Imlak’esh: Superfoods for the People

The folks at Imlak’esh Organics are more than just a team — they’re a family —a family of sun-worshipping, nature-loving, Downward Dog’ing, passionate foodies.

They’re out to create a more sustainable and caring future for the world from their beautiful ocean and mountain-surrounded Santa Barbara headquarters.

History of Imlak’esh

The word “Imlak’esh” actually is derived from an ancient Mayan phrase which roughly translates to “We are all reflections of one another.” This namesake comes from the founder, Tucker Garrison, who experienced a transformative 7-month stay in the Amazonian rainforest.

Garrison lived with the indigenous peoples in their homes and saw firsthand the medicinal properties of superfoods. Upon this “Aha!” moment, he ventured back to the U.S. and embarked on a mission to create “Imlak’esh.” With this experience in mind, Imlak’esh’s mission was formed: to seek out the best quality foods with the most ethical sourcing possible, to source “superfoods for the people.”

The Imlak’esh Spirit

This spirit of “Imlak’esh” is evident in every aspect of Imlak’esh’s company culture. They prize utilizing business practices that are not only great for consumers, but great for the environment, as well.

Imlak’esh aims to embody this spirit in every step of their supply chain by giving back to:

• Those who grow their food: ensuring fair wages and sustainable sourcing from small family farms and co-operatives.
• Those who sell their foods: prizing ethics and honesty.
• Those who eat their food: offering the highest quality, most delicious products available.
• The earth: using plant-based inks, recyclable glass (and never plastic!)

Ethical and Socially-Conscious Practices

• Packaging: They use sustainable sourcing and earth-friendly, recyclable packaging.
• Affordable prices: They keep margins low to democratize access to their food, aiming to spread them to as many socioeconomic groups and demographics as possible.
• Food truck life: They travel to festivals with their food truck to connect people to a more vibrant, healthy lifestyle.
• Wellness culture: Breaks to go for a run, surf, bike, dance, do yoga, and have acupuncture or a massage.
• Charitable giving: Each year, they give 5 percent of their profits back to an eco-social project in Peru, which promotes causes from sustainability to bio-diversity to indigenous livelihoods.

Photo credit: Paul Delmont