Vietnamese refugee Minh Tsai never expected he’d be running one of the top plant-based food companies in the country. Minh simply decided to make the delicious, organic artisan foods he grew up eating in Vietnam, but found elusive in the US. He started with one farmer’s market stand in Oakland fifteen years ago. With Minh’s innovative take on traditional production …
Wildwonder
When founder Rosa Li was growing up, her Chinese grandmother brewed tonics with an array of herbs and botanicals. The tonics worked wonders for Rosa, soothing her stomach and lifting her spirits. With her San Francisco-based company Wildwonder, Rosa reimagines the healing drinks of her heritage, where herbal wisdom and gut-healing superfoods meet big fruit flavors. Wildwonder tonics are inspired …
Grandy Organics
Early in 2022, Aaron Anker announced that his 43 year-old company GrandyOats would change its name to Grandy Organics as it emerged from the pandemic. Based in Hiram, Maine, the company has long been known as a pioneer in certified organic products, and for their grain-free ‘Coconola’ granolas. The rebranding better fits their identity as an organic company. “It’s how …
Bini’s Kitchen
Driver’s Deli is the unofficial Marin outpost of Bini’s Kitchen, making us a foodie destination to those in the know. Binita Pradhan launched Bini’s Kitchen through the food incubator La Cocina in 2012, serving devoted fans of her Nepalese cooking over the years, and opening a brick-and-mortar spot on Howard Street in San Francisco in 2019. We love Bini’s super …
evanhealy
Evanhealy Skin Care products nurture the rhythmical nature of skin using organic ingredients from the wild. Evanhealy relies on certified organic and wild grown plants, mineral-rich clays, and sustainable harvesting practices. The production is done by hand — from harvesting, to blending, to bottling — and maintains an intimate connection with the prana of the ingredients. By the time the …
Wild West
Maggie Levinger met her future partner Luke Regalbuto when they worked together at a Humboldt County cafe. A shared passion for travel and food took the couple on a long journey through Ireland and Eastern Europe, where they explored traditional styles of food production and preservation. When Maggie and Luke returned to her home town of Inverness, they were eager …
MycoLogical
Part of MycoLogical’s mission is to promote the harmony between wild fungi and healthy forests. Established in Eugene, OR in 1995 by Owen Rice and his wife, Marina Ormes, MycoLogical’s mushrooms are harvested from the Cascadia bioregion’s temperate forests. Owen works with dedicated foragers who gather fungi and other wild foods, including miner’s lettuce and huckleberries. Available dried and packaged …
il molinetto
Chef Andrea Cesca, a native of the Venice region of Italy, began his culinary career in his home country where baking was an integral part of daily life. Andrea pursued his dream in distinguished restaurants in San Francisco, and found himself longing for the aromas and flavors of classic recipes from home. Along with his wife, Cindy, they founded il …
VYBES
VYBES is a line of functional drinks made with Hemp CBD, and designed to bring calm to the mind and body. Founder Jonathan Eppers believes that modern lifestyles take a toll on our health, and that medicinal properties of plants, including cannabis, offer significant healing. The VYBES collection of organic juices are infused with 25 mg Hemp CBD per bottle. …
VioLife
Violife comes from the word Vios, which means life in Greek, and their motto is ‘live life to the fullest’. Based in Thessaloniki, Violife has been providing Europe with vegan, non-GMO foods since the 1990’s. Violife’s plant-based cheeses are made with coconut oil, giving them a buttery flavor full of healthy fats. Driver’s carries a number of Violife products, including: …
Judy’s Jun
Jun is a Korean-style kombucha that is sweetened with honey. Judy started making her eponymous jun in 2017. Using 100% raw honey from the golden hills of California, Judy follows ancient fermentation techniques to craft a sparkling beverage with delicate, complex flavors. Judy’s Jun is made entirely in small batches in Marin, using only three ingredients per variety: tea, honey, …
Big Spoon
Mark Overbay first tasted handcrafted nut butter while serving in the Peace Corp in Zimbabwe. After harvest, families would roast peanuts over an open fire and grind them between stones, adding salt and coconut oil to taste. The flavor was a revelation to Mark, who later started Big Spoon Roasters with his wife in Durham, North Carolina. Big Spoon’s uniquely …
Bellwether Farms
Cindy Callahan was 50 when she made a bold life change, moving from nursing to the dairy business. At the suggestion of a friend, Cindy started to consider milking the sheep she kept on her Sonoma County land. She convinced her son Liam, then studying at Cal, to learn about sheep farming and cheese-making with her. Bellwether Farms started making …
Happy Moose
Co-founder Ryan was living in a San Francisco flat with roommates, when he dreamed up the idea for Happy Moose Juice. The flu was making its rounds through the house, and Ryan craved the restorative aqua frescas he’d enjoyed in Costa Rica. Ryan and roommate Phoebe started making fresh juices to get back to health, but they didn’t stop there. …
Golden State Pickle Works
When Samantha Paone launched Golden State Pickle Works in 2014, her lacto-fermented veggies quickly started winning awards at Sonoma County’s annual Harvest Fair. A veteran of the Bay Area culinary scene, she knew there was a market for better pickles in grocery stores, and that the health benefits of probiotic foods are important for all. Based in Petaluma, Samantha sources …
Juice Shop
In 1998, Charlie Gulick fell ill with a rare liver condition. His journey back to health was filled with misdiagnoses and invasive procedures. Seeking holistic solutions, Charlie embraced a strict plant-based food diet and green juices. The diet was transformative, and Charlie’s liver function quickly improved. To support him, Charlie’s entire family committed to the same daily regimen – including …
Steep Hill
Tricia Stone started Steep Hill Foods in 2016 after making granola for presents. Her initial desire was to raise money for the high school biking team that she and her children started. The name has double meaning—Tricia lives on the top of the hill in the Castro neighborhood of San Francisco, where she still bakes all of the granola, and …
Cocojune
Cocojune was founded by a group of friends – all self-proclaimed fermentation nerds – with backgrounds ranging from finance, to biodynamic farming. The team finds that food is an excellent medium for human connection and environmental change. They believe that organic agriculture is the most responsible way to farm. “In short, organic agriculture is about working with nature, instead of …
Sweet Diane’s
Sweet Diane’s motto, Plant Based Comfort Food, informs everything this San Rafael company does. Founder Diane Cowdrey set out to create delicious food that nourishes every part of you. Diane’s line of granolas are comforting, and packed with healthy protein and fats that give you the energy you need. About plant-based eating, Diane says, it’s “the kindest diet choice you …
Juniper Ridge
Juniper Ridge began in 1998, when founder Hall Newbegin started selling his own wild harvested products at the Berkeley Farmers’ Market. Hoping to share the restorative fragrances of the flora he encountered backpacking in the American west, he built the Juniper Ridge line of home and body products. Though Hall passed away in 2020, the Juniper Ridge team continues the …