I sensed it the moment I stepped inside Sweet Earth Natural Food’s 35,000 square foot facility in Moss Landing, California. It was almost instant, undeniable and omnipresent. I’m not referring to the smell of spicy hickory and sage smoked “Benevolent Bacon” and burritos lingering in the air (although, that was great too). What I’m talking about is a positive vibe that encapsulates the place and the people that work there. I wondered, was it the quintessential California location? After all, Sweet Earth is located along an idyllic stretch of Highway One on the California central coast, one of the most abundant agricultural regions in the world, with the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean merely a stone’s throw away.

Or was there more to it?

Sweet Earth’s website proclaims that the most important ingredients are ones they don’t list on the package, “sweet vibes,” “rolling surf,” and “pure…