We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kate Barker Sternberg. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kate below.

Kate, appreciate you joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

The Zen Donkey story began circa 2016 when my (now husband) Andy and I encountered a group of friendly donkeys while traveling in France. With 20 years of equine assisted therapy volunteer work under my belt at the time, I was immediately drawn to the healing qualities and zen-like presence of the donkeys. We were fascinated by their unique personalities and mesmerized by their therapeutic presence, and needed to learn more. This serendipitous encounter sparked the vision for a circular purpose-driven business + non-profit family of brands and is ultimately the catalyst for the Zen Donkey journey!

After returning to the US, we began to research donkeys and the troubles they face globally with the growing demand for donkey skin, which is used to make luxury skincare and other “wellness” products that are popular in China, with the US as one of the top importers of this product – millions of donkeys die every year for the sake of “beauty.” Further, despite the reality that donkeys have worked alongside humans longer than their horse cousins, donkeys are often mistreated and overlooked in the US, primarily due to human ignorance and the common confusion of intelligence for stubbornness. Donkeys have a keen sense of self-preservation and therefore will not lead a human into danger, and think before they act. This intelligent decision-making skill and contemplative nature is often mistaken for belligerence and can end in abuse and neglect. If this simple misunderstanding can be shifted to mutual respect and kind communication, therapeutic experiences abound for both the human and the donkey. Unfortunately not many people have the awareness or understanding of these animals to know any better, and thus the dangerous cycle continues for donkeys everywhere. For all of these reasons and more, we simply couldn’t stand idly by, and set off on a mission to get involved somehow to make a positive impact for donkeys, be a voice for the voiceless “beast of burden,” and to share their healing qualities with humans in need. Overnight, donkeys became an important element of our equation.

Whilst learning about donkeys and developing that piece of our story, we were in the process of pursuing another passion (really just a hobby and lifestyle at the time, and a way to decompress from the hustle of corporate jobs and frequent business travel) by starting a local plant-based health food “side hustle” in Kansas City. It started with growing organic vegetables and evolved into a small cold-pressed juice business, while simultaneously deepening the donkey rescue component and ultimately combining the two passions by donating what we could from Zen Donkey Farms profits to our donkey mission. The combination of these two important pillars became Zen Donkey Farms LLC (products) and Zen Donkey Experience, a 501c3 Nonprofit (purpose).

My journey took a profound internal turn one day while working in the garden, as growing food while simultaneously deepening my love for animals gave me much internal conflict about eating some animals and loving others (I wondered – why do I revere donkeys but eat cows?) – so between the multitude of health benefits and my changing ethical standards with animals, I decided to transition to a whole oods plant-based (WFPB) / vegan diet in the early days of Zen Donkey’s beginnings and never looked back. To avoid consuming animal products has been one of the most transformative and best decisions I’ve ever made and has only amplified our mission. It is rare to find a successful company with a transparent, kind, intentional, and truly purpose-driven approach, and I’m excited to wake up every day knowing our journey is authentic, meaningful, and aims to truly help people and animals, not just our profits.

ZDF has grown steadily since our start and has evolved and diversified into new product lines, remaining focused on healthy beverages and superfoods, while enjoying offering new purpose-driven, plant-based, organic, and meticulously sourced farm-to-bottle skincare, self-care items, and mission-driven merch (with more exciting products in development)! Offering healthy plant-based products and donkey-facilitated healing experiences, we aim to nourish the body, ease the mind, and lift spirits in our community (and beyond).

When I really dig deep about the genesis of the products we develop at ZDF and the core passion for the human/animal connection, I think some seeds may have been planted in my “former life” around 2008-2011 when I was part of the women’s USA Pentathlon olympic training team. Just two months before Olympic trials for the London 2012 games, I suffered a career-ending injury in a freak equestrian accident during training, which resulted in a cervical spine fracture and severe concussion. I’m “one of the lucky ones” who got to walk away and for that I’ve always been grateful. The accident sparked my own wellness journey as I picked up the pieces of my shattered Olympic dreams and turned to nutrition, mind/body wellness, holistic practices, and animal-assisted therapy to heal. When I reflect on the true origins of Zen Donkey Farms, my Pentathlon chapter was instrumental in the original inspiration for what is now my biggest passion and life’s work. I often look inward to my own wellness journey as I strive to inspire others to heal and grow along their own respective paths, and work to serve healing products, ideas, and energy through Zen Donkey Farms as we grow. As humans, we all break at some point, and at Zen Donkey we’re convinced that a combination of nourishing beverages and foods, nature, mindfulness, and a connection to animals and our community can cure all in the end.

I’ve never been more sure of my purpose, and will always be grateful for this unique and transformative Zen Donkey journey. Since that fateful “meet-cute” in France, Zen Donkey Farms has become the premier trusted local source for fresh, organic, clean, and purpose-driven beverages, superfoods, and ZDx is beginning to become known locally for our therapeutic farm experiences with the donkeys- the two entities are growing alongside each other and are hitting some major milestones! What excites me most is the future, and knowing our journey has just begun!

Kate, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

The previous question covered the HOW…here’s the WHAT…

Zen Donkey Farms is a KC area based purpose-driven lifestyle brand that specializes in elevated plant-based nourishment for body, mind, and spirit through wellness-inspired beverages, superfoods, and lifestyle products. Our specialty is healthy beverages – over 25 blends of nutritious raw, organic, cold-pressed juices and cleanses, vegan hemp mylks, and a growing list of clean non-alcoholic sparkling and functional beverages. We also make amazing supportive non-beverage products like plant-based protein power bowls, plant protein hemp powders, and CBD self-care products (more coming soon)! Ingredients for all ZDF products are sourced meticulously, are non-GMO and organic, contain no fillers, synthetic preservatives, or artificial ingredients, and support regenerative farming. All packaging is either reusable or compostable, and curated with the planet in mind. We have a glass bottle return program and use our juice waste to compost gardens and feed local rescued animals, always leaning into a circular business approach. We grow as many ingredients as we can on our sister-farms in Kansas and Missouri and support other small local farms that choose to grow responsibly and mindfully. Zen Donkey offers easy online ordering and Kansas City-area delivery, with year-round farmers market options, local grab & go through partners, corporate and private party catering, and nationwide shipping available for select products. More exciting ways to get ZDF products are coming soon :)

One huge thing that sets us apart is the quality, purity, and intention behind all products. Most importantly, our specialty product – JUICE – is always raw/fresh, organic, cold-pressed, and served in glass. Most juice brands at our stage of growth choose profits over purpose, and move to HPP (high pressure processing) or pasteurized processes to extend shelf life. The problem with these processes is that in extending shelf life, these companies are also killing everything that is good inside the juice. There is virtually no nutritional value after the HPP or pasteurization process, leaving the juice “dead,” flavorless, without live enzymes, and devoid of all the benefits of pure raw juice, and the reason we drink it in the first place. Due to the degraded flavor of HPP or pasteurized juice, often additives, “natural flavors,” and fillers are added to the juice, leaving an artificial product that has essentially turned into cooked sugar water with chemical fillers. Additionally, these processes typically require plastic bottles, opening customers up to the risk of toxins seeping into the juice, and contributing to the single use plastic problem. What’s worse, is that these processes are not required to put on juice labels, leaving customers utterly confused and taken advantage of all too often. For all of these reasons and more, ZDF always serves juice FRESH and unadulterated / 100% raw (no HPP or pasteurization), 100% organic, professionally cold-pressed with hydraulic presses that do not add oxygen or heat to the juice, and served in non-toxic reusable glass bottles (which we take back to sanitize and reuse)! This is not an easy path and is certainly not inexpensive for a small business to commit to, but we remain steady in our values and true to our promise to the community to offer the most naturally nutritious products on the market!

In addition to the quality of our meticulously made products, we’re proud of our purpose! All products are plant-based and designed to elevate your whole being (and give back to animals and humans in need)! Each purchase supports donkey rescue and donkey-facilitated wellness through ZDF’s sister Nonprofit Zen Donkey Experience (ZDx). Not only are ZDF customers consuming healthy and nutritious products for their well-being and longevity, they’re also supporting rescued donkeys and local people of all ages/abilities/needs, and the special healing connection between the two.

We also offer limited private and small group farm experiences in the warmer months, many including special interactions with our beloved rescued donkey herd. Guests can book experiences online at www.zendonkeyfarms.com or contact us to customize an experience. Some of our more popular experiences include farm yoga + cool-down with the donkeys, private meet & greet/tour, reiki energy healing with the donkeys, customized workshops, and pasture meditations. Our annual farm dinner benefit – Dining for Donkeys – is a fan favorite and is set for September 21 2024. Save the date!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Our authenticity and the true mission-driven hearts we have across the entire team. Everyone within the ZDF orbit cares deeply about people, animals, nutritious products, and the planet. This passion oozes through every interaction we have, keeping our deeply seeded purpose top of mind in everything that we create and do in the community, and it has been there since day 1. This passion also keeps us committed to the integrity of our products. We don’t get distracted by cost-cutting trends that compromise quality, and focus on nourishment and quality in all that we do. Whether our customers are battling a tough diagnosis and using our juices for essential vitamins to stay alive, doing a 30-day juice cleanse to reset and remove toxins, drinking a juice a day to supplement nutrition, or just trying to get their kids to get more nutrients from veggies and fruits down the hatch daily, we care deeply about the impact our products make for the community and thrive on helping others. Otherwise, what’s the point?!

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

No training seminars or management books can teach real passion. If a leader is not authentically passionate about what they’re building, their team will follow suit. We’re so proud to watch our team show true heart for our brand starting behind the scenes with production, threading all the way through conversations with customers and community leaders. As a leader, I know I have a lifetime of lessons to learn which keeps me hungry for knowledge – I think this perpetual curiosity and desire to improve is essential for an impactful leader. My approach to team management is to find and hire amazing people with the right mindset, teach by example, support them with whatever they need to be empowered, and then get out of their way. I encourage all team members to own their unique individuality, which only adds depth and magic to the brand.

Beyond this management style, offering fringe benefits like a healing infrared sauna, juice perks, and access to the donkeys and the farm make the team know that they are like family, and can feel safe and loved at ZDF. A brand is only as strong as its people, and taking care of them is not only the right thing to do, but almost always converts to hard work and loyalty.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.zendonkeyfarms.com
• Instagram: @zendonkeyfarms
• Facebook: @zendonkeyfarms
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barkerkate/
• Other: Nonprofit website: www.zendonkeyexperience.org

Image Credits
Anna Petrow, Neal Biggs, Annie Lynch, Janie Jones, Chase Culver