Richard Blossom, Co-Founder & CEO, Hill Tribe Organics

Richard Blossom, Co-Founder & CEO, Hill Tribe Organics

• Grew up in the woods of Connecticut, developing a strong sense of exploration and independence.
• Lived and worked in New York and Singapore for nearly 30 years before settling in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

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Welcome to our latest blog recap of The Brand Called You podcast, featuring Richard Blossom, Co-Founder & CEO of Hill Tribe Organics. In this inspiring conversation, Richard shares his personal journey, professional milestones, and commitment to sustainable agriculture, social entrepreneurship, and community revitalization.

00:47-Who Is Richard Blossom, and What Shaped His Early Outlook? |

• Grew up in the woods of Connecticut, developing a strong sense of exploration and independence.
• Lived and worked in New York and Singapore for nearly 30 years before settling in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
• Comes from a close-knit family with three daughters and two grandsons, with the Blossom name carrying a strong sense of family pride.
• Demonstrated an entrepreneurial spirit from an early age through summer jobs, a paper route, and selling instruction manuals at 18.

10:45-How Did His Career Path Evolve Across Major Companies? |

• Earned an MBA from NYU after completing his undergraduate studies at Colgate University.
• Began his corporate career at Kraft General Foods, gaining valuable marketing experience and building relationships through tennis.
• Joined Pepsi, where he worked in new product development and brand marketing during the highly competitive “Cola Wars.”
• Led music marketing initiatives involving major artists, including Michael Jackson.
• Experienced Pepsi’s strong culture of HR, mentorship, and professional development.
• Took on international responsibilities, including managing Pepsi Asia-Pacific and working in South Africa during apartheid.
• Later moved to Frito-Lay, gaining experience across logistics and beverage technology.
• Joined Del Monte Pacific, eventually serving on its board and taking a leadership role in major acquisitions and business growth.

23:30-What Inspired the Shift Into Sustainable Agriculture and Social Entrepreneurship? |

• Through his involvement with YPO, Richard developed a deeper interest in social entrepreneurship and working with young people.
• Became involved in Catapult, a social entrepreneurship program in Thailand focused on helping rural villages overcome poverty.
• The experience created a strong sense of responsibility to continue the work beyond the initial project.
• This ultimately led to the founding of Hill Tribe Organics, turning the lessons from the pilot project into a sustainable business model.

28:39-How Does Hill Tribe Organics Create Community Impact? |

• Focused on creating high-impact change by introducing organic, free-range eggs to the Thai market.
• Developed a model that provided families with hens and free feed while purchasing their eggs, helping them significantly increase their income.
• Created sustainable livelihoods that provided families with a reliable daily source of income.
• Empowered women farmers with greater financial independence and opportunities to support their children’s education.
• Began with a local community-focused model while developing opportunities to bring shelf-stable products to wider and international markets.

34:43-What Are Perfect Earth Foods and the Wawi Foundation’s Roles? |

• Perfect Earth Foods developed premium rice-based products, including pad thai noodles, ramen, and crackers, for international markets.
• The Wawi Foundation was established to expand the impact of Hill Tribe Organics across the Wawi Valley.
• The initiative focuses on approximately 100,000 acres and 5,000 families, with the long-term goal of transitioning the region toward regenerative organic agriculture.
• Together, these initiatives aim to connect farmers with stronger markets while creating sustainable economic and environmental impact.

39:44-Why Focus on Regenerative Organic Agriculture, and What Is the Vision? |

• Richard recognized that while organic agriculture is important, it alone may not be enough to address challenges such as climate change.
• The vision is to transition the Wawi Valley toward regenerative organic farming practices.
• The approach focuses on producing healthier food while restoring soil, ecosystems, and community resilience.
• Richard emphasizes market-first, branded platforms that can give farmers stronger margins and greater economic sustainability.
• Future plans include expanding into shelf-stable products such as coffee, cacao, turmeric, moringa, and wellness blends.

RESOURCES

Learn more about Richard Blossom: LinkedIn

ENJOYED THIS PODCAST?

Richard Blossom’s journey began in Connecticut, where growing up “in the woods” near New York fostered independence, curiosity, and an entrepreneurial spirit. From mowing lawns and running a paper route to writing scientific manuals at 18, these early experiences helped shape the mindset that would later guide his corporate career and social entrepreneurship journey.

His transition from leading global businesses at Kraft, Pepsi, Frito-Lay, and Del Monte to building purpose-driven ventures such as Hill Tribe Organics demonstrates how business experience can be transformed into meaningful community impact.

What part of Richard’s journey inspired you the most? Share your thoughts in the comments and help spread these insights across your network.

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Thanks for listening!

• Richard Blossom is the Co-Founder and CEO of Hill Tribe Organics, dedicated to building ethical and sustainable agricultural businesses.
• He is passionate about social entrepreneurship and creating business models that generate both economic opportunity and meaningful community impact.
• Richard works to promote sustainable farming, responsible sourcing, and community revitalization through purpose-driven initiatives.