Greg Steltenpohl, the CEO of Califia Farms and a beverage entrepreneur for nearly four decades, is constantly thinking about innovation.
Steltenpohl cut his teeth in the beverage business in 1980 with the launch of super-premium juice brand Odwalla. At Califia, he has made meeting the evolving needs of a growing base of young, educated and health-conscious consumers through new product development a cornerstone focus. Since launching in 2010 the company has embraced several fast-growing beverage trends, including dairy alternatives and cold brew coffee, and introduced a steady stream of new brand and line extensions. But Steltenpohl is pushing for more.
The podcast team recently met with Steltenpohl at Califia Farms headquarters in downtown Los Angeles, and as part of a wide-ranging discussion he offered insight into how the company identifies opportunities to innovate and executes from concept to product launch. Steltenpohl also discussed the role of package design and technology and predicted how each will evolve in the coming years, particularly in relation to consumer education and marketing. Additionally, Steltenpohl revealed Califia’s plans to launch a line of organic products as part of its overall innovation philosophy.
