About Us

Rooted in Ancestral Traditions, Evolving with Intention

At RAW Forest Foods, every creation is a homage to the deep roots of herbal tradition while welcoming mindful, present-day change.

Guided by the timeless wisdom of Classical Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, and Western herbalism, we blend ancestral knowledge with modern insight to nurture your resilience, vitality, and lasting wellness.

As explorers of the wild and devoted students of the plants, we deeply respect the ecosystems that sustain us and the ancestral healing they provide. It is from this deep connection that we craft products and formulas that carry the enduring legacy of forest wisdom into your daily life.

Leading the Way in Forest Wisdom and Authentic Herbalism

Since 2010, RAW Forest Foods has followed a simple path: live in harmony with the land, trust in the forest wisdom, and let that guide everything we do.

We were the first to bring RAW Pine Pollen™ and Pine Pollen Tinctures to market, and each offering since has held the same intention. To craft with integrity, source with reverence, and honor the strength found in ancestral tradition.

Our Mountain Harvest Pine Pollen™ is still wildcrafted at peak potency, and our formulations continue to draw from the deep well of Classical Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, and Western herbalism.

Through Dàodì ingredient sourcing and Jūn-Chén-Zuǒ-Shǐ formulation, we aim to set a standard built not just on quality, but on respect—for the land, the plants, and the people who use them.

The RAW Forest Foods Story

RAW Forest Foods was born from reverence—for the forest, for the plants, and for the wisdom passed down through generations. In 2010, we became the first to bring RAW Pine Pollen™ and Pine Pollen Tinctures to the wider world, setting a new benchmark for what purity and integrity of form can mean.

It began not as a business, but as a calling. Pine Pollen felt like a key that's ancestral, wild, and alive. And so we set to work, blending ancestral knowledge with intentional formulation, for those who want to live in alignment with forest wisdom.

From our earliest days wildcrafting Pine Pollen to our ever-growing collection of adaptogenic and tonic herbs, we always return to this core:

• To keep the plants at the center by treating them as allies, not just mere resources.
• To stand with the wildcrafters and cultivators who know the rhythm of the land.
• To honor the teachings behind the work, Eastern and Western, ancestral and evolving.
• To show up for those who trust us with transparency, commitment, and uncompromising quality.
• To walk beside those on this path by sharing what we’ve learned and making space for others to remember what they already know.

Meet Our Founder

Healing is rarely a straight path. For Ryan, it began with Lyme Disease and a deep desire to feel whole again. That led to the discovery of Pine Pollen and a calling that became RAW Forest Foods. With mentorship from Stephen Harrod Buhner, he was the first to bring RAW Pine Pollen™ and Pine Pollen Tinctures into the hands of others, and restore access to a plant that holds ancestral promise.

Ryan’s learning comes from both traditional teachings and formal education. He studied under 88th-generation Daoist priest Jeffrey C. Yuen in Classical Chinese Medicine, earned a certificate in Chinese Dietary Therapy, and pursued post-baccalaureate work in Western science. He also holds a Master’s in Library and Information Sciences and is a member of both the American Herbalist Guild and Phi Theta Kappa.

In China, he’s spent time in the mountains with wildcrafters, walked the fields with cultivators, and built real relationships with the land and the people who tend to it. Years of Qi Gong practice and study, including Yi Jin Jing with Robert Peng, have deepened his connection to the body, breath, and nature.

That lived experience is present in everything we offer. Each product and formula is designed to carry forward the wisdom of the past and meet the real needs of the present.

Meet the Founder

 

Practicing Herbalism as Nature Intended

Herbalism asks us to listen. To observe patterns in the body, in the land, and in the stories that have been passed down across generations. It’s a tradition grounded in relationships with plants, with people, and with the living forest.

Our work is shaped by this listening. We draw from Classical Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, and Western herbalism, using Dàodì sourcing and Jūn-Chén-Zuǒ-Shǐ formulation to guide each step. This is how we ensure our products and formulas deliver their deepest potential.

This also means:

1. We source ingredients from the environments where they naturally thrive. These are their native ecological regions, and what Classical Chinese Medicine calls Dàodì regions. Plants cultivated here offer the richest expression of their benefits.
2. We build our formulas using Jūn-Chén-Zuǒ-Shǐ, where herbs are selected not just for what they do on their own, but for how they support and amplify each other. It's a formulation system both intricate and intuitive, shaped by centuries of Classical Chinese Medicine.
3. We enhance bioavailability through mindful processing. What we offer is not just pure but also deeply absorbable, and designed to meet the body where it is.

Because the truth is, the body already knows what to do. And we’re here to support that wisdom through:

• Adaptogens that help the body handle stress and return to its natural rhythm.
• Phytoandrogenic herbs that have long been used to sustain vitality and nourish hormonal function.
• Tonics that offer deep, ongoing support for whole-body wellness.

Our Devotion to Excellence

At RAW Forest Foods, devotion isn’t a word we use lightly. It’s a way of working, of sourcing, of formulating. It’s our promise to the plants, to the planet, and to you.

And so, excellence is the result. It’s what happens when intention, knowledge, and care come together in every step of the process.

• Pioneers in Pine Pollen

  We were the first to introduce RAW Pine Pollen™ and Pine Pollen Tinctures in 2010, and remain the original and only source of authentic Mountain Harvest Pine Pollen™.

• Wisdom in Every Formula

  Our clinical herbalists develop formulas using the Jūn-Chén-Zuǒ-Shǐ system, where every herb is chosen for its function and role.

• Ethical and Dàodì Sourcing

  Using the Dàodì method, we source each herb from its natural ecological home. This is how we ensure purity and strength.

• Crafted in Certified U.S. Facilities

  Our products and formulas are crafted in FDA cGMP and NSF-certified environments that also meet USDA Organic and ISO 9001:2008 standards.

• Tested, Trusted, Transparent

  Before anything leaves our doors, it’s tested for contaminants, strength, and consistency.

• Nature First, Always

  We believe herbalism should support the Earth, not deplete it. We only work with wildcrafters, farmers, and land stewards who prioritize sustainable, regenerative practices.

• Trusted by You, Guided by You

  Your well-being and trust mean everything to us. That’s why we offer a 60-day satisfaction guarantee and listen to every piece of feedback.

Sharing the Path, Not Just The Product

To study herbalism is to step into a forest. Not a single tree, but many. Each with its own story, its own roots.

At RAW Forest Foods, we hold education as a vital part of what we do. It’s how we honor the traditions we draw from and how we support those who wish to learn, grow, and engage more fully with this work.

Through the Knowledge Tree and the Pine Pollen Academy, we share what we’ve gathered—from ancestral knowledge to modern discoveries. These offerings are meant to nourish your understanding and deepen your relationship with the plants and the wisdom they carry.

• Knowledge Tree – A living library of herbal knowledge. This is where we share detailed articles, timeless wisdom, and emerging research focused on adaptogenic, phytoandrogenic, and tonic herbs.
• Pine Pollen Academy – A space devoted entirely to Pine Pollen. Its history, its traditional uses, and the science that continues to validate what the ancestral folks already knew.

When we understand where plants come from and how they work in the body, we begin to remember what it means to take care of ourselves. That’s what our educational work is about—offering clear, honest guidance and space to learn.

In everything we do, we’re working to reconnect the bond between nature, tradition, and individual well-being.

Meet the Team

Our team is made up of individuals who live and breathe this work—herbalists, educators, formulators, and sustainability stewards, all aligned in purpose.

Because we’ve chosen to stay small, every product, every article, and every formulation is shaped by people who are personally invested in doing things the right way.

• Master Herbalists

  Our formulations are crafted by experienced herbalists trained in Classical Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, and Western herbal traditions. Each product and formula reflects their depth of knowledge and reverence for the plants.

• On-the-Ground Sourcing

  We personally engage with wildcrafters and cultivators, visiting sourcing sites and verifying practices to ensure our ingredients are ethically harvested and sustainably cultivated.

• Customer Care and Education

  Our role doesn’t end at the sale. We’re committed to making sure you have the knowledge, clarity, and support needed to use our products with confidence.

• Dedicated Production Partners

  Our production partners are more than manufacturers. They’re part of our extended team who uphold the same devotion to quality and excellence that defines everything we do.

Join the Trail Family

If this path speaks to you, we invite you to stay connected. As part of our trail family, you’ll be the first to hear about new releases, explore deeper learning through the Knowledge Tree and Pine Pollen Academy, and receive invitations to gatherings we think you'll want to be part of.

Supporting Excellence in Herbalism

Since 1988, the American Botanical Council has championed responsible herbal use through education and research. We’re proud to be part of that journey as supporting members.

Learn More About RAW Forest Foods