Exploring Life & Business with Cory Auric & Katie Ota of Ojala Ojai

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cory Auric & Katie Ota.

Hi Cory & Katie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Since 1978, the Auric Family has owned Ojala, a historic property on Maricopa Highway just past Friend’s Ranch.

We’re Cory & Katie, two local kids, Ojai born and raised, who woke up one day and realized we aren’t kids anymore. We grew up in the same circle of friends here in town… Nordhoff grads who left as soon as we could to college on the Central Coast – Cory to Cal Poly SLO and Katie to UC Santa Cruz. Life rolled on and we settled into ag-centric careers in separate parts of the state, and figured Ojai would be a place to visit our families but never live full time ever again.
The universe has a funny way of knowing what’s best for you before you do. We found our way back home and to each other, and are doing our best to honor the special properties our families have long cared for. While Katie’s family has been in agriculture for generations, the green thumb seems to be missing from her DNA. That’s Cory’s area of expertise, and we have him to thank for the diverse mix of incredibly delicious produce – he has a degree in Ag Business & Fruit Science from Cal Poly and loves working outside, caring for his fruit trees and reconnecting with the land. Katie is trying her darnedest though, and in the meantime, handles more of the marketing aspects!

In 2017 the Thomas Fire severely damaged large portions of Ojala. Cory left behind a career in big ag in the Central Valley to move home to Ojai and rebuild Ojala from the ashes. Agriculture is a new chapter in the long Ojala story.

In all of our (minimal) free time, we love hiking, cooking epic meals with in-season treats, a good glass of wine or cocktail, and saving stuff for later.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Land management is never straightforward, so it can be easy to focus on the many challenges over the decades. So, without going into too much detail, the Thomas Fire was by far the most devastating. The timing was especially painful having recently lost Cory’s father, Dr. Robert Auric, to cancer. Ojala was Robert’s sanctuary and the fire’s destruction only compounded the loss.

As you know, we’re big fans of Ojala Ojai. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Ojala is a uniquely diverse property, and has helped us to hone many talents because of it. Cory’s background and skillset makes him especially well suited to experiment with the plethora of fruits and vegetables we grow here. Our products and offerings include, but are not limited to:
– The finest avocados Cory can grow. Hass are the most well known and popular but we also have Fuerte, Bacon, Nabal, Zutano, Edranol, Sir Prize, Reed, Sharwil, Lamb Hass, and Gem Hass. We supply local restaurants with avocados during our season, which is currently winding down; it usually starts in early Spring and goes through August. We also ship boxes of avocados all over the country. It’s crazy to see the many places our avocados travel to!
– Honey. This actually began as a byproduct of a healthy ecosystem for the trees and gardens at Ojala – they need pollinators! The honey was so delicious, we found a demand for something we’d never thought we’d be offering. Katie’s background is in hospitality so delivering honey to our friends shops and restaurants around town very much scratches that itch!
– Hoshigaki (Dried Persimmons) Cory’s late father, Dr. Robert Auric, loved Hoshigaki and taught Cory from an early age to respect the painstaking process of making Hoshigaki. Cory continues care for his father’s original persimmon trees that survived the Thomas Fire. Cory and Katie clean, hand-peel, hang, and massage the persimmons. Katie is half Japanese, and grew up respecting and enjoying Hoshigaki, especially around New Year’s Day when it was shared as a delicacy.
Our Hoshigaki production is limited and every year we sell out faster than the previous year. Please email us to be notified when our 2026 harvest becomes available, likely in late 2026.
– We are not open to the public, as this is home for us and a few long term tenants. That said, we do have a cabin available to rent and that is the best way to experience Ojala. For more information, please visit our website.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
We love the slower pace and beautiful surroundings of our hometown. Tourism has always been a part of the Ojai Valley, but social media in recent years has driven a new wave of visitors, more than our infrastructure can often withstand. We hope newcomers can enjoy what makes Ojai unique without trying to change it.

Pricing:

• Visit ojalaojai.com for current pricing and offerings

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ojalaojai.com
• Instagram: @ojalaojai
• Facebook: @ojalaojai