Odwalla

Odwalla Inc.
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryConsumer products
Founded1980; 44 years ago (1980), in Santa Cruz, California, U.S.
Founder
  • Greg Andrew Steltenpohl
  • Gerry Keith Percy
  • Jeannine Bonstelle (Bonnie) Bassett
HeadquartersHalf Moon Bay, California, U.S.
Area served
United States
Key people
ProductsDrinks, food bars
RevenueUS$187.9 million (2007)
Number of employees
900[1]
ParentFull Sail IP Partners
Websitewww.odwalla.com

Odwalla Inc. (/ˈdwɔːlə/) is an American health food company based in Dinuba, California. Founded in Santa Cruz, California in 1980 and formerly headquartered in Half Moon Bay, California from 1995 to 2020, the company's product lines include fruit juices, smoothies, soy milk, bottled water, organic beverages, and several types of energy bars known as "food bars".

The company experienced strong growth after its incorporation in 1985, expanding its distribution network from California to most of North America, and went public in 1993.

Odwalla juice caused a fatal outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 in 1996 because of numerous flaws in its safety practices, for which the company was found criminally liable. Despite industry norms, Odwalla originally sold unpasteurized juices, to avoid altering the flavor of its juices. Following the E. coli outbreak and the death of at least one child, Odwalla adopted flash pasteurization and other sanitization procedures. Odwalla recalled its juices and experienced a 90% reduction in sales following the event. The company gradually recovered and, the following year, became profitable again.

In 2001, Odwalla was acquired by The Coca-Cola Company for US$181 million and became a wholly owned subsidiary. In July 2020, Coca-Cola announced it would discontinue the Odwalla brand by August 2020.[2] The brand was sold to Full Sail IP Partners in 2021.[3] Its headquarters was relocated to its production facility some time in the early 2020s.[4]

  1. ^ "Odwalla Inc. Company Profile". Yahoo Finance. 2008. Archived from the original on February 11, 2007. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
  2. ^ Wiener-Bronner, Danielle (July 2, 2020). "Coca-Cola is shutting down Odwalla juice". CNN. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  3. ^ "Full Sail IP Partners acquires Odwalla from The Coca-Cola Company". FoodBev Media. 15 September 2021.
  4. ^ [1] Odwalla company profile, Datanyze.com, Headquarters - 1900 Davis Dr, Dinuba, California, 93618, United States; (800) 639-2552