Sourcing - Erik's DeliCafé

Sourcing the finest local ingredients

Our food is made with care and character. We put the spirit of the band and the hard work and ingenuity of our cooks into every meal all while being sourced from the best most ethical farms.

California Avocado Commision

Created in 1978, the California Avocado Commission strives to enhance the premium positioning of California avocados through advertising, promotion and public relations, and engages in related industry activities. California avocados are cultivated with uncompromising dedication to quality and freshness, by more than 3,500 growers in the Golden State. The California Avocado Commission serves as the official information source for California avocados and the California avocado industry.

Visit them at: https://www.californiaavocado.com

County Fair Foods

County Fair Foods is a 4th Generation Family-owned company centrally located in the San Joaquin Valley of Northern CA. We are dedicated to our position as the industry leader in the production of Premium Pickles, Peppers, Relishes, and Sauerkraut. The County Fair family takes great pride in the care we put into our products on every level. Starting with our sustainable farming practices and generations of pickled product manufacturing experience. From our family to yours we offer the fruits of our labors.

Visit them at: http://countyfairpickles.com

Welcome to our farms. Foster Farms has been privately owned and operated by the Foster family since 1939. We think being local means you get a simply better product. And that would make Max and Verda Foster proud. Our mission is to be simply better in all we do.

Visit them at: https://www.fosterfarms.com

Heritage Specialty Foods

Heritage Specialty Foods is a family run food manufacturer focusing on fresh and healthy soups, sauces and marinades. We are a mix of time-honored craftsmanship, healthy, quality ingredients and innovative flavor combinations. Each recipe is carefully prepared in small kettles without added preservatives.

Visit them at: http://heritagespecialtyfoods.com

Sweet Street Desserts

Sweet Street is the leading innovator and baker in the dessert industry. The Company is owned and operated by Sandy Solmon and headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania, where Sandy is also the head of research and development, leading a team of like-minded, passionate researchers and recipe developers who now bake for restaurants in over 60 countries, on every continent.

Visit them at: https://www.sweetstreet.com

Will's Fresh Foods

Will’s Salads was formed in 1949 to address the need of producing and delivering homemade tasting salads to the away-from-home market. In 1975, Will’s Salads was purchased by Daniel and Susan Woolery. Their dedication to serving superior quality salads with only the freshest ingredients has sustained their long-standing reputation for great tasting salads. The San Leandro based company, still overseen by Dan, now includes the next generation, Michael and Nick Woolery. Will’s Fresh Foods continues to grow and has a substantial customer base with products ranging from prepared deli style salads, side dishes to desserts.

Visit them at: http://willsfreshfoods.com

Wo Chong Co. is a proud fourth generation family owned business based in San Francisco since 1935 producing the finest quality Non-GMO tofu, pristine bean sprouts and other delicious soy products. Our products can be found throughout Northern California.

Visit them at: http://wochong.com

Sourcing local ingredients grown with character

When we say that the food at Erik's DeliCafé is made with care and character, we mean from start to finish. Every bit of your Sandwich with Character®, soup, or salad is a community effort. To us, that's the coolest part of what we do. We put love into preparing your meals. Our friends put love into nurturing seeds into sprouts and delicious produce. Other friends put love into preparing flavorful sandwich meats. Our other, other friends make magical and sweet Sweet Treats. You get the picture.

Sprouting goodness every step of the way
From beginning to end

We're proud to source our ingredients from so many top-notch farmers and producers. We could talk about them all day. Like our pals at Wo Chong who grow all our sprouts. The bread you can’t get enough of? That’s baked daily out of Sunnyvale and delivered seven days a week to our DeliCafés. Most of our lettuce is grown out of farms in Watsonville and Salinas. Our ham is straight from our friends at Smithfield. Our chicken and turkey are from our friends at Foster Farms. (You would love these guys.)

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Our Partners

We are proud to source our ingredients from so many incredible farms and partners. They never compromise on quality or character. Learn more about who we work with.

The story behind our food, why it has character…

In 1973 Erik Johnson used a little over $400 to transform a 600 square foot delicatessen and bakery in Scotts Valley into the first Erik’s DeliCafé. A lot has changed since then, but one thing that will never change is our commitment to character. At all of our 32 Erik’s DeliCafé locations, you can count on our Sandwiches with Character®, salad, and soup you enjoy are made with the highest quality meats, cheeses, and fresh produce we can find. Our soups are our cherished family recipes and slow-simmered. Our salads are fresh and just as full of flavor as they are nutritive value. And all of them are served up with the passion and pizzaz that you’ve come to know us for. To us, that’s what having character is all about.

Franchise With Us

We’re looking for partners to help us grow the Erik’s brand to bring it’s delicious goods to more consumers and help more communities!

What's New @ Erik's

Soup’s On! Through the Years

When Erik Johnson, Founder & CEO, first started Erik’s DeliCafé in 1973, his father, Ray Johnson, created homemade soups from his family recipes. In the early years, Erik can be found in the commissary stirring a big pot of soup, getting ready for customers who couldn’t wait to enjoy a piping hot bowl of soup. Fast forward 40+ years later and things have not changed much. Erik’s is still serving delicious soups made from family recipes that customers have been enjoying for years.

A Sandwich Story from Erik – Raging Bull

How the Raging Bull got its name: During our 1982 “Name Your Sandwich” contest, we knew we had a winner on our hands when we saw Jeanne’s entry. It had the taste, the flavors and the look of a true “sandwich with character.” Spicy/raging peppers with premium roast beef/bull, this sandwich still packs a punch almost forty years later!

A Sandwich Story from Erik – Abbott’s Habit

How the Abbott’s Habit got its name: Named after Chuck Abbott who helped develop Pacific Garden Mall and Lighthouse Point, and restored many historical homes in Santa Cruz County. Also named because mushrooms thrive in environments like basements, found in convents, where nuns live, who wear habits (yes, this sandwich was created in the 70s!).

Connect with Erik's

Life’s all about striking that perfectly delicio

Life’s all about striking that perfectly delicious balance, right? We strike ours by adding on one of Sandy’s Amazing Chocolate Chunk Manifesto™ Cookies to our salad order. ⁠⠀
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Oh, and to sweeten the deal, our Erik’s DeliCafé Loyalty Club Members will get double points on our carrot cake and any of our @sweetstreetdesserts through August 9th! 🍪 😉 #nationalchocolatechipcookieday⁠⠀
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The Erik's Story

In 1973, for an initial cash outlay of $429.00, Erik Johnson transformed a 600 sq. ft. delicatessen/bakery in Scotts Valley into Erik’s DeliCafé. Now we have 27 locations throughout Santa Cruz County, the Bay Area, the Monterey Peninsula and one in Roseville.

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