This June, we’re celebrating LGBTQIA+ owned brands we carry here at the Davis Food Co-op. Pride Month is a time to honor the resilience, creativity, and contributions of the LGBTQIA+ community while embracing the values of love, inclusion, and equality. It also reflects Cooperative Principle #8: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. At the Co-op, we are committed to fostering a welcoming community and ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion are reflected throughout our organization and the products we carry!
We hope you enjoyed celebrating at Davis Pride and continue supporting LGBTQIA+ owned businesses throughout the year. Be sure to round up your purchases this month to support LGBTQIA+ advocacy through the Davis Phoenix Coalition. Read on to learn more about some of the inspiring LGBTQIA+ owned brands on our shelves and the stories behind them.
Herbalist Rachel Budde channeled her passion for plants and the human body to create Fat and the Moon. The intentionality can be seen in every small-batch, hand-poured product with locally sourced, organic and fairly traded ingredients. Their head-to-toe body care products are made for every body with a wide variety of offerings for every need.
At just 15 years old, GT Dave began sharing kombucha after witnessing its positive impact on his mother’s health during her recovery from breast cancer. In 1995, he bottled his homemade kombucha in the family kitchen and became the first person to bring kombucha to grocery store shelves in the United States. Today, GT’s Living Foods offers a variety of fermented and functional foods, including kombucha, COCOYO coconut yogurt, mushroom elixirs, and water kefir. The company remains committed to traditional brewing methods, wellness, and fostering a culture of growth, mindfulness, and community.
Founded by couple Sue Conley and Peggy Smith, Cowgirl Creamery was built on a shared passion for organic agriculture and artisan cheesemaking. Since 1997, the company has partnered with local Sonoma County dairies to source organic, pasture-based milk and create award-winning cheeses. Cowgirl Creamery is dedicated to supporting sustainable agriculture, strengthening local food systems, and reducing its environmental impact through composting, waste reduction, and energy-efficiency initiatives.
When Emily Winston moved from New Jersey to the Bay Area, she couldn’t find the kind of bagels she grew up loving. After years of perfecting her recipe, she launched Boichik Bagels, opening her first Berkeley shop in 2019. Made with premium organic ingredients, Boichik Bagels quickly developed a loyal following for their authentic East Coast-style flavor and texture. Alongside quality food, the company is committed to supporting its employees through competitive wages and comprehensive benefits.
Founder Dee Siazon turned a lifelong love of food into Real Mojo Foods after leaving the tech industry to pursue culinary school. Inspired by her childhood experiences preserving fruits and vegetables with family, she began creating small-batch jams, sauces, and pickles using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Based in Sacramento County, Real Mojo Foods produces handcrafted products without preservatives and maintains a hands-on approach throughout the production process, ensuring quality, flavor, and attention to detail in every jar.
Founded by Pamela Marquez, Puzz E Gata Jamaica is a queer Chicana-owned company dedicated to preserving the traditions and flavors of authentic Mexican jamaica. Inspired by family memories and conversations with women across Mexico, Marquez developed recipes that honor the cultural significance of hibiscus tea while using fresh ingredients and avoiding artificial additives or preservatives. The company’s distinctive jalapeño and nopal infusions reflect a deep connection to heritage, community, and the stories passed down through generations.
Stonewall Kitchen was founded by partners Jonathan King and Jim Stott, who began by selling homemade jams at local farmers markets in Maine. Inspired by family recipes and a passion for quality food, the pair built the company into an award-winning specialty foods brand recognized throughout the industry. Today, Stonewall Kitchen also includes brands such as Montebello and Tillen Farms, continuing its commitment to high-quality ingredients, craftsmanship, and culinary creativity.
Owned by Lee Wallace, Peace Coffee began as a nonprofit initiative focused on supporting coffee farmers and building more equitable supply chains. Inspired by the resilience and stories of farming communities around the world, the company partners with organic and Fair Trade certified growers, many of whom are cooperatives themselves. Peace Coffee remains committed to environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and producing exceptional artisan-roasted coffee while uplifting the communities behind every cup.
Siblings Jen Martin and Jeff Martin, along with Jeff’s wife Teresa Tsou, founded Pipcorn, now Pip’s Heirloom Snacks, after discovering heirloom corn at a farmers market. What started as a small operation hand-popping popcorn and stamping bags by hand quickly grew into a nationally recognized snack company. Pip’s uses non-GMO ingredients, heirloom corn, and clean oils such as avocado and sunflower oil to create flavorful snacks with simple ingredients. The company continues to focus on innovation, quality, and making better-for-you snacks accessible to more people.
Nuts For Cheese was founded by Margaret Coons, a vegan chef who set out to create rich, flavorful plant-based cheeses that could satisfy cheese lovers and vegans alike. What began as experiments with nuts and seeds for a restaurant cheese board soon evolved into a thriving business after customers began requesting products to take home. Since launching at farmers markets in 2015, the company has grown into a dedicated team committed to crafting high-quality, dairy-free cheeses that are both delicious and accessible.
Dr. Bronner’s family-owned soap brand has been a leader of the organic soap industry for decades. The brand is now LQBTQ+ owned by David Bronner, grandson to the founder. Known for its variety of fair trade body-care and home-care products, each product is made with people and planet in mind.
