: Introduce yourself.

Greg Steltenpohl: I’m Greg Steltenpohl, co-founder of Califia Farms. I partnered with family-owned grower Sun Pacific in 2010 to bottle the bounty of California in beautiful bottles that have now become iconic in grocery stores across America. Our business has grown to include Almondmilks, Cold Brew Coffees, Non-Dairy Creamers and innovative Aguas Frescas. I’ve been in the beverage industry for most of my life – starting Odwalla in my 20s, working with other entrepreneurs along the way, and now at the helm of what we call “the plant-powered food and beverage company of the future,” Califia Farms.

bC: What is Califia Farms?

GS: Califia Farms (Cal-lif-FEE-yah, pronounced like California), a plant-based food and beverage company based in Los Angeles, CA, and our mission is to innovate delicious plant-powered foods for mindful nourishment through sustainably-sourced natural ingredients. Our operations are nestled in the heart of California, where we bottle goodness from the heartland of California’s San Joaquin Valley.

 

bC: What inspired you to create Califia Farms?

GS: I’ve always been a juice guy, but I knew that even back during my time at Odwalla in the 90’s, there was a lot of untapped potential in plant milks. We experimented with soy, but I wasn’t happy with the taste, and couldn’t find a good tasting almond milk anywhere either. When I partnered with the Sun Pacific group of Central Valley farmers to create Califia, I knew that I wanted to make a great-tasting, good-for-you Almondmilk as a foundation for replacing the dairy case with a whole plant-based future.

bC: Where does the name Califia come from?

GS: Our name comes from the Spanish legend of warrior queen Califia who ruled over the mythical island of California. Spanish conquistadors believed they had discovered Califia’s bountiful island when they first explored California.

 

bC: Califia Farms is known for its sustainable practices. What are some of the ways Califia helps the environment and why is this important to you?

GS: Our business is here to not just sell more plant milks and juices, but to help fundamentally change the way Americans eat – we want to make it easy and delicious (in effect, desirable) to eat plant-centric diets, and we know that this transition is an environmental imperative. The impact of commercial dairy farming is immense in both its carbon and water footprints, and we’d like to be part of the movement away from animal-based diets.

Strict water conservation is a top priority, and we work to reduce solid waste. We work with BOXSMART to further reduce our carbon footprint to reuse all corrugated boxes that would normally go to a land fill. Our packaging is 100% recyclable. We have a long-term packaging sustainability goal of using 100% Recycled Materials. We’re constantly finding energy solutions such as heating and cooling exchangers, skylights, and an ultra-efficient distribution center.

 

 

bC: How does Califia’s Almondmilk differ from other brands?

GS: We start with raw, blanched almonds, which we grind into a meal and add water to make our milk – versus the conventional commercial process of adding water to a roasted almond paste. Our Almondmilks have more almonds per part than many of the other commercial options, giving them their creamy mouthfeel. Our Almondmilks are all carrageenan-free as well.

 

bC: You have a great background with healthy beverages, having previously founded Odwalla. How did your past experiences prepare you for starting Califia Farms?

GS: The past has been great experience, but I’m pretty much a forward-looking guy and love to build passionate teams that want to nourish and inspire the world!

bC: What is your favorite Califia Farms product?

GS: It’s hard to pick a favorite, but let’s just say that there is a Ginger Almondmilk with Turmeric on my desk every afternoon these days…

 

bC: We’re in love with your new discovery line of milks – especially the Matcha Almondmilk. What can we expect to see next from Califia Farms?

GS: We’re working on a lot of innovations in coffees, launching a new direct-trade sourcing program, which we’re very excited about, and we’re also working on a new format for some of our nut milks, which we’ll launch next Spring – think even more homestyle…

 

RAPID FIRE

1. Nickname? The Mad Hatter

2. Favorite place on earth? East Side of the High Sierra

3. Sweet or savory? Tart ‘n Spicy

4. Name one food you can’t live without? Almondmilk

5. Personal mantra? The future is now

6. Early bird or night owl? Totally both!

7. Choice super hero power? Lunella Lafayette, the new 9-year-old superhero in Marvels Moon Girl series.

8. Biggest pet peeve? Whining

9. Hosting a dinner with 4 people (dead or alive), who would you invite? James Baldwin, Miles Davis, Angela Davis and Stanley Kubrick

10. Stranded on an island, what 3 things do you bring? My Wife, a Swiss Army knife, and a variety pack of veggies and tubers

11. Go-to workout? The Mountains

12. Juice or smoothie? Cold Brew