Califia Farms Partners with Pepperdine Graziadio for the Education to Business (E2B) Program Giving Students Real-World Learning Experience

Pepperdine Graziadio and Califia Farms announce a partnership where MBA students will help bring fresh marketing ideas to the table for the plant-based food and beverage brand. Through the Education to Business (E2B) program, Califia Farms will tap into the expertise of 24 MBA students to develop fresh, out-of-the-box ideas to help Califia grow within the plant-based industry. The Califia Farms project has been placed in a 14 week core marketing course (Marketing 658) in the Fully Employed MBA program and will be taught by John Buckingham.

“The plant-based food market is growing at a rapid rate as nearly 40% of Americans are trying to eat more plant-based foods. The Califia Farms E2B project will provide 24 MBA students an opportunity to analyze and consult with Califia Farms on future marketing efforts and provide recommendations to grow the brand globally,” said Faisal Rangwala, senior director of digital marketing at Califia Farms and Pepperdine Graziadio alum who will serve as a client liaison on the project.

Pepperdine Graziadio’s E2B Program connects MBA students with companies to conduct rigorous analysis and develop actionable recommendations, providing new thinking to organizations and addressing complex business issues.

“As consumers seek authentic brands representing their values and beliefs, and as plant-based foods receive more attention, it’s important for our students to experience hands-on learning with leading organizations like Califia Farms,” said Lynda Palmer, E2B Program Director, Pepperdine Graziadio Business School. “Now more than ever people are supporting organizations that are socially, environmentally, and ethically responsible and this partnership will give our MBA students the real-world experience they need to become Best for the World Leaders.”

The E2B program is part of the business school’s robust portfolio of industry collaboratives teaching approaches where industry projects, case studies, and simulations are integrated into the classroom for real-world learning. Since its inception in 2003, the E2B program has partnered with over 600 organizations.