It started with a road trip...​
Southern California natives Brian Lanzarotto and Ryan Silverberg cruised through the sun-drenched Coachella Valley in the lower Colorado desert, soaking up the laid-back vibe.
As they drove, they passed rows of swaying date palms and roadside stands brimming with fresh Medjool dates.​
After stopping to buy some from a local date stand, they couldn't stop talking about them for the rest of the trip. And the question was asked, "If California is the largest U.S. date producer, why were dates and top-notch date syrup so hard to find in everyday stores?​
For Brian and Ryan, dates weren't just fruit—they were nature's candy: a chewy, caramel treat loaded with nutrition. So why hadn't dates caught on yet? Why weren't they a kitchen staple nationwide?
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Fueled by curiosity and ambition, they launched California Date Company with one mission: to serve up premium, all-natural date products and make dates so awesome they're more than just a secret, guilty pleasure.​​​​
Dates: Funky name, Funky fame
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But let’s face it: dates have an image problem. They're funky looking... They’re oddly wrinkly, their names sound exotic and mysterious, and for the uninitiated, they can look more like alien larvae than delicious fruit.
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Brian and Ryan realized that if dates were going to break into the mainstream, they needed a serious rebrand—one that made them more approachable, cool, exciting, and irresistibly crave-worthy.​
​​So they created new names for their dates. Names that make sense to the consumer. And do you know what happened? Interest from people who had never even tried dates began to skyrocket! The guys had figured out a simple way to make dates appealing and interesting to the uninitiated. And that was a wonderful discovery!​​
Enter: The date revolution​
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Starting small, the duo partnered with family-owned farms in Coachella Valley to source the finest dates available.
Quality wasn’t just a buzzword—it became an obsession. They poured their focus into crafting their flagship product Cali Date Syrup—a rich, velvety sweetener free from additives and full of bold, natural flavor.
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It didn’t take long for chefs, health enthusiasts, and home cooks to catch on. Cali Date Syrup became a go-to alternative to refined sugars, praised for its versatility and clean sweetness.
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But they didn’t stop there. California Date Company introduced hand-selected dates with an industry-first 10-Point Quality Checklist, setting new standards for excellence.
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And because names matter, they even started renaming classic date cultivars with clear, evocative titles that actually described their taste profiles—making it easier than ever for newbies to fall in love with dates!​​​​
A new discipline - Dateology...
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At California Date Company, this isn’t just business—it’s Dateology. It’s a commitment to flavor, transparency, sustainability, and, above all, you.
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From farmers' markets to online platforms to retail locations, their mission resonated with people who care about where their food comes from and how it’s made.​
And this is just the beginning.​ Brian and Ryan continue to oversee every step, every bottle of Cali Date Syrup, and every pouch of hand-picked dates.​ Their promise remains unchanged: "Farm to Table, Naturally Sweet."
​The date revolution is here. And trust us—you don’t want to miss it.​​
Meet the founders of California Date Company
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Meet Ryan and Brian.​ When not running California Date Company, the guys are professional musicians. You may even have heard of their band - one of the world's most well-known 80's & 90's party bands - The Flux Capacitors.
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Since 2013, with Ryan on keys and Brian on guitar, they have piloted the band to international acclaim.
The Flux Capacitors are world renown for being the official band that represents the Back to the Future movies! ​You can even see Brian and Ryan in the critically-acclaimed 2015 Back to the Future documentary - "Back In Time"! Follow the link to see all of the places you can watch it!
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You can learn more about the band - and where you can see them live and meet the founders of the California Date Company by checking out the band website!
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