Milks Alive

Rita Rivera, owner
504 Front Street
Santa Cruz CA 95060
831-419-7816
Rita@MilksAlive.com
www.MilksAlive.com

Markets: Aptos

Products: Fresh, pressed almond milks including “Simple” almond milk and the following flavored blends: Date-sweetened, Almond-Coconut, Vanilla, Chocolate, Carob, Indian Dream (with rosewater, ginger juice and cardamom), and Orange Blossom (with vanilla and fresh-grated organic orange zest)

History/Philosophy: A passion for delicious and nutritious plant-based milks led Rita Rivera to launch Milks Alive in 2007. “I am passionate about educating people about this nutritious alternative to milk from animal sources,” says Rita.
Her naturally lactose-free, un-pasteurized nut milk is rich in enzymes — specialized protein molecules that facilitate most of the body’s metabolic processes such as supplying energy, digesting foods, purifying blood, and ridding the body of wastes.

With the help of three employees, Rita makes about 60-80 quarts of almond milk and flavor blends each week. The process begins with soaking the raw nuts for 12 to 14 hours. This pulls out the enzyme inhibitors and sends the nut into a sprouting stage, which makes the protein of the almonds easy for the body to digest. After the almonds are thoroughly rinsed, they are blended with water. The mixture is then put through a hydraulic press to remove the pulp from the milk. Processing 25 pounds of almonds takes about six hours and results in approximately 30-32 quarts of milk.

The almond milks are perishable. To maintain the optimum taste and nutrient value, Rita recommends that they are refrigerated and used within a few days. If the nut milk is not going to be consumed quickly, all of the nut milk blends with the exception of carob freeze well.

“What I love the most about being at the market is watching people who taste fresh almond milks for the first time,” says Rita. “Their smiles of pleasure and discovery make my day!”