Coffee with Kiki Couchman (Sourmilk Yogurt)

Tell me about yourself?

My name is Kiki — short for Kirsten. I’m the co-founder of Sourmilk, a Greek yogurt specifically designed for gut health. I’m half Chinese, half Scandinavian — Kirsten comes from my Scandinavian side, and Kiki came from my Chinese grandparents, who couldn’t quite pronounce Kirsten. I grew up in Sonoma, in the Bay Area, surrounded by wine country and agriculture. My dad grew up on a dairy farm, so food and farming were always part of my world.

The things I care most about are planetary health and human health, and I wanted to study the intersection of the two — which led me to Stanford. I graduated during the pandemic, and from there I ended up in private equity, which feels like a winding road. But I chose it intentionally: I knew I’d learn the most there, and I deeply admired the person I’d be working for. I stayed for four and a half years before quitting to start this yogurt company with my best friend — which, when you think about it, ties back to everything I’ve always cared about.

What gets you up in the morning?

I'm an extrovert through and through. What I genuinely love is the sheer number of people I get to interact with every single day. I'm sending this voice note from a demo — I have pitches later today, people to meet in between — and just looking at my calendar energizes me. The variety of people I get to meet and share what we're building with is something I never take for granted.

What’s something about your work that people don’t see, but should know?

A lot of people think consumer is a sexy industry because of what they see on social media. And in some ways it is — but at its core, it’s a people-to-people operational industry. It’s opened up a new community of New York from working directly with grocery store managers to our factory employees, and I’ve grown a whole new appreciation for our food supply chain.

People don’t appreciate what actually goes into making their food. The idea that you can pick up a yogurt for $3.99 — the number of inputs that go into that is staggering. That’s something I think about a lot.

Best meal you’ve had recently?

I made this chicken salad the other day that was so good — rotisserie chicken, celery, homemade pickled onions, a little Sourmilk yogurt, mustard, dill, parsley. It absolutely slapped.

If you could have coffee with anyone, dead or alive?

Jim Sinegal, who founded Costco. I find it fascinating when someone innovates on an existing thing rather than inventing something entirely new. Costco is a completely reimagined model of grocery shopping — the warehouse format, the club membership, the obsession with customers and retention by constantly bringing in new products. There’s a lot to learn from that kind of thinking.

What does your craft mean to you in one sentence?

My craft is showing people that taking care of yourself and indulging in the things you love don't have to be a sacrifice — they can be the same thing.

Follow Kiki and her incredible work here!