Camilla Marcus @ west~bourne
Chef Curation & Cultural Persuasion
On this episode, Kyle and Anthony speak with Camilla Marcus who is the Founder & CEO at west~bourne. West~bourne is supporting regenerative agriculture with their chef-driven snacks and pantry staples. They currently have a regenerative holiday box available on their website, and their avocado oil (available in two SKUs: a cooking oil and a finishing oil), can be purchased online and in-store at retailers like The Fresh Market.
Chef Camilla
Food has always been Camilla’s love language. At a young age she played the unofficial role of taste tester for a local natural grocer and in college, she scoured neighborhoods to find the coolest hidden gem restaurants and cooked meals for large gatherings of friends. In Camilla’s mind, cooking was the perfect opportunity to blend her math and art skills. After college, Camilla’s passion for food and cooking brought her to culinary school where she thrived in the veggie section, honing her ability to create unique, plant-based meals. After culinary school, Camilla went on to pursue a joint MBA and law degree from NYU.
This well-rounded educational experience paired with an unrelenting belief in the power of food has made Camilla the successful chef, activist, entrepreneur, restaurant owner and brand-leader she is today.
Regenerative Exposure Through a Restaurant Experience
Camilla’s journey in regenerative was sparked by reading books like Dan Barber’s Third Plate. She also realized that reading and research would not be the entry point for the average consumer. Instead, she believed she could show people what true sustainability looked like through dining and eating experiences.
“West~bourne is a next-generation brand focused on true sustainability which means regeneratively sourced, carbon neutral supply chain, and plastic free.” - Camilla
West~bourne’s first venture, a restaurant in SoHo New York, showed that a zero-waste, plant-based dining experience could resonate with consumers and spark dialogue. But Camilla knew that the brand’s impact was somewhat limited to what happened inside ‘those four walls.’ CPG opened up opportunities to scale west~bourne’s reach and broaden its influence.
The restaurant helped build a strong foundation for the brand and it served as a space to begin testing CPG products. From day one the restaurant sold snacks, giftables, and plateware.
When beauty brand Glossier approached Camilla to collaborate on their “berry balmdotcomb” salve, she immediately agreed and west~bourne developed and jarred a blueberry compote to launch alongside the Glossier balm.
Creating A Portfolio Brand
Camilla believes west~bourne’s “secret sauce” is product development. Her culinary background and the brand’s foundation as a restaurant give west~bourne a competitive edge in its ability to create delicious food products. As a result, she believes the opportunities for product innovation are endless.
“I think our secret sauce is product development. A lot of that is also because I'm a food person, so we can do it in-house.” - Camilla
West~bourne launched with 15 products and continues to rotate and test a variety of snacks and staples. Products have included preserves, baking mixes and cooking oils. Camilla is particularly inspired by opportunities for partnerships that unlock additional sustainability wins. For example, west~bourne’s restaurant is located near Oishii Berry’s indoor vertical strawberry farm. Out of curiosity, Camilla called the Oishii team to learn what happened to the berries that did not meet the specifications for fresh sale. When she found out the imperfect berries were frozen without an end-market, she immediately decided to purchase them for a new west~bourne preserve.
Making Regenerative Cool Through Culture & Food
“We just want to make regenerative cool.” - Camilla
West~bourne is bringing regenerative agriculture into the spotlight by making it approachable, engaging, and culturally relevant. Camilla’s recent cookbook: My Regenerative Kitchen, is more than a collection of recipes—it’s a subtle masterclass in sustainability. Each recipe introduction drops a nugget of knowledge on topics like the carbon life cycle or regenerative farming practices, all without overwhelming the reader.
Products like their avocado oil tap into larger cultural trends, from seed oil reduction to the growing trend of "stovetop curation." By creating products that align with how people live and express themselves, west~bourne is ensuring that regenerative doesn’t just feel responsible — it feels aspirational.
Camilla also believes there’s massive potential for the media to better educate consumers. She points to the fashion and beauty industry as an example where media outlets frequently spotlight alternative textiles and regenerative cotton. Meanwhile, she thinks food publications like Eater and Bon Appétit are largely absent from the conversation on regenerative agriculture. In her opinion, the media must talk about regenerative agriculture in a way that feels fresh, fun, and as dynamic as any new bag or makeup hitting the market.
50% Market Share For Regen
Camilla believes that achieving 50% market share for regenerative agriculture by 2050 requires systemic change, cultural momentum, and relentless innovation. For her, the key is breaking down the barriers of price, convenience, and awareness that currently limit adoption. One crucial step is addressing the policy landscape — shifting subsidies from industrial agriculture to regenerative practices.
“If we decided tomorrow that regenerative agriculture should get the subsidies that corn and sugar have, we would have a completely different grocery aisle and completely different system.” - Camilla
In the meantime, Camilla calls on consumers to exercise their power to create change and grow the movement. First, she recommends each consumer swap one core conventional product in their grocery rotation for a regenerative product. Then, share the products you love with your friends – gifting and recommendations are powerful. She also encourages consumers to ask grocery employees about regenerative products – this helps relay consumer demand back up to category managers who are making purchasing decisions.
Finally, Camilla strongly believes that regen brands must collaborate more. She envisions large collaborative activations during Earth Month and all regenerative brands sharing costs on a regenerative lane at Expo West. Coincidentally, this is exactly the purpose of ReGen Brands Coalition, so Camilla’s vision may come true sooner than she thinks!
This ReGen Recap was written by Katey Finnegan
You can check out the full episode with Camilla Marucs HERE
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