Environmentalist put health and wellness in a bottle, twice
Greg Steltenpohl, the founder of juice giant Odwalla and nutmilk maker Califia Farms who was a leader in the national beverage industry for decades, died Thursday from complications from a liver transplant. A longtime Bay Area resident, he was 67.
Steltenpohl’s passions for wellness and the environment spawned two socially conscious beverage companies that aimed to make the world a better place. Odwalla was one of the first companies to bring premium fresh juice to grocery store shelves. Now Califia Farms is one of the fastestgrowing beverage companies in the U.S. — and the most recognizable brand in plantbased aisles, with its distinctive curvy bottle inspired by Queen Califia, the goddess of California.
To his family and friends,
Steltenpohl was much more than an entrepreneur. He was also an insatiable creative, a lover of ideas, and a committed father and grandfather.
“He was my rock while I was young,” said his sister, Jan Johnson. “He was a guide and a wisdom holder. He was a force.”
Steltenpohl was born in Florida and grew up in Southern California. His love of the
environment came from his father, Jerome Steltenpohl, who organized family vacations to national and state parks every summer. His interest in food stemmed from his FrenchCanadian mother, Benita Desjardins, who was a creative cook and regularly made freshsqueezed juices from local citrus.
He came to the Bay Area to study environmental science at Stanford University, moving to Santa Cruz in 1977 and starting an experimental jazz band with two friends. To support his musical endeavors, the saxophonist bought a $250 juicer and started making fresh orange juice in his backyard. Odwalla was born in 1980, famously serving up juice from the back of the band’s van.
“He was extremely smart and intellectual and had the capacity to really engage all types of people and all of their passions, and make people feel both appreciated and excited,” said his son, Eli Steltenpohl.
Odwalla grew to astronomical heights, going public in 1993. Three years later, disaster struck. Odwalla sold a batch of apple juice contaminated with E. coli, killing a 16monthold girl and sickening dozens. The company never fully recovered, forcing a sale to private equity firms and then to the Coca Cola Co., which shut down Odwalla last year.
The trajectory of the business disappointed Steltenpohl. But more than that, learning that his juice had hurt so many people shattered Steltenpohl on a personal level. It took years for him to regain his footing and reemerge with another hit: Califia Farms.
“He still had a mission to do,” said Kiff Gallagher, a longtime friend who worked alongside Steltenpohl during the Odwalla crisis. “He was an incredibly resilient human being who ultimately had an optimistic view in
what could be possible. He was fearless in a lot of ways.”
He started Califia Farms in 2010, zeroing in on quality nut milks made with California almonds as a way to fight industrial agriculture. The company has grown to produce other vegan milks, creamers, butters and coffee beverages, and Califia’s extra creamy “barista blend” milks are used in cafes around the country. Last year, it
raised a landmark $225 million in the quest to expand globally while maintaining significant sustainability goals, such as transitioning to 100% renewable power and achieving zerowaste certification.
“Califia started before I think plantbased foods were really trendy . ... I think he saw the growth potential,” said Sabina
Vyas of the PlantBased Foods Association, adding that the company has stood out in the industry for its commitment to sustainability and employee empowerment at every level.
While Steltenpohl’s fruit juices and altmilks have entered millions of homes, his valuesbased approach may be even more influential.
“I think his legacy will continue to be the entrepreneurs and professionals who are in business for more than just to make a buck,” Gallagher said.
Steltenpohl stepped down as CEO from Califia last fall. He was ready to spend more time with his grandson and immerse himself in the eastern Sierra, one of his favorite places. He bought a house near Mono Lake and wanted to set up a music studio there. But at the end of 2020, his body started rejecting a liver transplant he had nine years earlier.
His family is planning a celebration of Steltenpohl’s life for the early summer. He is survived by his son, Eli Steltenpohl; his grandson, Theodor Steltenpohl; his sister, Jan Johnson; nieces Kendra Thompson and Emma Knight; daughterinlaw Soledad D’Agostino; and stepsons Justin Meade and Kevin Meade.