Our Story · Merced, CA

You’ve probably tasted our greens already.

From a few trays under grow lights to restaurant kitchens, school cafeterias, and a poke shop of our own. This is how Zesty grew. No shortcuts, same as the greens.

Trusted By

  1. The first microgreen trays under grow lights, 2022

    2022 · Where it started

    It started with a few trays.

    A handful of trays, a lot of light, and a simple idea: greens taste better when they’re grown minutes away, not shipped in. Every harvest since has started the same way.

  2. The Zesty stall at the Merced farmers market

    Then came the stall

    We took our greens to the market.

    One table at the market and a lot of free samples. Merced tasted the difference before we ever had a sign above a door.

  3. The first Zesty storefront on M Street, Merced

    2023 · Then, a home

    The stall became a storefront.

    3080 M Street. A real roof, real racks, and room to grow a lot more for a town that kept coming back.

  4. Local chefs plating with Zesty microgreens

    The pros noticed

    Local chefs tasted the difference.

    Restaurant kitchens across Merced started calling. When the people who cook for a living choose your greens, you’re doing something right.

  5. Jars of Zesty microgreens powder

    2024 · Making health easy

    We turned our harvest into powder.

    Freeze-dried at peak nutritional density, nothing added. One scoop of pure microgreens for the days a salad doesn’t happen. And suddenly Zesty could ship anywhere.

  6. Growing greens for local schools

    2025 · We started growing for schools

    Then a school district called.

    TUSD wanted fresher greens in their cafeterias. Same trays, same light, same no-shortcuts growing, at a whole new scale.

  7. The rebranded Zesty packaging

    The glow-up

    We grew up. So did our look.

    New jars, new colors, same greens. The brand finally caught up with what was inside the packaging.

  8. Zesty featured in Staples and stocked on shelves

    Things snowballed

    Featured in Staples. Stocked on shelves.

    A long way from one table at the farmers market. The greens kept opening doors.

  9. Teaching students how microgreens grow

    2026 · Back to school

    Now schools ask us to come teach.

    Not just feeding students, but showing classrooms how food actually grows, from seed to harvest.

  10. A fresh poke bowl from Zest It Up Poke

    Zest It Up Poke

    We opened a poke shop with only fresh produce.

    Wild-caught proteins, sauces made in-house weekly, and greens harvested a few steps away from your bowl. The farm got a kitchen.

The mission continues

To make people feel more alive.
This is only the beginning.

Shop Microgreens Order Poke

Merced, California