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Through the gray haze In 1980, longtime friends Greg Steltenpohl, Gerry Percy, and Bonnie Bassett started squeezing fresh orange juice in a backyard shed in Santa Cruz, California. With the aid of a used $200 hand-juicer and crates of oranges, the friends made juice and delivered it to local restaurants in vans. The founders picked the Odwalla name from a musical piece by The Art Ensemble of Chicago. According to the song, Odwalla was a leader who guided the "people of the sun" out of the "gray haze." The love-bead- swapping, flower-powered founders believed their Odwalla beverages would help create "a clearing in 'the gray haze' of the processed foods market." Since its inception, Odwalla has had an average growth rate of approximately 40 percent; it is presently the largest fresh juice brand in the western United States. The company works on several environmental causes as it strives to fulfill its core mission: to nourish customers, employees, shareholders, the community, and the environment. E. coli comes Despite annual donations of over a million bottles to charities and schools and annual "eco-audits" to establish the company's good name, Odwalla suffered a serious loss of consumer confidence in 1996 when it recalled apple juice products contaminated with E. coli bacteria. The recall was too late to prevent one death and many cases of food poisoning. Community outrage prompted several Odwalla retailers to fail to renew contracts with the company. After the crisis, Odwalla made numerous corporate changes, including new pasteurization procedures and the creation of a safety board. Odwalla has since rebuilt its reputation by way of disclosing its internal operations and talking frankly about its tarnished history. Juicier than ever In 1998 industry experts proclaimed that Odwalla was back in the running. The food and beverage company announced its first positive ledger balance since the E. coli incident. Declared Stephen Williamson, the company's chief executive officer: "We are profitable, growing, and fully focused on offering more consumers easy access to great-tasting nourishment." But the bacteria debacle hasn't been forgotten. In 1999, Odwalla was fined $1.5 million after it pled guilty to 16 misdemeanor charges related to the E. coli outbreak. The fine is one of the largest ever imposed in FDA history for a food injury case. That same year, the resilient company opened a new line of food bars to compete in the same market as Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Bars. A more healthy alternative to other similar products, Odwalla's food bars are made from organic oats, brown rice, nuts, and fruits. Odwalla has been performing better than ever, with revenues rising and new products catching on in the market. In 2000 it merged with Fresh Samantha, Inc., once one of its chief competitors.
Odwalla's employment Web page, located at www.odwalla.com/hiringpages, provides current job listings and contact information. While most positions are located in the company's California offices, Odwalla's expansion efforts have created opportunities in other regions, such as Denver and Boulder, CO; Seattle, WA; Houston, TX; and Washington, DC.
E. coli: the revenge Because of Odwalla's "phenomenal" growth, insiders say that they must "adapt to constant change." While the company's well-publicized recall of E. coli-ridden apple juice was a "blow to morale," the company's "honest and direct" response to the crisis was both "effective" and "refreshing." Indeed, one insider applauds the company's stout-hearted competency: "Odwalla voluntarily paid all related medical bills. They did everything possible to make sure that [the crisis] never happens again." However, our sources recognize that the E. coli disaster has left an indelible impression. Odwalla faces "immediate and long-term obstacles" as it attempts to reclaim its good reputation within the food industry. Persistence, drive, and good juice One contact states that she is "proud" of the company's "persistence and drive." She is also happy about the corporate culture, which is "casual and relaxed." It is a culture, says another, that "eschews hierarchy." Odwalla's anti-discriminatory atmosphere lends itself to numerous perks, including "non-traditional medical benefits" and a constant supply of the "best juice around."
Attn: Nourishment for Humans Human Resources 120 Stone Pine Road1 Half Moon Bay CA 94019 (650) 712-5510 (650) 712-5572
Fresh fruit- and vegetable-based beverages;Snack bars;Water
Hansen Natural;Nantucket Allserve;Tropicana Products;Chiquita Brands;Coca-Cola;J. M. Smucker;Ocean Spray;Seneca Foods;Slim-Fast More Company Profiles For more career information, go to Vault.com ©2000, Vault.com Inc
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