Meet Irene | Founder & CEO

We had the good fortune of connecting with Irene and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Irene, how does your business help the community?
Freya was born from a simple belief: food is medicine. It should heal, comfort, and energize at the same time. Soup is one of the oldest forms of nourishment, deeply tied to family kitchens, recovery, and care. There’s a reason hospitals serve soup to patients. It’s gentle, easy to absorb, and delivers a concentrated mix of vegetables and nutrients in a form the body welcomes.

Yet the modern soup aisles are dominated by cans packed with sodium, high sugars, and preservatives, sealed in plastic or metal and designed for shelf life instead of human health. We wanted to bring soup back to its original purpose and elevate it into a true superfood.

At Freya, we make fresh, refrigerated soups that are low in sodium, contain no added sugar, and are naturally rich in vitamins, fiber, and plant protein. Our goal isn’t just to create a healthier alternative. It’s to create food people genuinely crave. We want it to feel indulgent and comforting while quietly supporting the body.
Plant-based eating is another part of our story. We’re not here to lecture people about what they should or shouldn’t eat. We simply offer the best tasting soups that happen to be 100% plant-based. By making plant-forward food more accessible and desirable, we help reduce reliance on animal products in a way that feels natural, not forced.

Sustainability is woven into our process from the ground up. We work with organic, regenerative farms that treat soil with respect and recognize that it is a living ecosystem. We cook with durable metal equipment instead of plastic, prep on wooden boards, and package our soups in glass bottles designed to be returned and reused. Customers become part of that cycle by bringing bottles back. It’s a simple ritual that reminds us food systems should be communal, not disposable.

At its heart, Freya is about providing the best possible food to people. We want every bottle to feel intentional, delicious, and full of care. If we can make nourishing food more delicious, convenient, and sustainable, we believe we can quietly reshape everyday choices. And when everyday choices are easy, communities and ecosystems improve.

What should our readers know about your business?
We originally planned for Freya to be a full café built around sustainability, locally sourced ingredients, and nutritious plant-based food that actually tasted great. After months of developing the menu and sourcing suppliers, we started looking for a location. Finding a space that felt right and stayed within budget turned out to be harder than expected.

We didn’t have outside investors, so every decision had to directly support growth. Around that time, my dad was diagnosed with abdominal cancer. The prognosis was serious, and my focus shifted from business to family. During his surgeries and treatment, he struggled to keep most food down. The one thing he could consistently eat was soup. He’s cancer-free today, but that period changed how I thought about Freya.

It pushed us to rethink the café model and scale down to something leaner and more purposeful. We decided to start small, bring bottled soups to farmers markets around Los Angeles, and see if there was real demand. After a few slow weeks, we realized people genuinely loved our soups.

We’re incredibly grateful for the support from communities across LA. That support has allowed us to grow and sustain Freya for nearly a year, and it continues to shape where we’re headed next!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oooh, that’s a tough one! We would definitely rent some bikes and ride from Santa Monica south to Venice along the bike path. If we’re feeling adventurous, we could go all the way down to Manhattan Beach. I know it’s tourist-y, but the Venice boardwalk is one of the most vibrant and unique places in Los Angeles. Maybe even stop for a bit and take a walk along the canals.

Another day, we could head over to the Eastside and hang out in Los Feliz. Get some dinner at a cute restaurant and drinks afterward.

Hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains would definitely be on the agenda. Topanga or Malibu Creek State Parks, and Charmlee are some of my local favorites.

Then a day spent Downtown. MOCA, Grand Central Market, and a few hours at The Last Bookstore. Then head over to Little Tokyo for some Ramen and cap it off at Angel City for some locally brewed refreshments.

I think after all that we would need a day of relaxing by the pool at home or lounging around at the beach!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Chef Jose.
He’s been the backbone of Freya since the very beginning. When this was just an idea, he was right there testing recipe after recipe to create soups smooth enough to drink from a bottle without sacrificing texture or flavor. Months of experimentation. Adjusting processes to keep everything safe. Navigating permits. Sourcing the best ingredients. Feeding endless samples to friends and family. Building this from the ground up.

He’s poured relentless care into every step.

With more than 30 years of plant-based cooking experience, Jose knows how to pull deep, comforting flavor out of vegetables, superfoods, and time-tested techniques. No shortcuts. No fillers. Just real food made with intention.

He’s the one crafting every batch with patience, love, and precision. Freya simply wouldn’t exist in its current form without him.

Website: https://freya.la

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freyasoups