Ned Lawton started Ethic Ciders in Sebastopol in 2015. He and his wife Michelle purchased an old apple orchard with trees that, though in rough shape, produced some of the most flavorful dry farmed apples he’d tasted. The Lawton’s invested in the orchard, using regenerative farming techniques, and expanding to a certified organic facility. Ethic won the 2020 Good Food …
Underground Meats
Underground Meats is a collective of Madison, WI butchers that produce small batch meats including salumi, which are salted and air-dried, and charcuterie, which are smoked or cooked. They source pork from Wisconsin farms that specialize in heritage pigs and share a commitment to responsible food production. Underground’s items range from a spreadable sobrasada, to hard salami, to a midwestern …
Hu
Jordan Brown and Jessica Karp’s goal when they opened Hu Kitchen in Manhattan wasn’t just to get by with healthier food, but to dig deeper into the quality and origin of the food they offer customers. They are inspired by organic food’s ability to heal the body, and want to help people “get back to human” and thrive. Their chocolates …
Botnia
Justine Kahn’s local skincare line started in her backyard. An aesthetician, Justine always felt the facial products she used with her clients were missing something. Then she bought a home in Sausalito with a big, wild yard. Justine built an organic garden, knowing that the medicinal plants she grew could heal skin. She learned to make serums, and worked with …
Moon Valley
Kim and Aaron Otto’s goal to create an organic skin care line followed the young couple as they raised their family, moving around Washington until they were able to purchase the farm of their dreams. They worked the land and started making salves using plants from the farm. They created a 4-acre pollinator sanctuary on their farm, and launched Moon …
HiBAR
We’ve been on the lookout for an ocean-friendly product that’s also great for your hair, and this is it. HiBAR was founded by four friends who share the goal of getting rid of plastic in the bathroom. They work with hair care professionals to achieve HiBAR shampoos and conditioners, which are formulated without water. HiBAR won’t cause build up because …
Patagonia Provisions
The outdoor adventure company Patagonia treks into the food business with Patagonia Provisions, a purveyor of sustainably sourced snacks and meals. Headquartered in Sausalito, Patagonia Provisions offers smoked salmon, hearty soups and breakfast mixes, energy bars and buffalo jerky — all well-suited for an adventurer’s backpack. Like its parent company, their products are made as responsibly as possible.
Dick Taylor
Adam Dick and Dustin Taylor came into the chocolate business through their love of craft. With backgrounds in boatbuilding and woodworking, the pair brought a unique background when they established Dick Taylor Chocolate in 2010. The illustrations on Dick Taylor wrappings, and the design of the chocolate within honor the finest American boats and woodwork. Adam and Dustin cut no …
Cowgirl Creamery
The legacy of Cowgirl Creamery started when Sue Conley and Peggy Smith took a post-college road trip to San Francisco in 1976. Both established careers in some of the Bay Area’s best kitchens. By the 1990’s the duo launched Cowgirl Creamery in Pt. Reyes Station, and the rest is food history. Cowgirl’s award winning Mt Tam is a triple cream …
INNA
Dafna Kory was so inspired by a jalapeño jam she tried at a dinner party that she started making her own for friends. They loved it! Before she knew it, Dafna was making batch after batch and INNA jam was born. INNA’s preserves are known for their luxurious quality and flavor. All of INNA’s ingredients are local to their Emeryville …
Good Food Award winners sold here!
We are delighted to see a number of our vendors win 2021 Good Food Awards, and we proudly stock many of their winning products here at Driver’s. Look for the blue Good Food Awards seal on our shelves! Read on to see the winners.
Jacobsen Salt Co.
Ben Jacobsen was living in Denmark when he first discovered good salt. Back in the US, he noticed that people were into artisanal food, but weren’t paying attention to salt quality. Ben moved to Oregon and started Jacobsen Salt Co in 2011, where he harvested from the pristine waters of Netarts Bay. Jacobsen’s salts are clean, brightly white, and flaky …
Arbor Teas
Arbor Teas is a family-owned tea company based in Ann Arbor, Michigan since 2004. Their mission is to sustainably source the world’s best organic teas. For founders Aubrey and Jeremy Lopatin, this is a process that they are always working to improve. They envision a tea leaf that moves through its entire life cycle creating a healthier world and healthier …
Wrecking Ball
Business partners Nicholas Cho and Trish Rothgeb are known within the coffee industry for raising the bar — both on the quality of their roasts, and for their progressive edge. At the Wrecking Ball Coffee cafe in San Francisco, the pair are committed to diversity and inclusion. A leader in social justice issues in San Francisco and beyond, count on …
CaCoCo
CaCoCo takes chocolate seriously. “We take chocolate back to the roots,” says founder Tony Portugal. This drinking chocolate is vegan, raw, non-GMO, gluten-free, paleo, dairy-free and free of cane sugar. It’s made in Nevada City from wild harvested, spring-fed Arriba Nacional heirloom cacao beans grown high in the Ecuadorian Andes. Prepare CaCoCo without milk, and be ready for the whole …
Chantelle’s
One morning Chantelle Cheng treated her mom, Sally Li, to a breakfast of freshly made granola. Sally loved it! They knew Chantelle, a nutritional chef, had created a great recipe, and they were inspired to share it with the world. The mother-and-daughter team launched Chantelle’s, at first with Chantelle in California, and Sally in Hong Kong. When Sally relocated to …
Saltroot Bakery
Juliana and John came to Marin from Brazil in 2015, excited to introduce Saltroot Bakery to a new community. Their business philosophy values fair trade and sustainable practices: set a good example, and minimize waste! Saltroot’s Brazilian popovers are based on an authentic, naturally gluten free pão de queijo recipe (pronounced “pow de KAY joe“,) and are made with cassava …
U-Konserve
Based here in Sausalito, U-Konserve is the result of two mothers’ struggle to be environmentally conscious as they packed school lunches. They knew the disposable bags and containers they used were headed to landfill. They took action and launched U-konserve in 2008, initially offering reusable school lunch gear. Demand increased, and customers began asking for products designed for a variety …
Dram
Dram Apothecary makes their line of unique bitters and syrups in Colorado, where they forage plants and herbs from the wild. Native Coloradan Shae Whitney founded Dram with a background in food science, bartending, and a passion for botany. Shae believes that bitters are not just for the cocktail enthusiast, and that their health benefits — including as a digestif …
Spirit Works
Founded in Sebastopol in 2012 by husband and wife team Ashby and Timo Marshall, Spirit Works is an award-winning distiller of craft spirits. Though Timo hails from England and Ashby from the West Coast, they share a passion for the environment and working with their hands. At the distillery, the pair work side-by-side with their team of mostly female producers …