A Search to Improve Her Own Health Leads to a Thriving Beverage Business: Mamma Chia

“The traditional way they treat these diseases is with chemotherapy and steroids," said Hoffman. “I tried those, and I did not have relief; in fact, I just experienced all the side effects of those treatments, which put me on a more holistic path of wellness."

Seeking a remedy

In 2009 a friend and personal trainer who studied nutrition told Hoffman about a little-known seed once a mainstay of the Mayan and Aztec diets that might be able to offer some relief. The chia seed—which originates from a desert plant native to the Americas, particularly areas closer to the equator—is among the most nutrient-rich foods on the planet. It contains a concentrated dose of omega-3 fatty acids, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, calcium, potassium, antioxidants, and other vitamins and minerals.

“When chia seeds came into my life, the struggle went away, and I was completely restored to health," said Hoffman. “Not only did I go into 100% remission, I don't even test positive anymore."

Sharing what she learned

Hoffman had never intended to start a business, but when the then-meditation consultant began mixing the seeds into snacks and beverages from her home in San Diego County, friends and family kept coming back for more.

“When I started talking to the growers of chia, wanting to know how I could help them become organic and plant more organic chia, the question kept coming up, 'Well, how much chia are you going to buy?'" she said. “It was in those conversations that I realized, that in order for there to be more organic chia in the world, and for folks to know more about chia, there was going to have to be a brand that would lead that renaissance, and that's how Mamma Chia was born."