PEOPLE + COMMUNITY AWARD:
LISA CURTIS, CEO and Co-Founder of KULI KULI
Lisa Curtis is the CEO and Co-Founder of Kuli Kuli, a company she founded at age 22 after serving in the Peace Corps. She turned an unheard-of superfood into a multi-million dollar business that has made a positive impact on thousands of farmers. In addition, Lisa is a regular contributor for Forbes and a thought leader on how women can turn their passions into professions.

BEST PRODUCT:
RIVALZ SNACKS
Rivalz Snacks - A maker of nutrient-dense oven-baked snacks, Rivalz is on a mission to reduce malnutrition, obesity and diabetes. Rivalz is designed and led by world renowned foodies and scientists in collaboration with UC Davis, a global catalyst that merges cutting-edge research and expertise in food, tech, agriculture and health. Rivalz has also achieved Smart Snack compliance, the national nutrition standard for food and beverages to be sold in schools.

PLANET AWARD:
MARIANNE’S HARVEST
Marianne’s Harvest believes good food can't be rushed—and has five generations of proof. As part of the Adams Group, Marianne’s has spent more than a century nourishing families, supporting farmers, and helping shape a better food system. That legacy guides everything they do today. Marianne’s sources with integrity, partners with multi-generational farmers who care for the land and animals, and crafts their avocado oils and beef tallows with care to meet the highest standards. Marianne's purpose is simple: to create pure, honest ingredients that bring joy to cooking and goodness to the table.

NEW PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD:
KIUKIU
Our guests sampled their way through the product showcase to vote for their favorite product at the event. The award went to John Liu of KiuKiu, a brand that just launched in the past couple of months. Inspired by John’s childhood in Taiwan, KiuKiu brings the joy of chewy, bouncy mochi pancakes and waffles to your kitchen with vibrant flavors like Ube, Pandan Coconut, and Black Sesame. Crafted in small batches in San Diego from California-grown rice and heritage ingredients, these naturally gluten-free mixes whip up in minutes for a deliciously chewy experience.

PEOPLE + COMMUNITY AWARD:
HANNAH SEFENONI
Hannah works for Clover Sonoma where she is leading the way in bringing sustainable practices and regenerative farming to their 30, independently-owned, local family farms, and to the wider community. She is doing this by finding grants and trials for the farms, and publicly speaking and educating the community at multiple events. Her drive for long term sustainability is an inspiration to see and is having a positive effect throughout California.

Raised on a dairy farm in Northern California, she pursued her undergraduate studies at Oklahoma State University, where she received her degree in Animal Science and began her research into methane emissions from cows. Hannah earned a Master of Science degree in Animal Sciences from Washington State University, where she was involved in feed additive research with cows and sustainability research around how feeding cows byproducts can improve human-edible protein conversion efficiency.

BEST NEW PRODUCT:
NØRSE CØDE
NØRSE CØDE is a delicious, plant-based protein powder that redefines sustainability and performance. Crafted from upcycled barley, it delivers complete protein to fuel workouts and support muscle recovery. This innovative formula empowers you to push your limits and achieve peak performance naturally. Recently featured in the Press Democrat, Smári aims to mix a progressive and environmentally-conscious approach with the latest developments in food science.

PLANET AWARD:
ALVARADO STREET BAKERY
By being an organic bakery, diverse ecosystems are supported through the organic farming practices of our ingredient suppliers. Solar power panels were installed over 10 years ago to reduce consumption of energy. Alvarado Steet Bakery was one of the first wholesale bakeries certified as a Green Business by the county and the state. Our quality control waste stream, flows “edible but not perfect” product ,away from landfill and towards useful nutrition. Alvarado’s most recent effort of making their own on-demand in-house cleaning and sanitizing supplies has reduced GHG emissions from the transport, storage, and use of the traditional chemicals by 92%. As we understand more about our impact we will continue to reduce it.

PEOPLE + COMMUNITY AWARD:
JENNY TAMAYO
Jenny Tamayo has been a leader in the natural products industry having been an active and influential member of the Naturally North Bay board for over four years. She championed her family’s legacy as a founding member of the organization and has worked tirelessly to promote the mission of the natural products community. Jenny exemplifies the wonderful community based qualities of the people associated with Naturally North Bay organizations.

BEST NEW PRODUCT:
CLOVER SONOMA’S MOON MILK
Clover Sonoma is a leader in the dairy industry, bringing conscious dairy products to consumers. The company is being recognized for the first-of-its-kind dairy beverage: Organic Moon Milks. Steeped in Ayurveda, one of the world’s oldest holistic healing systems, Clover Sonoma’s organic Moon Milk blends 2% organic milk, herbs, and spices to help the body respond to physical and emotional stressors. The infused soothing botanicals in Moon Milk help promote relaxation and wellness – morning, noon or night.

PLANET AWARD:
TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL’S TEA PACKAGING
Traditional Medicinals is the leader in botanical wellness with a purpose to inspire active connection to plant wisdom in service of people and planet. The company is being recognized for the first ever BPI-certified compostable tea wrapper that eliminates reliance on non-renewable fossil fuels. A Certified B Corporation, California Benefit Corporation, and California Green Certified Business, Traditional Medicinals commits to elevating communities across the globe, helping ecosystems thrive, and fortifying cultural connections.

PEOPLE + COMMUNITY AWARD: 
BLAIR KELLISON
For his dedication to the natural products industry for over 25 years. Blair not only led a company that experienced the greatest growth period in company history, but he also cares deeply about his colleagues, friends and everyone around him.

BEST NEW PRODUCT: 
BACHAN’S JAPANESE BARBECUE SAUCE
Bachan’s Japanese Barbecue Sauce has become a staple in many households across the North Bay (and beyond). The sauce, created with authentic, quality, delicious ingredients, undoubtedly took home the best new product award.

PLANET AWARD: 
STRAUS FAMILY CREAMERY
Straus Family Creamery demonstrated a climate change solution by supplementing cows diets with a specific red seaweed. This new diet reduced methane emissions by as much as 90%. These results were a part of the first US commercial trial using this red seaweed on a dairy farm, illustrating that innovative dairy farming can sustainably reduce its climate impact.