Born and raised in Colombia, with Spanish and German ancestry, Helmut Drews cherishes his memory of the first Iberico ham he tasted as a child. He grew up going to the dairy farms of his grandfather, one of the first to bring the Holstein breed to Colombia. With his love for tasty food and an entrepreneur at heart, Helmut sold alfajores in school and high quality pets—discus fish—before the age of 10. Though he spent the first 10 years of his career in strategy consulting and technology, the pull towards getting back to the land, raising animals, and following his grandfather’s pioneering footsteps inspired him to start Encina Farms. He’s very excited to learn how to apply regenerative farming practices and leave the land in a better state than when it began.

Originally from Spain, Alberto Solis developed his love for food and respect for high quality ingredients from his summers spent in Andalucia, a region known for Iberico. His family owned olive groves and mills, and he was always attracted to agriculture. When Alberto came to the U.S., he followed his passion into the specialty food business, introducing many Spanish products—olive oil, cheeses, vinegars, tuna, and jamon Iberico—into the U.S. market. Along the way, he even owned a restaurant in San Francisco. Over his 30-year career, Alberto became more interested in local foods, and he co-founded the successful KitchenTown in Silicon Valley to help small food producers scale their market. His knowledge of Iberico, experience with artisanal foods, and passion for quality have inspired him to create and grow Encina Farms.