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

What should our readers know about your business?
Maya Moon began in 2017 as an idea for a connective, sensory activating experience to bring to Burning Man. This is where the idea for our first product, chakra chocolate truffles, was born. From eating delicious cacao and meditating on each chakra in a dusty desert circle, the brand has grown to include a line of functional drinking cacao blends made with direct trade, whole bean cacao and 100% organic herbs and natural sweeteners. I also opened Maya Moon Collective, Southern California’s first and only cacao cafe, in 2021 as a gathering place for community to come together, be nourished and experience cacao’s heart-opening frequency every day.

Health, sustainability and community are the core values that drive everything we do at Maya Moon. It’s been amazing to see our community grow and thrive over the years, both locally and globally. Every time I visit our cafe, I overhear people talking about creative new ideas, sharing inspiration and making new connections. This is the beauty and benefit of cacao: to inspire heart-centered living.

As Maya Moon grows, I am opening equity investment opportunities for the first time. What excites me most about this next phase in the business is creating a foundation of community support within our ownership structure. With more smart, vision-aligned owners coming together, we will be able to share even more heart-opening cacao with customers across the US. In turn, we will be able to source from more regenerative cacao farmers and cultivate a more robust exchange that benefits all.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My ideal day would begin at Normal Heights’ newest cafe, Bica. They have incredible artisan coffee and a delicious menu of toasts and sandwiches made with seafood sources from local fishermen. It’s a wonderful pairing that celebrates San Diego’s local bounty.

Next would be a trip to Prager Brothers in Hillcrest to grab a sandwich to go, then off to Mt Laguna for a midday hike. The views from the top of Sunrise Highway down into Anza Borrego are expansive and beautiful, and nothing beats a picnic at the top.

On our way back, we would of course stop at Maya Moon Collective for a hot cacao with housemade honey marshmallows, paired with a slice of our famous vegan chocolate pistachio cake. It would be the perfect place to unwind from a great day while sharing things we are grateful for.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My shoutout goes to all the cacao farmers who work tirelessly to cultivate and preserve this ancient plant medicine. It is through their efforts to work harmoniously with their local ecosystem and surrounding communities that we have access to heart-opening cacao today.

Website: www.mayamooncollective.com

Instagram: @mayamooncollective

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/maya-moon-collective-san-diego-2?sort_by=date_desc

Image Credits
Chris Rov Costa

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