Barbara Was a Visionary

In 1971, when Barbara started our company, the Bay Area was buzzing with young people full of a desire to express their love for all people. The world was changing daily as they created their own paths and sought to turn others onto new directions.

Barbara, then 17, found her calling in real food and opened a small natural bakery in Northern California. She had a simple plan—make wholesome food taste incredibly delicious. Inspired by good health, family, and the kitchen table as the cornerstones of the good life, she used whole grains and oats just as nature intended—free from anything artificial. Barbara selected her ingredients carefully to allow vital vitamins and minerals to do their best to impart their healthy benefits.

The bakery exceeded her wildest dreams and grew from a storefront start-up to a thriving wholesale business. Since those first loaves more than 40 years ago, our product offerings have grown to include cereals, snack bars, cookies, crackers, and cheese puffs.

Today, a few of us wish we still wore flowers in our hair like Barbara did. And, we know our mission is clear: healthy people, naturally. We carry on Barbara’s commitment to create the best-tasting natural products free of artificial preservatives and ingredients, hydrogenated oils, and refined white sugar.