Kayla Abe is the Co-Owner of Shuggie’s, a maximalist, climate-solutions restaurant and bar in San Francisco. A founder, climate activist and creative leader, Kayla executes projects at the intersection of sustainability, storytelling and space, using great food and engaging design as tools for inspiring environmental action. 

Kayla comes from a family of farmers and produce brokers in California’s Central Valley and further deepened her roots in the food and farming communities at sustainable agriculture non-profit Foodwise. In 2017, she helped launch Oatly in the US, overseeing its West Coast coffee and foodservice market entry, as well as serving on the Board of Directors for the Upcycled Food Association. In 2019 Kayla honed her focus on food waste and co-founded Ugly Pickle Co., where she and her partner Chef David Murphy upcycled farm surplus to make fresh pickles for 200+ retailers across the West Coast. Today through Shuggie’s, she synthesizes her passions around sustainability, brand design, and hospitality, to reframe climate action as a daily celebration.