Honest Tea: Seth Goldman (2017)

How I Built This · 11 Jun 2018 · 29m

What this episode covers

Seth Goldman, founder of Honest Tea, explains how he identified a 'sweetness gap' in the beverage industry and launched Honest Tea from his kitchen in 1997. He details the early challenges of securing a $15,000 bottle order from Whole Foods, navigating distributor rejection, and managing a critical product recall involving faulty glass bottles in 2003. Goldman also discusses the strategic decision to maintain founder control through a reverse equity structure, leading to a significant investment and eventual acquisition by Coca-Cola.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies: Whole Foods, Coca-Cola, Calvert Investments, Svaha Inc., Tetley
Products: Honest Tea, Snapple, Arizona
Also: Jaya Iyer

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

The Startup CPG Podcast6 Jul 2022 · 37m
#51 Pure Gold Series: Ask Seth Goldman Anything! Plus the Announcement of Just Ice Tea
Seth Goldman, co-founder of Honest Tea and CEO of Eat the Change, announces the launch of Just Ice Tea, a new organic bottled tea line, following Coca-Cola's decision to discontinue Honest Tea. He discusses the rapid timeline for production, the strategic importance of fair trade supply chains, and how past business relationships facilitated extended payment terms for the new venture. Goldman also answers listener questions on scaling with mission integrity, navigating low points like owning a bottling plant, and adapting to inflation and supply chain pressures.
Scaling production Sourcing & supply chain
9 chapters
The Startup CPG Podcast21 Nov 2023 · 38m
#115 Pure Gold Series: Lessons on Iterating from Seth Goldman + Updates on Eat the Change & Just Ice Tea
Seth Goldman, Co-Founder of Eat the Change and Honest Tea, discusses the rapid scaling of his new beverage brand, Just Ice Tea, which has reached $16 million in gross sales and distribution in over 5,000 stores. He details the strategic decision to discontinue the company's first product, mushroom jerky, due to low velocity, and the subsequent packaging redesign of Cosmic Chews to improve consumer appeal. Goldman also covers the company's recent $14 million raise, the upcoming launch of a canned product line, and his leadership philosophy on mental health support and prioritization during hyper-growth.
Scaling production Pricing, margins & unit economics
7 chapters
The Startup CPG Podcast1 Jun 2022 · 25m
#46 Pure Gold Series: Keep Going! Reflection on Coca-Cola's Discontinuation of Honest Tea with Seth Goldman
Seth Goldman, co-founder of Honest Tea and current CEO of Eat the Change, reflects on Coca-Cola's recent decision to discontinue the Honest Tea brand. He discusses the strategic rationale behind the original sale to Coca-Cola, the impact on global organic tea farmers, and his current work with Eat the Change, PLNT Burger, and Beyond Meat. Goldman emphasizes the importance of scale for impact and the entrepreneurial imperative to keep building meaningful brands despite the risks of acquisition.
Growth, exits & acquisitions Sourcing & supply chain
7 chapters
The Startup CPG Podcast5 May 2026 · 48m
#247 - How to Build a Board with Seth Goldman, JUST ICE Tea
Seth Goldman, co-founder of Honest Tea and CEO of Just Ice Tea, along with his roles as chair of Beyond Meat and Plant Burger, explains the strategic formation and governance of corporate boards for CPG founders. He details how to vet investors, recruit high-caliber members like Gary Hirshberg and Jeff Swartz, and manage board dynamics to protect founder control while ensuring rigorous oversight. The conversation covers practical aspects of board compensation, the importance of diversity of thought over cheerleaders, and specific operational wins, such as optimizing pallet configurations to save hundreds of thousands of dollars at Just Ice Tea.
Leadership, teams & culture Fundraising & investors
8 chapters
The Startup CPG Podcast21 Oct 2025 · 45m
#219 - Managing People at Work with Seth Goldman of JUST Ice Tea
Seth Goldman, co-founder of JUST Ice Tea and former co-founder of Honest Tea, discusses his leadership philosophy of balancing effectiveness with empathy, emphasizing transparency, empowerment, and accountability. He details how JUST Ice Tea leveraged his prior experience to rapidly scale to $30 million in sales by focusing on clear OKRs, lean operations, and treating employees as whole people. Goldman explains how he manages diverse work styles, sets achievable stretch goals, and maintains a strong culture through open communication and equity ownership.
Leadership, teams & culture Scaling production
7 chapters

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Honest Tea: Seth Goldman (2017)

What this episode covers

Most relevant to

Topics

Mentioned

Related episodes from other shows

#51 Pure Gold Series: Ask Seth Goldman Anything! Plus the Announcement of Just Ice Tea

#115 Pure Gold Series: Lessons on Iterating from Seth Goldman + Updates on Eat the Change & Just Ice Tea

#46 Pure Gold Series: Keep Going! Reflection on Coca-Cola's Discontinuation of Honest Tea with Seth Goldman

#247 - How to Build a Board with Seth Goldman, JUST ICE Tea

#219 - Managing People at Work with Seth Goldman of JUST Ice Tea