The PrimaFoodie Guide to Conscious Small Brands: San Francisco Edition

Every city, large and small, boasts its fair share of sustainably-minded, local goods these days. But San Francisco takes its conscious brands to the next level. Abounding with creativity, this northern California city has long been a beacon of inspiration for makers who don’t put energy toward the cheap and quick but instead dedicate themselves to all that's slow, deliberate, and meaningful.

Speaking of slow, San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area is, after all, the home of slow food activist and chef Alice Waters. The revered chef and restaurateur has influenced countless eco-minded food entrepreneurs with her farm-to-table approach and deep respect for regenerative farming. (In the early 1970s, Waters opened her famed restaurant Chez Panisse, with the steadfast mission of incorporating only organic and local produce into every meal it served.)

So this region, graced by Waters and countless other slow-food pioneers, is rich in innovation and curiosity. It's a place that champions local small companies that put the well-being of stakeholders first. Naturally, we were thrilled to dig deeper into the many conscious small brands that San Francisco has to offer.

Farmhouse Lab

Truly a one-of-a-kind salad dressing company that uses only a handful of local organic ingredients in their mixes. The Berry Olive and Sunny Avocado are local favorites at SF farmers’ markets.

The Nectary

This small-batch flower and plant beverage company prides itself on using plants that are naturally cross-pollinated by local bees. Located in Sebastopol, the owners frequent many of the SF farmers’ markets. Their ferments and cold-pressed juices are unparalleled.

Marigold

Floral designers Aubriana Kasper and Gena Winter founded Marigold, a stunning organic floral and gift shop, in San Francisco's Mission District in June 2018, and it has since become a household name around the city. The team is known for their whimsical, organic styles and dedication to locally grown, seasonal flowers. They also host a gift and coffee shop in their workspace, where you can sip local coffee and peruse gifts from Flamingo Estate and more.

Just Date

It’s all in the name: This SF company started off making their simple one-note product, a clean date syrup, with a minimal team. Now you can find the syrup on natural grocery story shelves across the US. 

Kalkat Fruit & Nut Co.

Head to the Fort Mason Farmers’ Market on a Sunday and you’ll find an impressive array of local nuts, dates, and other dried fruits at this bustling tent.

San Francisco Honey & Pollen Co.

A small company offering the local liquid gold of the region. In tandem with offering local honey and bee pollen, husband-and-wife team John and Christina McDonald also give workshops on the critical importance of ethical, kind beekeeping.

Lady Falcon Coffee Club

There’s a reason why we included Lady Falcon in our holiday gift guide: The coffee, which is sustainably grown and founded by female farmers, is pure, clean, and simply incredible. Plus, we love the unique vibe of the brand’s aesthetic that pays homage to the salty, foggy air of San Francisco.

Dancing Crow Wine

Low to no intervention natural Syrahs, Sauvignon Blancs, and Cabernets made with organic local grapes and no added fillers or toxins.

Winter’s Fruit Tree

SF residents flock to this stall at the farmers’ markets to source their peak fruits and vegetables, fresh eggs, handmade nut butters, and more. Family-run for several generations, Winter’s Fruit Tree owners follow sustainable and organic farming methods.

Sciabica's Olive Oil

The Sciabica Family is legendary in the Northern California food scene: Since the early 1960s, they have been growing organic olives to cold-press them into the purest olive oil—making them the oldest producer of the product in the US. While their oils and balsamic glazes are famous, this company also offers freshly made pastas, tomato sauces, olive oil almonds, and handmade skincare.

Saba Jam

Women-owned and run, Saba Jam produces small-batch handmade jams that are dense with organic Northern California fruits picked at peak season.

Dandelion Chocolate

If you’re in town and seeking a novel experience, head to the Mission District to check out this local and wildly popular chocolate company. The Dandelion team offers friendly tours and tastings to get a deeper experience of its organic, single-origin small-batch artisan chocolate. They pride themselves on building honest and fair relationships with their cocoa bean farmers, a rarity in the chocolate industry.   

Bathing Culture

It took two friends, the vibes of San Francisco, and a desire for a soap that doesn’t strip or negatively impact the earth to create this popular line of body and face oils and sustainable bath products. Free of anything toxic or artificial, these products do what they’re meant to do: gently clean, moisturize, and uplift.

Flower Head Tea

Oakland resident Karina Vlastnik is the energy behind this vibrantly packaged company that offers ethically sourced tea and chai. Inspired by the “evolving vibrations and diverse terrain of Northern California,” the tea is blended by-hand in small batches.

The PrimaFoodie Guide to Local and Conscious Brands: Missoula Edition

Missoula is as much a home to the journalism student as it is to the local farmer, to the artist as it is to the beekeeper, and to the athlete as it is to the entrepreneur. This southwest Montana city of nearly 80,000 is a place where the rugged wilds of the West share space with university professors and modern creatives. Small but mighty, it's a growing metropolis under some of the country's biggest skies. 

Missoula is also a place where local, conscious, health-forward companies are providing some of the best in the nation for organic foods, beverages, and more. Here’s our PrimaFoodie take on a handful of the many offerings to consider in this great town, as well as a few just south in the Bitterroot Valley. Each one is bettering the food system in its own way.

The Good Food Store

All of us on the PrimaFoodie team have been to our share of local markets selling organic produce and foods. Hands down, a store that's won our respect is The Good Food Store. For 50 years, this independent grocery store has been selling Missoulians near and far local organic fruits and vegetables, coffee, tea, herbs, grains, and more. The staff is friendly, the bulk section is impressive, and the prepared foods are all made in-house. 

Harlequin Produce 

Harlequin Produce, an organic fruits and vegetable company, is in Arlee, just north of Missoula. The farmers and cultivators here practice a method of tillage (preparing the land for crops) that is minimally invasive so it honors the earth. You can find their produce in local CSA deliveries, The Good Food Store, the Missoula Farmers' Market, and more. 

Lifeline Farms

About 25 minutes south of Missoula, you'll run into the small town of Victor, the home of Lifeline Farm. A family-run business of organic farmers, Lifeline offers organic dairy and meat products, from fresh cheese to handmade sausages. Everything is made from the family's grass-fed animals on their farm up the road.  

Clark Fork Organics

Free-roaming chickens, tons of fresh vegetables, and sustainable practices—these are just a few things that sum up Clark Fork Organics, another small but powerful family-run farm that serves fresh produce, herbs, and more to Missoual and surrounding towns. 

Wurster Brothers Honey

We included this family-operated honey business in our PrimaFoodie Guide to Honey, and we keep coming back for more. They practice sustainable beekeeping methods to harvest pure, unadulterated, raw honey with zero additives. 

Meadowsweet Herbs 

This woman-owned apothecary is reason alone to visit Missoula—it's that good. Run by trained herbalists, Meadowsweet Herbs offers an impressive bounty of sustainable, organic dried herbs, roots, tinctures, teas, and personal care items. The team here is so knowledgeable. Have sore muscles? Headaches? Shingles? They'll direct you to one of their in-house concoctions or make one bespoke.

Frank’s Little Farm

We discovered Frank's Little Farm at the Missoula Farmers’ Market last summer. Named in homage to Montana worker's rights revolutionary Frank Little, this all-organic farm is owned and run by a family in town.   Owners Prairie and Sean offer fresh produce via CSA boxes and farmers' market stands. 

Buck N Dave’s Eggs

We love fresh eggs here at PrimaFoodie, and only aim to eat those from conscious farmers. Buck N Dave's, named after the two owners (who are rodeo stars) lets their hens roam freely on their farm located in Corvallis, south of Missoula. Their eggs are free of antibiotics and hormones.

Nourishing Cultures

Heath, the founder of the kombucha company Nourishing Cultures, creates his fermented beverages using 100 percent organic teas, flowers, berries, and vegetables. Even better, most of what he uses comes from another local Montana food purveyor. 

Winter Kissed Farm

A common issue for Montana is that it sees a shortage of fresh produce in the winter. (This is a problem for many states that face elements such as dry air and snow.) To counter this, the farmers at Winter Kissed Farms follow “Kaizen,” a Japanese method that focuses on the constant improvement of practices. They grow their crops in the winter with row covers and have successfully worked to acclimate their produce plants to cold temperatures.

The PrimaFoodie Guide to Eating Clean in Miami

Miami has lured for ages. A flashy and vibrant party town, this east coast city pulls in people near and afar for its stellar nightlife, cultural, and arts scenes. But that is only a fraction of what’s on offer here. Miami has a world-class food world, a strong portion of which is focused on local, clean, sustainable fare. These following PrimaFoodie-approved eateries make up for our short list of the top places to get a nutrient-dense meal to keep you fueled for a long, humid, fun-filled night ahead. 

Editors’ Note: Our hearts go out to those in Florida who have been gravely impacted by Hurricane Ian. 

Natura Eatery

Natura was founded by two Miami locals who are obsessed with health and supporting local farmers. Everything here is made with organic fruits and vegetables, sustainably sourced seafood, and free-range organic meats. A perfect Natura breakfast includes the Mixed Berry and Almond Butter Toast (served on homemade GF bread), fresh green juice, and a side of wild Salmon. 

Marion

Because Marion is owned by the Mr. Hospitality group, one of the city’s most successful founders of restaurants and clubs, it’s a happening spot. Still, anchoring the buzzy scene is a menu focused on sustainable seafood caught that day, organic produce, and local meats. The food is hearty and healthy with an inventive Asian spin on everything. 

Planta

We love organic and sustainably farmed meats at PrimaFoodie, so when an entirely plant-based restaurant comes our way, it must be excellent. Planta is. Located in South Beach (there are sister locations throughout the region), this vegetarian restaurant whips up some very satisfying sushi, soups, and house-made kombucha. The menu is extensive and great, but it’s important to be mindful if you have a gluten allergy as the GF options are a bit harder to scope out. 

OTL

OTL has New York food scene roots—which means it’s got the power to draw a crowd. Known for their coffee and stellar Market Grain Bowl (which is gluten-free), OTL’s breakfast and sandwich offerings are some of the city’s best for a hearty-yet-nutritious meal. The Overnight Oats here deserve applause. For one, they're gluten-free (still a rarity when it comes to café oatmeal). But these oats also have no added sugar and are topped with organic blueberries and super seeds. Perfection. 

Miami Juice

Although it’s been around for a while, Miami Juice has catapulted in popularity over the last few years. Located in Sunny Isles, this is a laid-back market-meets-café that serves some of the city’s best smoothies, salads, gluten-free specialties, and organic turkey burgers. The market part here is key, as its generous inventory of all-organic produce and other nutrient-dense foods makes grabbing groceries after lunch a breeze. 

Pura Vida

This bright and airy chain of health-centered restaurants makes grabbing an organic lunch so easy. What started as a small-scale family-owned café has morphed into a Miami mainstay with 12 locations. Come here for fresh smoothies, vegetable bowls made with organic produce, free-range chicken, and fresh shots of cold-press vegetable juice. Gluten-free options abound on this menu. 

Lilikoi Organic Living

As its name suggests, Lilikoi Organic Living focuses on incorporating clean and organic practices. Founded and run by a health-focused couple from Hawaii, this South Beach all-day café offers smoothies, Hawaiian-style poke bowls, fresh-caught fish, and more. We haven’t had their gluten-free pizzas, but a close PrimaFoodie friend says it’s a must. We applaud this delicious café for its strict adherence to local and organic fruits and vegetables and antibiotic- and hormone-free meats.

The PrimaFoodie Guide to Los Angeles’s Best Eateries Serving Fresh Local Foods

Los Angeles has our hearts. It’s the city where PrimaFoodie was born. It’s also the home of some of the country’s best when it comes to living a clean lifestyle. Fresh juice shops, gorgeous hikes, naturopathic practitioners, and eateries focusing on quality ingredients abound here. (Not to mention, the farmers’ markets are stellar.) It’s no wonder why so many think of LA as the wellness capital. 

All this considering, LA is a giant metropolis, which makes it hard to zero in on the best of the best. For this guide, we’re spotlighting our shortlist of favorite small independently owned restaurants that focus on fresh ingredients. Each of these is as inventive as it is intentional in how it sources, prepares, and serves fresh, nourishing food. 

Destroyer
Jordan Kahn, the inventive chef and restauranteur, always amazes with his skill for amplifying the most hyper-fresh and local ingredients in a fine dining experience. At Destroyer, his small-but-mighty daytime café, he does so in an accessible way for lunch. The dishes here, from fried organic eggs to toasted heirloom grains, are perfect for a mid-day meal but noteworthy enough that you’ll keep talking about them. 

Botanica

The brunch and lunch scene in LA broke into a new portal when Botanica opened in 2017. This bright little spot in Silverlake serves some of the tastiest and freshest small plates we’ve had, all made of local ingredients. Everything is seasonal and made in-house, with an emphasis on plant-based bowls and entrees, and gluten-free desserts. They offer a robust selection of provisions and natural wines for sale upfront. 

Wild Living Foods

For its first few years, Wild was a quiet storm tucked in downtown LA. Few knew about the insanely fresh and delicious nutrient-dense, plant-based food they were serving. Its popularity has rightfully grown over these last few years (through the pandemic, even). It’s a terrific spot to grab a sandwich, small plate, or pizza from its entirely organic, plant-based, and gluten-free menu. 

BreadBlok

Breadblok checks all the boxes critical to us: It’s dishes are organic, gluten-free, and contain no soy, gum, or refined sugar. Their breads are unparalleled, as are their fresh salads and sandwiches. This is a fantastic place to meet a friend for breakfast, brunch, or lunch outside in the sunny LA weather. Be sure to grab a one of their loaves to freeze at home.

Malibu Farm

The location—a rustic patio on Malibu Pier overlooking the sapphire waters—pulls everyone in. But we love this oceanside spot for its clean and super fresh menu. Vegetables sourced from local southern California farms reign, complemented by sustainably caught fish and organic meats.

Forage

Juicy free-range roast chicken. Fresh salmon belly tacos with sliced avocado and crispy coleslaw. Black rice with coconut and ginger-spiced vegetables. Suman serves up farm-fresh favorites in Silverlake, all from a team that is super small and family-run. If you’re sensitive to gluten, you must parse through this menu a bit—but it’s worth it. Every dish here is made with produce sourced in southern California. 

Kismet

Chefs and owners Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson, two NYC restaurant superstars, teamed up with LA food celebrities Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo to conjure up this incredible minimalist, clean-food eatery. The dishes marry Middle Eastern notes with California produce, resulting in a menu that is bright, vegetable-centric, and mostly free of gluten. 

Kye’s Feel Good Food

Several years ago, Kye’s quickly won over locals for its healthy take on the hand-held burrito, which it aptly called “Kye-ritos.” Seaweed and lettuce-wrapped organic vegetables and grains with organic chicken or salmon, these bites are that good—so good that people from the east side often flock here at lunchtime. They also serve excellent clean smoothies and vegetable bowls. 

The Butcher’s Daughter

For years, The Butcher’s Daughter was a hit in New York City, calling us every time we landed in the Big Apple. Thankfully, it expanded out west several years ago and is now a healthy staple right along Venice’s Abbot Kinney. Known for its avocado toast, this bright eatery—which has a lovely terrace—prides itself on plant-based dishes that are hearty, fresh, and nourishing. They also serve fresh-pressed juices. 

Gjelina

When Gjelina first opened over a decade ago, you couldn’t get a table there for months. Well, years later, and it’s still a bit tricky to get into (showing up without a reservation is often your best bet). This Venice destination really is that good. The food is hyper seasonal and fresh, the service is friendly, and the menu is inventive but still accessible. Come here on any diet, from Paleo to gluten-free, and the staff will guide you toward the many fresh options. A stellar spot in a beautiful setting.

Gjusta

The magic of Gjelina eventually resulted in this this beloved communal Venice spot. Gjusta started at Gjelina’s commissary kitchen but grew into is own deli, cafe. bakery, and marketplace. The team here makes fresh gluten-free bread, and they source their produce, meats, and seafood as purely and locally as possible from many of the same sources we do at PrimaFoodie.

honey hi

​​The founders of this small Echo Park eatery create food that is organic, community-sourced, and transparent. Everything in kitchen is gluten and refined sugar-free. They never cook with vegetable oil, and shop at the local farmers markets for most of the organic produce, grass-fed meats, and pasture-raised poultry that go into their vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes alike. With ample gluten-free options, everything here is bright, delicious, and nutrient-dense. Don’t skip the chocolate shake or the lambwich.

Amara Kitchen

This tiny and humble spot, which has locations in both Altadena and Highland Park, serves food that is freshly made and locally sourced. We visited the Highland Park location and ordered the breakfast sandwich (served on a gluten-free English muffin!) and the Pearl & Rose tea, made with their housemade Amara nut milk and Chinese herbs. Gluten-free accessible and mostly organic, this is a great spot for a casual and healthy lunch. 

Jon & Vinny’s 

We respect how Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo approach their food: with honesty and transparency. The integrity that fuels this restaurant duo’s work is one of the reasons why they’ve garnered such a following in the city and a respected name in the industry. This is their first restaurant, which now has three locations in LA. With a focus on fresh and minimal ingredients, the menu boasts fresh housemade pasta dishes, including their famous spicy fusilli, and meat and poultry dishes sourced from sustainable purveyors. While the menu is gluten-rich, there are many options for those looking to cut out gluten entirely. (The Niman Ranch skirt steak is not to be missed.) Be sure to make a reservation, as every location is a hotspot.

The PrimaFoodie Guide to Conscious Small Brands: Boston Edition

If you’re not from or familiar with Boston, this city will surprise you. It’s a metropolis small in geographical size (the city and surrounding region is about 90 square miles) yet abundant in ideas that shift the world. Some of the world’s greatest think tanks and universities call this New England town home, as do thousands of careerists from all fields.

But what adds such a layer of surprise to this city is its humility. Boston doesn’t brag (except when it comes to sports) but it certainly produces. Artists, athletes, entrepreneurs, blue-collar employees, white-collar employees, advocates, and activists all lend a vibrance that makes this city one of the most productive and unique. Here you’ll find a consistent swell of small-scale conscious entrepreneurs, innovative (and inclusive) food producers, organic farmers, and dedicated artisans creating goods that are clean, sustainable, and nourishing. Our round-up here highlights just a few of our PrimaFoodie-approved favorites.

Boston Honey Company

As its name suggests, Boston Honey Company produces small-batch, local honey from established apiaries across Massachusetts. The bees are allowed to openly pollinate, thus resulting in various multi-flower varieties of the sweet sap. Everything is kept raw and unfiltered, from the hive to the jar, and is available at local New England markets and farm stands.   

Copicut Farms

If you were to visit this Dartmouth, Massachusetts farm you’d be greeted by hens freely roaming the property and cows grazing in acres of emerald grass. Everything from Copicut, from the pasture-raised meats and poultry to the organic vegetables, is grown, cultivated, and processed on the farm.  The family uses no pesticides on its grasses and offers certified organic CSA boxes for local delivery.

C&C Lobsters and Fish

Maine may get all the praise when it comes to East Coast lobsters, but the waters bordering Massachusetts easily rival in quality. This small family-run fishery has been sustainably catching local lobsters since 1982. Everything is sold the day of its catch, offering local citizens and restaurateurs some of the freshest fish and lobsters in New England.

Sweetness Foods

Will Hansen, the founder of this small frozen treat company, has brought the humble sweet potato to new heights. After facing health and weight issues, he went on a quest to clean up his diet and eat only real whole foods. This included hand-creating this creamy frozen dessert made with whipped sweet potatoes, maple syrup, chia seeds, grapeseed oil, and fresh fruit, spices, and nuts.

Riddle Brook Farm

Tucked in the Blackstone River Valley, a lush region that runs through southern Massachusetts and northern Rhode Island, is Riddle Brook Farm: a quaint family-owned and run farm specializing in pasture-raised eggs, flowers, and gourmet oyster mushrooms. Their offerings, which are all humanely sourced and raised, are available at Boston farmers’ markets and local CSA boxes.

Follain

Nearly a decade ago, Tara Foley set out to change the beauty world by educating consumers about the need for more transparency when it comes to personal care products. So she opened Follain in Beacon Hill, a tiny apothecary that stocks 100 percent clean beauty, personal, and home products—and people came in droves. Today Foley has several Follain locations, as well as her own skincare line named after her boutiques.

Soluna Garden Farm

Just north of Boston, Soluna Garden Farm grows seasonal organic herbs and flowers, most of which is then incorporated into their natural vinegars, spice blends, and herbal teas. They make their specialty products at Food Evolution, a shared women-owned collective kitchen that focuses on food system education.

Langwater Farm

Langwater is another stunning family-owned farm in Massachusetts that produces organically grown (and some heirloom) vegetables and fruits that are on offer via CSA boxes and at Boston farmers’ markets. The family also puts their more than 80 acres to community use by offering seasonal public vegetable picking and a pumpkin patch every fall.

For further exploring, read our PrimaFoodie Guides to Austin and Portland.

The PrimaFoodie Guide to Conscious Small Brands: Austin Edition

Lately the most popular response to “where are you moving?” seems to be: “Austin.” This Texas city is attracting droves of people. We get why. Long famous for its vibrant music world, Austin is brimming with creativity and quality-of-life factors, including its local food business scene. A growing number of ethically focused purveyors and farmers are behind a bounty of conscious brands offering some of the country’s best in edible goods, from organic meats and eggs to sustainably sourced coffees. That is why we’ve been inspired to do our due diligence and vet the offerings. This shortlist sheds light on some of the best brands delivering quality and transparency to Austin (with a few shipping goods nationwide).

We say “shortlist” because—like all of our Conscious Small Brands Guides—this roundup is a work-in-progress. We’ll be adding to it as we continue to dig deeper into the offerings of this amazing city. (We’d love to hear from you: What are your go-to Austin brands that put sustainability and transparency first? Send us a note!) And if you’re in town, we urge you to chat face-to-face with the people behind the following companies. You can catch them on their farms or at the farmers’ markets, likely willing to answer your questions—as good folks behind transparent small brands tend to be.

Animal Farm Center

Animal Farm Center produces certified organic flowers, fruits, and vegetables via the practices of permaculture, a self-sustaining agricultural system. Although located closer to Houston, the team sells their goods at farmers’ markets in both the Houston and Austin regions.   

Austin Honey Company

Longtime farmer and Chile native Raul Vegara has been ethically harvesting honey in the States since 2004. Now as a beekeeper in Austin, he’s partnered with local Green Gate Farms to help establish his apiaries and provide pollination to organic agricultural production in the Austin region. Local residents flock to Vegara to buy his starter bee colonies, honey, and beeswax candles—but if you’re not in Texas you can find many of his goods for purchase online.

Bouldin Food Forest

The farmers at Bouldin Food Forest follow no-till or low-till farming methods, which means they employ practices that require the least amount of disturbance to the soil as possible. (This is aligned with regenerative farming.) The result is a bounty of vegetables and fruits that are nutrient-dense and sustainably produced that they sell at various Austin farmers’ markets.

Casper Fermented Vegetables

Inspired by traditional Jewish and Korean ancestral fermenting methods, Casper Fermented Vegetables offers sourdough, raw fermented vegetables, and kombucha that are produced in a sustainable East Austin food center. Founder Ben Hollander first fell in love with the process after watching his mother ferment their foods at home. He later earned a microbiology degree before creating Casper, which now sells at local farmers’ markets and retailers.

GFY Kitchen

GFY stands for “Gluten Free Yourself,” a catchy name to describe the handmade bread of this small brand. Baked daily, GFY’s breads are certified gluten-, corn-, and nut-free and made without preservatives. The endeavor all started when founder Tim Elias experienced anaphylaxis that was later determined to be triggered by gluten. Since he’s been on a quest to educate and provide clean, accessible, gluten-free products.

Happy Hendrix Farms

Happy Hendrix Farms started when Mike Hendrix and his partner, Chris Rutz raised a few baby chicks who grew to lay gorgeous eggs. Today the couple offers their free-range, organic eggs at local farmers' markets. What we most love is their love: When their hens stop laying, Mike and Chris continue to love and care for them for the rest of their lives.  

Hi-Fi Mycology

This tiny-but-mighty company initially began growing medicinal mushrooms to sell at the local Austin farmers markets, as well as to supply to the city’s restaurateurs. However, when word got out about their varieties—from immunity-boosting oyster to memory-promoting Lion’s Mane—Hi-Fi now offers their mushrooms to purchase online and ship nation-wide. 

New Leaf Agriculture

The concept behind New Leaf is extraordinarily inspiring. An Austin-based nonprofit, this social enterprise is part of the Multicultural Refugee Coalition that supports refugee families. The New Leaf team trains refugee farmers for paid organic and sustainable agricultural work that is” dignified, in-demand, and familiar from their countries of origin.” The produce is available through CSA box delivery and at various farmers’ markets.

Peeler Farms

The Peeler Family refers to themselves as “grass farmers'' because they see this as the foundation of their entire operation. Stemming from 100 years of cattle ranching history, the current team touts their Wagyu beef that is sustainably and ethically raised and sourced. Everything is conducted within their sight and control, from the breeding and raising to the finishing and packaging.

Shirttail Creek Farm

“Bugs, grass, lots of sass.” That’s how Shirttail Creek Farm describes the life and diet of its chickens. Everything offered from this Brenham, Texas farm, from its eggs to its chickens to its beef, stems from an animal that was allowed year-round sunshine and swaths of pasture on which to roam and graze.

Talisman Coffee

Talisman Coffee is steeped in family tradition: Sandro and Johanna are the coffee farmers who oversee the thirty-five-acre Nicaragua farm that supplies the shade-grown, hand-picked, sustainably processed, chemical-free beans, which brother and sister Fernando and Jo roast in Austin. Their varieties can be purchased at the local farmers' markets and online.

Zhi Tea

The self-proclaimed “tea freaks” behind Zhi Tea hold paramount practices that are ethical, sustainable, and fair-trade when sourcing, blending, and packaging their varieties of teas—all of which are grown without chemicals. Ranging from Pu-Erh to Matcha to Rooibos, and everything in between, this boutique company is a destination for high-end tea when in Austin or browsing online.    

 
For further exploring, read our Guide to Portland, Oregon’s Best Conscious Small Brands

The PrimaFoodie Guide to Conscious Small Brands: Portland Edition

Portland, Oregon is one of those places that defies an easy description. This city is stunning. Hugged by emerald forests and filled with friendly people, it is progressive to its core. It is also a town that has set the bar when it comes to caring for others and the planet, and encouraging entrepreneurial ingenuity.

We love this city for all of the above, as well as its bevy of locally produced, ethically created, health-conscious goods. It is the place for dinners made of ingredients sourced within a handful of miles from your plate. For fresh organic kombucha and handmade vegan chocolate. For pasture- and humanely-raised meat. Every corner reveals a gem. But if traveling here isn’t on your radar (or isn’t feasible in these times), you can still experience the essence of Portland by ordering many of its locally made goods. 

One last note: If you’re reading this and you’re from Portland (or you love Portland), you may very well think: There is also this maker, and this boutique, and this craftsman. We hear you. This city is packed to the brim with noteworthy small brands. Our inclusions here mirror what’s on our radar, but this is by no means an exhaustive list. If you have a burning suggestion, we’d love to hear from you as we’ll be updating our list throughout the year.

Beverages

Stumptown Coffee Roasters

It seems that Stumptown is slowly becoming a household name, but this coffee still comes from a Portland brand that is small at its core. Their beans are responsibly sourced and mostly certified organic. But what we love most about this company is its B Corporation status, which means that it has gone through a rigorous certification process to ensure that it puts the benefit of its people, community, and the planet first.

 T Project

Founder Teri Gelber has a mutual love for quality tea and togetherness. She created T Project, her studio and tea line, as a way to encourage people to gather over her loose-leaf blends. A food industry veteran, Gelber sources organic teas, herbs, and spices from around the world and hand-mixes them in her quaint Portland space. The blends are worldly and beautiful—and each one is named after a nostalgic song. Diamonds and Rust, an Oolong nod to Joan Baez, is one of our favorites.

Tio’s Water Kefir

Uplifting and refreshing, Tio’s small-batch kefirs are made primarily of Oregon-grown ingredients like local blueberries and organic ginger root. The kefir is light, full of probiotics, and contains no added sugars, coloring, or preservatives. 

Meat and Poultry

Pasture PDX

The two founders of Pasture, Kei Ohdera and John Schaible, are single-handedly evolving the way meat is procured here in the states. They focus on animal husbandry, the holistic, ethical practice of breeding, raising, and caring for an animal its entire life before it is humanely slaughtered for meat.  Kei and John know their animals well, as well as all the farmers with whom they partner. They offer fresh-cut meats and often collaborate with local restaurants and purveyors to offer local lunches and dinners.

Deck Family Farm

Located on more than 300 acres of rolling farmland in Willamette Valley, Deck Family Farm produces organic, pasture-raised meat and poultry. The family prides itself on allowing the animals to roam free on the pasture, and follows various regenerative and sustainable farming practices. Fresh cuts of meat, whole chickens, and sausages are available to ship, as well as sides of animals for larger purchases.

Chocolates and Other Sweets

Moonstruck Chocolate

Small batch and super creamy, Moonstruck exemplifies the concept of responsibly made. Each of their chocolates include ingredients sourced from the Pacific Northwest, as well as cocoa that is ethically procured. The team, which makes all of the truffles, hot chocolate, and bars in their Portland factory, teams up with Cocoa Horizons, an impact-driven program that aims to improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers in West Africa.

Woodblock Chocolate

Husband and wife team Jessica and Charley Wheelock create all of their artisanal chocolates in their northeast Portland manufactory. There is also a tiny cafe which is lined with giant glass windows which give you a front row seat to the roasting, melting, and mixing of the cacao beans. Their chocolate bars and drinking chocolates are pure and creamy, and boast the loveliest artistic packaging. 

Grains, Nuts, Seeds, Spices, and Oils 

Lonesome Whistle Grains

Lone Whistle has been sustainably growing organic heirloom grains for almost twenty years. Locals flock to their stand at various farmers markets in Portland, Eugene, and Corvallis to stock up on organic popcorn, stone ground flours, Abenaki corn polenta, rolled oats, and buckwheat pancake flour mix. 

Oomphs Cooking Blends

The name really says it all. A pinch of an Oomph blend adds a layered depth to vegetables, scrambled eggs, grilled meats, stir-frys, and soups, bringing out the flavor potential of a dish. Made of spices and dehydrated vegetables, each blend is free of additives, colorings, GMO ingredients, preservatives, and pesticides. Its founders created the line after looking for creative and clean ways to add flavor to their GAPS diet dishes. It’s a little east Portland company creating an innovative, healthy way to season food. 

Jacobsen Salt Co. 

While all salt technically may have been naturally created equal way back when, not all salt is sourced to be equal. (Buying “sea salt” that is really mislabeled table salt is a pet peeve of ours.) That’s why we love Jacobson salt. They harvest it straight from the clean waters of Netarts Bay, right off the Oregon Coast. (There are a few exceptions, such as the Pink Himalyan Salt, which they source from rock salt in the mountains of Pakistan.) Jacobson’s flaked sea salts are mineral-rich, crisp, and perfect for finishing a dish. Their kosher salt is briny and ideal for cooking. And if you want a real treat, consider one of their infused salts that are mixed with spices, herbs, and even wine. 

Ground Up

This Portland-based small, female-founded company makes creamy hand-crafted nut butters that are free of peanuts, palm oil, dairy, sugar, and gluten. Their flavors are inventive: coconut cardamom with chia seed, cashew, and almond butter; spicy tahini cashew butter made with Diaspora chiles (a PrimaFoodie favorite); cinnamon snickerdoodle. And their business model is even more inventive, as well as inclusive: Through its training program, the team works with women who are overcoming obstacles and various adversities.

Durant

Durant is a scenic vineyard, winery, and olioteca located in the stunning Willamette Valley just south of Portland. Their olive oil is pressed on location from primarily olives grown on the estate, as well as some from high-end growers in Northern California.

Portlandia Foods

Considering how hard it is to find condiments free of gluten and additives, we were thrilled to discover Portlandia Foods. Each of the condiments, which include BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire, are made of Oregon Tilth Certified Organic ingredients and contain no gluten or artificial colorings. 

Breads

New Cascadia Traditional

New Cascadia’s start is a classic small-brand story. Struggling with a gluten intolerance, co-founder Chris Gumke couldn’t find any quality bread made without wheat. So he and his wife, Teresa, decided to make their own and sell it at the Portland farmers market. It took off, to say the least, and today New Cascadia’s gluten-free breads, doughs, pastries, and more are available all over Portland and via mail order.