The Superfood Success of Sophie Jaffe’s Philosophie

Sophie Jaffe started her company, Philosophie, with a singular goal: to blend superfoods together in one, convenient package, without having to run around LA finding all her favorite ingredients. But what began simply is now a booming brand and social media presence, with a goal of helping clients combine convenience and true superfood power through blends, infusions and wellness products. 

Originally from Washington, DC, the now LA-based super-mama appreciated and took homeopathic medicines, flower essences and essential oils growing up as the daughter of a holistic nurse practitioner. She didn’t even step into a hospital or see a ‘real’ doctor until she had her first son at age 26!

After college, she worked at an organic raw juice bar. There, she realized it excited her to help change the eating habits of others, while also changing her own. Eventually, she became a certified raw vegan chef.

She started creating her own superfood blends in mason jars, and when she began giving them to friends, along with workout and nutrition guides, the formal business of Philsophie wasn’t far behind. Below, Jaffe outlines how social media helped her business blossom (as well as how she keeps it in check!), and her philosophy behind Philosophie. 

SBS: What started your idea for your company, and what was your first intention in creating Philosophie? Was there an aha moment?

Sophie Jaffe: I created the entire line in my kitchen, made with tons of love. We have three plant-based superfood protein powders that can be added to smoothies, soups, dressings, baked goods… the list goes on and on! We have superfood infused coconut butter and honey. And, we also created a seasonal autumn superfood blend, chlorophyll drops to infuse into your water, macadamia coconut butter...and so much more is coming! We have grown so much, and I pinch myself to see photos of #philosophiebabes all over the country (and world: we’re sold internationally) sharing their healthy creations.

I created these plant-based, superfood protein blends and infusions because I craved these products for my own lifestyle and couldn’t find anything like them on the market. There isn’t any other protein powder out there that doesn’t have stevia in it or a sweetener. Every ingredient in our Philosophie superfoods serves a function in the body. They’re alive and beautiful, helping you to achieve your best overall health!

SBS: What's the connecting thread between the products you offer through your company?

SJ: As a mama, I’m always looking for supportive and simple ways to boost my meals throughout the day. What started with a green superfood blend grew into a business with the intention of helping people achieve their fullest state of health by making it easy to get complete nutrition in every meal. The Philosophie mission is to make wellness more accessible, to lead the industry with a new standard and to ‘make every food a superfood.’

We are a female-founded, family-oriented small business that creates a collection of superfood blends and infusions that are each vegan, raw, gluten-free, and has absolutely no filler ingredients. The detoxifying Green Dream blend, beautifying Berry Bliss blend, and energizing Cacao Magic blend contain nothing but the purest, most healing ingredients that have been deemed superfoods due to their exceptional nutrient density. Because these blends can be added to absolutely any food, it is easy to enrich every meal with the amazing health benefits of the world’s most potent superfoods. Each of our products are third-party tested, and the ingredients are sourced from small businesses around the world.

SBS: What tools, practical and emotional, helped you take that leap from envisioning Philosophie to actually creating it?

SJ: Social media has been incredible for Philosophie. It's helped to get the word out not just about who I am, but what Philosophie stands for and what makes it unique. Without social media, it would be predominantly word-of-mouth since we aren't in thousands of stores and can't afford traditional advertising.

Our community has been amazing. They are constantly motivating us and support us day in and day out. It’s also a trust and confidence in ourselves. As a small business owner, you have to believe with every fiber of your being that your product is so needed for the masses and trust that every move you make is what’s needed to explode your business. Sometimes it’s taking risks, but when you have the confidence your community sees it. 

SBS: What are the best happy surprises and also challenges in having your company?

SJ: The best happy surprises are hearing all the stories from our customers, from helping those with cancer to being a game-changer to those with PCOS. The Philosophie products have helped everyone from George Clooney to my own dad, and they are continuing to help so many more people discover wellness and feel as vibrant and alive as they can. 

One of the challenges is time: There’s so much, too much, to be done. And I really want to do everything that I can. I want to share wellness with as many people as I can around the world, but I also want to feel free, like I can hike, dance, and play with my kids without being chained to my laptop all the time. I want to stop and smell the roses, and as a huge believer in the power of balance, I think everyone should be able to.

SBS: What's your aim with your social media presence? 

SJ: I initially used it for Philosophie, to get the word out. I loved it: recipes, tips, wellness values. I found sincere joy in sharing my day-to-day with a community online. It made sense. It’s become a platform for me to share. It’s a peek into my life, all of it, from the good to the bad. It’s really important to establish your goal of starting Instagram and what you hope to gain from it.

My aim with my social media is to continue to offer a space for people to feel supported, get resources and feel inspired to continue to live intuitively and be their most beautiful, unique self and not let the world dim their light. I will continue to show up to everything I do as authentically as I can even if that means breaking the ‘rules,’ and to continue to be present to and nurture all the relationships that fill me up with so much love and joy.

SBS: How has your life changed during COVID, both professionally and personally?

SJ: The pandemic illuminated unexpected darkness, shadows and our need for control in a world we actually have zero control in. There’s never a guarantee in anything, no matter how badly we desire it. It reflected any areas of our lives that were not in true alignment (mind/body/soul/spirit) due to unhealthy or passive choices and any relationships that weren’t made to last. In the old paradigm of living, a relationship may have stood the test of time and certain aspects ignored, while in the pandemic there’s no escaping the reality of insecure or weaker energies. I was forced to purge people, habits and any games, even if I was holding on for dear life, previously. As a result, my priorities became crystal clear after everything else was stripped away: no distractions from the truth. For me, that’s my children, husband and chosen family, period...my pure heart and my luminous, raw love.

SBS: What is the biggest misunderstanding regarding wellness in your opinion?

SJ: That there is a rulebook to follow or one-size-fits-all to what health looks like, when what my health looks and feels like is completely different from someone else: It’s all about intuition. 

SBS: What's your own health and wellness routine?

SJ: I don’t try to limit myself to a ‘healthy lifestyle,’ but instead I do the work and explore myself, my limitations and the why of what I’m doing or not doing. We are always evolving and our bodies are always changing. When I’m craving something I ask myself the why. Sometimes it feels good to eat and sometimes it doesn’t. But almost always, if I’m not judging myself, it’s so much easier to decide what’s best for me and my nourishment. It’s all energy.

I do my best to make time every day for self-care and nourishment. Whether it’s 10 minutes in the morning with some journal, yoga, deep breaths, or in the evenings with a bath. I check in with myself and my body throughout the day by asking, ‘What do I need at this moment?’ I fuel myself inside and out with yummy workouts and Philosophie superfoods, so I can live through it all abundantly.

To me, being healthy is a state of mind. It’s being connected to your best self, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I believe health is something that starts within your body, mind, and spirit, and then the outside glows from within.

The best, zaniest part of being Sophie: My bright light, how loving I am, my strong intuitive body, and how unexpectedly wild I can be. 

Sophie’s SBS Mantra: Be bold! This reminds me to be the fullest, brightest version of me and hold nothing back so I can truly make a difference in the world! 

Sophie’s Cali Faves:

Healthy Restaurant: Sestina
Splurge Restaurant: Plant Food & Wine 
Nightlife Spot: La Descarga (Cuban-inspired speakeasy) 
Yoga Studio: Sweat Yoga
Fitness Studio: Barry’s Bootcamp
Fun Activity: Hiking in Mandeville Canyon or Santa Monica mountains
Calming Activity: Playing Play-Doh with my daughter or coloring
Online Resource: IGNTD.com
Books: The Book of Awakening by Mark Nepo, Call of the Wild by Kimberly Ann Johnson, F*ck Like a Goddess by Alexandra Roxo, The Four Agreements by don Miguel Ruiz