In 11 questions and 11 minutes, Kiss the Ground CEO Evan Harrison interviews various partners about their unique perspectives, motivations, and intentions for joining the Regenerative Movement. Hear the stories and insights of Regeneration pioneers, as they work towards advancing a viable solution to human and planetary health.
Meet Gally Mayer – Self-confessed regenerative groupie and clean coffee pioneer.
When Mayer learned the truth about the coffee industry, she was determined to find a solution. Learning about regenerative agriculture and feeling inspired by the movement, she created clean, delicious coffee that supports the health of soil, farmers, and consumers. To amplify the message and distribute the coffee, Mayer teamed up with Kiss the Ground.
My first memories in nature go back to hiking with my father in Israel. My favorite hikes were always the ones with river crossings up to the waist. My dad was really tall, so he would pick me up on the parts where it was too deep for me.
Although I lived in Tribeca, New York City, I was always a hiker. I would find ways to get out of the city and go on hikes. I also picked up mountain biking in Poughkeepsie on the weekends. I felt so cool. I had just bought my first car and put a roof rack on it for the bike. Biking through Woodstock and the surrounding forest areas felt like heaven..
I was a banker and then a venture capitalist. I gained 25 years of experience in only three years during the dot-com era of the New York stock exchange. It was a four billion dollar journey, and through this experience, I decided I wanted to start giving back.
I discovered that nonprofits should be run like for-profit businesses – just as efficient and well invested. At the time, Robin Hood, a nonprofit fighting poverty in New York City had just begun. Their organization showed me the way to do it right. This really was my journey to learning that giving is 10x better than receiving.
In 2009, I left with my husband and four kids at the time for Costa Rica. We are very grounded and outdoorsy people and didn’t want to raise our kids in the Manhattan bubble. Now, I have five kids raised in Costa Rica.
18 years ago my husband, business partners Gianpaolo and Gabby, and I, started restaurants in New York and the Hamptons. They have been very successful, and we are opening a new one in Palm Beach this October. About five years ago, Gianpaolo called and said, “Everyone says the best coffee is in Costa Rica, and you live there. Find us good coffee for the restaurants.”
I thought that must be easy, there must be tons of good coffee in Costa Rica. I went to look for organic coffee and to my surprise, I found out Costa Rica has less than 1.5% coffee that is regenerative organic. I also learned that 80% of coffee farmers live on or below the poverty line, and the whole industry is based on a model from the 1800s that does not work today.
I told Gianpaolo good news and bad news: I found the best organic coffee, but we are not going to see money for a long time because first we are going to go and fix the industry.
I was sitting with a dear friend of mine, a scientist at the USDA. We were having a drink in Colorado, and I told him I wanted to change the coffee industry, making organic the standard. He said, “organic is not the way to go – it has to be regenerative.” I asked him what regenerative was, but he told me there was no definition.
I set out to find some answers and come up with my own definition. My best friend told me I had to watch Kiss the Ground. I met the producers of the film and the incredible people in the movement. I became a regenerative groupie. I felt enamored, inspired, and my lights went on.
I learned that regenerative is not just about soil, plants, and biodiversity – it is a way of thinking: meet farmers where they are at, mitigate climate change, focus on farmer prosperity, bring Indigenous wisdom back, and let nature be savvy.
“I learned that regenerative is not just about soil, plants, and biodiversity – it is a way of thinking: meet farmers where they are at, mitigate climate change, focus on farmer prosperity, bring Indigenous wisdom back, and let nature be savvy.”
We are changing the industry and creating a new model with the conviction that farmers and soil are always first. It is a matter of setting this system and ethics up correctly.
We dove into regenerative agriculture and became soil advocates, working with Kiss the Ground and PhDs in soil. We also worked with Emory University to learn how to sell coffee for the best price for the farmer. We want to be the Patagonia of coffee.
We work with 24 certified regenerative farms. We spend a lot of time on the farms, really getting to know the farmer, the family, the soil, the type of coffee they are growing, and their philosophy. We have meaningful conversations everyday.
We need more agronomists on the ground that really understand regenerative agriculture. We were brought up with the Green Revolution which taught us to turn our farms into drug addicts. Our farms are addicted to agrochemicals and have lost harmony with nature along the way.
When farmers want to change their practices, they don’t know where to begin. Similar to how different people react differently to foods and medicine, every farm has its own context. It is complex and challenging to understand what works for a specific farm. Many farmers want to take their drug addicted farm to rehab, but they don’t have anyone to coach or mentor them through it.
I believe that if we have enough people understanding soil health and farmer challenges, we can turn every acre into regenerative agriculture. We just need more resources, education, and support for farmers to make the change.
“I believe that if we have enough people understanding soil health and farmer challenges, we can turn every acre into regenerative agriculture. We just need more resources, education, and support for farmers to make the change.”
Over 95% of the world’s coffee is filled with agrochemicals. Commodity coffee can be any quality of coffee. It is often burnt and needs additives like milk and sugar to taste good. Specialty coffee is like having the top wine at the table. It is clean and delicious and does not need to be mixed with anything.
Taking it a step further, regenerative coffee means the soil is healthy. This coffee is more nutrient-dense, and the flavors are heightened.
From seed to cup, the journey of our coffee is regenerative. It’s not just the soil – it is the farmers, the workers, the baristas. Everyone in the value chain is healthy. By drinking regenerative coffee, you are fueling a beautiful cycle.
There will be an evolved understanding that coffee is not a commodity and agriculture is not a commodity. Consumers will be looking for what is good for them, and regenerative practices that look to nature and our indigenous roots will provide that.
This means that every buyer who cares about the coffee they are drinking will only be buying regenerative. The people in the coffee industry that invest in regeneration are going to be successful because their coffee is going to be the most resilient for climate change and farmer prosperity.
Written by: Luli Harrison
Interested in trying Kiss the Ground Coffee?
Kiss the Ground’s approach and impact are stronger with Partnerships. For every $100 donated to Kiss the Ground, we inspire and catalyze the transition of 10 acres into regenerative agriculture, working directly with farmers and partners – this could be you.
