There are no coincidences in life. We meet the people we're supposed to meet when we're ready to meet them. Life is always presenting the right opportunity, the challenge is to keep our mind open enough to receive or recognize them when they show up. Such was the case with Barbara and Luc Maes, parents of my son Colin's classmate.
I had known that Luc was a Naturopathic Doctor in Santa Barbara, and he and Barbara had a company that sold organic products. Although we had several conversations over the years the boys were in school together; it wasn't until we lingered over lunch at Jeanine's in Montecito that I fully understood what their business was all about and how closely it aligns with my own passions and devotion to environmental health and plant based eating.
The Rediscovery Of The Tree Of Life
It was Luc's research in his practice that led him to the health benefits of baobab and the genesis of Kaibae; a company focused on developing quality natural products that support strength and beauty, both inside and out. 
Intrigued by its health benefits, he soon realized that a harvest of this "lost crop" could make a positive impact on the livelihoods of those living in the African Savanna. So four years ago he set off for Ghana with his partner, Thomas Cole, a humanitarian and specialist in economic development in Africa and a business was born.
While it might sound like something straight out of a Dr. Seuss book, the baobab tree is native to the African Savanna. Some of the trees are over a thousand years old!
They told me that the baobab was known as the "tree of life" for centuries. Locals would use the fruit to create food, beverages and medicine. Over time that faded away, and it became known as a "lost crop." It is now being rediscovered both by the local community and Westerners like Luc and Barbara for its amazing health benefits and healing properties.
The Superfood Of All SuperFoods
The baobab fruit has 6x as much vitamin C as an orange, 2x as much calcium as a glass of milk, 4x more potassium as a banana, 6x as much antioxidant benefit as my beloved berries and 12x as much dietary fiber as an apple. Plus it contains 48% prebiotic fiber to help the growth of helpful, probiotic bacteria in your gut.
Now that is what I would call the superfood of all superfoods!
From Natural To Organic To Medicinal
I remember the first time I attended the Natural Foods Expo in Anaheim in 2006 and the food industry was abuzz with the idea of natural foods. We came to learn that natural meant a lot of things that were not necessarily all that healthy. That led to the establishment of USDA standards for what was truly organic. And now we are upon this next evolution of food that is truly medicinal and healing in its benefits.
Nature's Multi-Vitamin
Kaibae produces fruit powders and sprinklers that are naturally sweet and tangy, and you can add to smoothies, cereals or yogurt. They even have an oil, because apparently in addition to all the other fabulous benefits of this miracle fruit, there is also healing and anti-aging benefits for the skin.
Sustainable and Ethically Sourced
The other truly remarkable thing about what Luc and Barbara Maes along with their partner, Tom Cole are doing, is that this is a sustainable and ethical business. The baobab is the first Kaibae "lost crop" they have introduced to the market. They are creating jobs for the people in Northern Ghana. They work with communities and local collectors to harvest what Luc has called, "truly nature's multi-vitamin." 
As I savored both the conversation and my kale salad of dried cranberries and sliced almonds, I was once again struck by what happens when we pause from our busy schedules and engage in real conversation. It seems we search the web for like-minded people and our tribes, but sometimes when we put away the smartphones, we find they have been right in front of us.
There is an abundance of information on their website where you can learn more about the important work they are doing and how you can get their wonderful products!