Our Story

When did kubé begin and how did it evolve?

kubé started product R&D from 2014-2017. In 2016, we legally formed our business as Creamy Coconuts, LLC DBA: kubé. Then, we trademarked kubé, and in 2021 we did a legal entity conversion from Creamy Coconuts, LLC to kubé, PBC. A Public Benefit Corporation is a legal entity that has both a social and environmental impact to the public. A Public Benefit Corporation is a legal corporation for purpose-driven entrepreneurs. It means we have a legal and social obligation to carry out our social and environmental values and business practices, as opposed to solely making profit for the business and shareholders.

About Kai

Kai Nortey, is the CEO/ Co-Founder of kubé. kubé is a Black woman-owned, artisanal, vegan, full-fat coconut ice cream womanfacturer and social enterprise in Oakland, California.

Kai Nortey is a visionary and socially conscious, Black woman, business leader who is tenaciously leading inclusive and regenerative food systems, in the Oakland-Bay Area of California.

Kai believes that there must be a paradigm shift away from supporting big, broken food companies that consciously use synthetic chemical bleaching preservatives like, Sodium Metabisulfite, GMO ingredients, and the new GMO-yeast-Precision-Fermentation, which is synthetic biology. Synthetic biology is a genetic engineering process to make GMO ice cream from cow proteins and it is Frankenstein food. This is not food justice.

Kai is vegan, and lactose intolerant just like 65% of the US population, and wanted to enjoy clean and luxurious, plant-based ice cream that she could not find. Kai and her family are used to making their own plant-based meals and desserts, and currently maintain an organic vegetable and fruit garden now for the last 11-years and actively compost. 

As an ice cream enthusiast, Kai was determined to create the most luxurious, vibrant, and healthy, full-fat coconut ice cream without chemicals. Kai and Nee-Nueh wanted to enjoy the most clean, vibrant, and luxurious, full-fat coconut plant-based ice cream that they couldn’t find anywhere. Since 2014, Kai has spent the last 8-years crafting out the most inspiring, delicious, full-fat coconut ice cream without synthetic chemicals. 

All other brands of coconut ice cream on the market are importing their coconut milk and cream from overseas manufacturers. These manufactures use bleaching chemical preservatives called, Sodium Metabisulfite (an international industry standard), which cause gastro-intestinal and hormonal issues in people and many people are allergic to it. 

Kai wanted to eliminate these harmful bleaching chemical preservatives out of mass produced coconut milk and cream because it does not reflect a clean, food justice model. As a result, kubé is both the manifestation and culmination of Kai's values and conscious leadership for restorative and regenerative food systems that heal and inspire.

Kai Nortey holds a Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications and PR from Golden Gate University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, with a minor in Biology from Mills College, in Oakland. Kai comes from an interdisciplinary professional background, in the fields of biology, biotech cancer cellular research, marketing communications and PR, community activism against mass-incarceration, juvenile justice policy, and restorative juvenile justice programs for youth.

Kai studied biology, cancer, systemic racism in healthcare, and food systems in college, and was impacted by both Wangari Maathai’s book, “The Green Belt Movement” and Rachel Carson’s book, “Silent Spring." Both books highlighted the need for healthy regenerative food systems and the rise of cancer in humans from synthetic chemicals in food and pesticides sprayed onto crops, weeds, and the soil. This inspired Kai to build and lead healthier, vibrant regenerative food models that restore life, health, joy, dignity, and equity back to people, animals, and soil. In order to bring truth to the masses, Kai needed to rebel against oppressive, broken food structures and re-build trusted food structures that promote collective and self-determination.

Kai realized that creating a vegan ice cream womanfacturing, social enterprise that addressed lactose intolerance, healthy regenerative food systems, restorative economics, and racial & gender equity, were all the ingredients needed to build healthier communities and economies.  

As a youth, Kai grew up discovering the truth about real mama earth seeds versus Frankenstein GMO seeds. She grew up planting a huge organic vegetable and fruit garden, in Oakland, California, with her family. This is where she learned the value of organic, plant-based nutrition and composting, to make regenerative soil in the garden. Kai also enjoyed deep discussions with her family and community members about food justice, regenerative food models that promoted biodiversity in the soil. The garden was where she discussed concepts of the delicate web of ecology and nutrient dense compost. Kai also discussed how big companies profited from making processed foods with cheap chemicals, and GMO-patented ingredients that contributed to degenerative cells causing disease in people. 

Kai's passion for creating inclusive, healthy food systems and restorative economics became more clear in 2003, when she worked in the juvenile justice system and rehabilitative/ diversion programs for teenage girls in trouble with the law. Kai worked with teenaged girls on probation and taught workshops on personal and social transformation, health, and staying creative to restore our dignity. She connected young women to rehabilitative opportunities such as counseling, and workforce development programs. She loved her positive engagement with youth, who were bold, critical thinkers who desired support and resources from society and community. Kai deeply respected the youth she worked with and wanted to elevate them with restorative economic and health models.

In 2006, Kai later went to law school with the intent to create rehabilitative and nutritional systems within the juvenile justice system, and left law school because it was not going to fulfill that vision. Instead, Kai completed her Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications and PR in 2011. During this time Kai was asking herself how do we restore our joy, health, livelihood, and dignity when dealing with systems of abuse like, mass-incarceration, police brutality, GMO foods, fast-food restaurants, factory animal farms, and systemic racism and sexism? Kai says, "I stopped looking for the light and truth outside of myself, and listened to the light and solutions within myself, and created kubé."  

Kai realized the importance and joy of building regenerative food systems that become restorative economic models, which intrinsically restore life, health, joy, dignity, and equity back to people, animals, and the soil.