August 13, 2025

727 Stephen Williamson : Co-Founder and CEO of Forager Project

41 minutes

On this episode of The Kara Goldin Show, I’m joined by Stephen Williamson, Co-Founder and CEO of Forager Project—the family-owned, organic, dairy-free creamery crafting premium yogurts, milks, and creamers from cashews and coconuts. Founded in 2013 with his stepson, JC Hanley, Forager Project was born from a bold mission: to flip the dairy model so plants make up 85% of global consumption instead of just 15%.
Before launching Forager Project, Stephen served as Chairman and CEO of Odwalla, helping grow the brand into a $400 million fresh juice leader before its acquisition by Coca-Cola. Guided by a deep commitment to organic ingredients, sustainability, and his “soil to soul” philosophy, Stephen is reshaping what dairy can mean for people and the planet.
In our conversation, Stephen shares how his experiences at Odwalla influenced Forager’s creation, why he bet early on building his own manufacturing plant, and the strategies that helped scale the brand to over 10,000 stores nationwide. We also dive into the challenges of perfecting plant-based Greek-style yogurt, the role of conscious capitalism in decision-making, and how Forager continues to innovate in a crowded plant-based market.
If you’re curious about the future of dairy, scaling a mission-driven food brand, or how to lead with values while winning on taste—this episode is packed with insight. Now live on The Kara Goldin Show.

Are you interested in sponsoring and advertising on The Kara Goldin Show, which is now in the Top 1% of Entrepreneur podcasts in the world? Let me know by contacting me at [email protected]. You can also find me @‌KaraGoldin on all networks.

To learn more about Stephen Williamson and Forager Project:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-williamson-86b94910
https://foragerproject.com/