Founder & CEO | Terra Nostra Organics
Hendrik Rabbie is a Dutch-born entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of Terra Nostra Organics, a fast-growing organic ingredient company headquartered in Palo Alto, California.
With more than 20 years of experience in the international organic food industry and over $1 billion in organic ingredient sales he was responsible for and oversaw as vice president, Hendrik has played an important role in developing global supply chains and bringing emerging organic ingredients into mainstream food manufacturing.
Organic Roots
Hendrik’s connection to organic agriculture began long before his professional career.
Growing up in Amsterdam, he was surrounded by the pioneering spirit of his father, one of the early entrepreneurs in Europe’s organic food industry, even before formal organic certification systems became established.
Through his company Fertilia, his father developed an extensive range of organic consumer products, including coffee, beer, pasta sauces, and other grocery staples. He was also among the early European importers working directly with organic growers in the United States, bringing organic products to natural food stores across the Netherlands and Europe.
He later founded Tradin Organic, which he sold in 2008.
For Hendrik, organic agriculture was never a trend he discovered. It was the world he grew up in.
Helping Pioneer the Superfood Movement
Hendrik began his professional career in the organic industry in 2005 and relocated to the United States in 2008, where he helped establish and expand international organic ingredient operations.
During the early years of the raw food and superfood movements, he recognized the commercial potential of ingredients that were largely unknown to mainstream food manufacturers.
He was among the early pioneers introducing organic coconut sugar and coconut nectar from Indonesia into international markets at commercial scale, helping develop sourcing projects and supply chains that continue to thrive today.
He also played a pioneering role in developing commercial organic chia production in Paraguay. At a time when chia was still primarily regarded as a traditional agricultural commodity or animal feed in some markets, Hendrik helped connect growers with the emerging international superfood industry, contributing to its transformation into a globally recognized health-food ingredient.
Working closely with early raw food entrepreneurs, superfood brands, farmers, and processors, he helped bring numerous emerging ingredients from niche markets into established commercial supply chains.
Over the course of his career, Hendrik has been responsible for and overseen more than $1 billion in organic ingredient sales and helped establish the foundations of sourcing networks that have since grown into major international organic supply chains.
His entrepreneurial approach has always been driven by recognizing opportunities early, building relationships at origin, and developing markets that create long-term value for both producers and customers.
Building Terra Nostra Organics
As the organic industry grew, Hendrik witnessed a significant shift. Many once-independent organic companies became part of larger conventional food businesses, where organic was often just one division among many.
He believed there was room for a different kind of company.
In 2023, Hendrik founded Terra Nostra Organics with a clear conviction: organic agriculture should never be a side business. It should be the entire business.
His vision was to build an independent, entrepreneurial ingredient company capable of competing internationally while remaining exclusively committed to certified organic agriculture.
No conventional ingredient trading. No compromise on organic integrity. And no departure from the principles that inspired the organic movement in the first place.
In just three years, Terra Nostra has grown to more than $30 million in annual sales, establishing itself as a growing participant in the U.S. organic ingredient industry. With operations across North America and Europe and sourcing relationships around the world, the company continues to expand its portfolio and international presence.
Organic First. Regenerative Beyond.
Today, Hendrik’s ambitions extend beyond organic certification.
Through regenerative organic agriculture, including Regenerative Organic Certified cocoa initiatives in the Dominican Republic, Terra Nostra is working to support healthier soils, stronger farming communities, and more resilient agricultural supply chains.
For Hendrik, regenerative agriculture is a natural evolution of the organic movement, not a replacement for it. Certified organic agriculture remains the foundation, with additional standards building upon that commitment.
Building for the Next Generation
Hendrik lives in Palo Alto, California, with his wife, Leila, and their two children.
As both an entrepreneur and a father, he believes the most meaningful businesses are built not only for today’s opportunities, but for the world we leave to the next generation.
His ambition for Terra Nostra is to demonstrate that a company can become a global leader while remaining 100% dedicated to organic agriculture, the people behind it, and the future of our planet.
