Yogurt Trees – Matt Billings, AYO

 

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In these days some want to become farmers and some farmers are grateful if they can just stay afloat.  Yet over the long haul farmers are growers so they grow food and they often need to grow their own business either horizontally (with more land) or vertically moving upstream to the ultimate consumers. Matt Billings is a 4th generation almond farmer in Kern County California who has put their boat in the vertical stream.  They grow, process, market and export almonds.  Now they have created and are marketing an organic almond milk yogurt, AYO.  It\’s a big step for farmers and ranchers to move up stream, but for many it\’s the only way they are going to earn a better share of the consumers food dollar. When travel is again possible, Matt will take their  AYO almond milk yogurt and their farm story to retailers–wearing his old farm boots in case they overlook that while he is there to sell almond milk yogurt, he is a proud, authentic \’farm-to-spoon\’ farmer. www.ayoyogurt.com