Ep. 302 RASA Foods with Co-Founder and Chief Herbalist Ben LeVine

Todays guest is the co-founder and chief herbalist of RASA FOODS: Ben LeVine Ben's story takes us into the topic plants, herbs and allyship with plants just as much as how to grow a strong business with regenerative impact and footprint in the real world.  About Ben: Sitting quietly atop a Colorado mountain peak, Ben LeVine felt a voice from his favorite herb that would define his future: “You were meant to become an herbalist. Just let the plants guide you.” That path has led him to the farthest corners of the Earth and back, driven to unravel the mysteries of the world’s most powerful plants. Now as Co-Founder and Chief Herbalist of Rasa, he’s using those potent herbal secrets to revolutionize your morning energy ritual with the power of adaptogens. From his earliest memories of exploring his family’s orchard with wonder, Ben has felt a profound connection with plants and nature. As a young man he followed this passion across the globe, working on farms from India to Alaska and learning traditional plant ceremonies from Ethiopia to Ecuador. Driven by a scientific mind that hungered for data as much as it reveled in tradition, he earned his MSc in Clinical Herbalism with a focus on adaptogens, and accepted a position at herbal tea juggernaut Celestial Seasonings. As Senior Buyer of Botanicals, Ben was charged with sourcing and purchasing over 10 million pounds of herbs each year. Unfortunately, the more he learned about the inner workings of the commercial herb industry, the more jaded he became. He watched as the world’s precious botanical resources were ravaged by uncontrolled harvesting and over-exploitation. Even worse — he was part of the problem. So once again, Ben followed the call of the plants. Leaving his corporate job behind, he joined the nascent Rasa team as Employee #2 to steward the development of its ethically sourced, adaptogen-infused herbal coffee alternative as their Co-Founder and Chief Herbalist, and formulator of all their blends. Built on a foundation of plant stewardship and radical sustainability, they’ve helped over 100,000 people and counting reconnect with mother nature, live their values, and discover boundless, plant-powered energy.