Exploring Life & Business with Matt Amsden of Rawvolution

Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt Amsden.

Matt, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
In the summer of 1998, I was turned on to the concept of raw foods by way of an interview with David Wolfe that aired on the Howard Stern radio show. After a few weeks of research and reading all I could on the subject, I committed to a diet of exclusively uncooked plant foods. As inspired as I was, that first year was tough.

Enduring cooked food withdrawals during a Canadian winter without an ounce of organic produce or a single other raw-fooder within 200 miles was challenging. Canadian winters were beginning to feel incongruous with my ideal of a life lived in the sunshine with access to an abundance of fresh, organic foods so in the summer of 2000, I purchased a one-way ticket to Los Angeles with whatever I could fit in a suitcase. I’d never been to LA, nor did I know anyone here but I knew that if I was ever going to be involved in the raw food movement, it was going to happen in LA, so I headed west. In Los Angeles, I found the sunshine, mild climate and the abundance of fresh foods I was looking for. The raw food scene I found was alive but in need of an infusion of new energy.

I immediately began experimenting and building an arsenal of raw food recipes and served them to the public at weekly raw food dinner events. I was also teaching popular raw food preparation classes and served as head chef at several raw food retreats in Hawaii and Costa Rica. In 2001, I started my company, Rawvolution, the world’s first raw food delivery service. Rawvolution began delivering prepared raw foods throughout Los Angeles and soon after, demand outside of LA prompted me to expanded to serve the entire United States. Between the years of 2006 and 2016, Rawvolution was also a popular and successful dine-in restaurant in Santa Monica and became a go-to spot for the health and environmentally conscious diners of LA. In 2006, Rawvolution, my first collection of raw recipes was published by HarperCollins and became a best-seller. The Rawvolution Continues followed in 2013 and was awarded a major literary award for social and environmental juice. This year, we enter our 2oth year providing the finest and freshest raw food meals nationwide.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Throughout our 20 years in business, we have encountered numerous obstacles, not the least of which were experienced in the last year, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Supply shortages as well as shipping delays (not great for perishable meals) have been the most significant.

As you know, we’re big fans of Rawvolution. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Rawvolution delivers healthy, fully-prepared meals directly to your door– nationwide! What meals do you offer? We offer the Raw Box which includes two fresh-pressed juices, four gourmet entrées, four generous sides, and two delicious low-glycemic desserts. The Raw Box is designed to provide one person about four to five days of lunches and dinners. Some clients find the Raw Box lasts nearly a full week! The menu changes each week so there’s always lots of variety!

What does success mean to you?
I define success as creating a win-win for our clients and for our company. A win for us is earning a living and providing employment for our team while engaging in work we love while being mindful of our impact on our environment. A win for our clients is their receiving fully-prepared, delicious and truly healthy meals direct to their door, at a fair price.

Pricing:

• $140 for the Raw Box, delivered anywhere in Los Angeles County
• $10 off the Raw Box with a weekly subscription

Contact Info:

• Website: rawvolution.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/rawvolution/

Image Credits
Photo of Matt Amsden by Rana Wilson Food photos by Andrea Gómez Food styling by Liesl Maggiore