# Live Episode! Milk Bar: Christina Tosi

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2019-10-14
- Length: 1h 04m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-10-14-live-episode-milk-bar-christina-tosi

## Summary

Christina Tosi, founder of Milk Bar, explains how she transitioned from a pastry cook at WD50 to opening her own bakery in 2008 with the help of mentor David Chang. She details the creation of iconic products like Crack Pie and Cereal Milk soft serve, which emerged from kitchen experimentation and a desire to reinvent nostalgic American desserts. Tosi discusses the operational challenges of scaling from a single East Village location to 16 shops and a national mail-order business, including managing supply chains and maintaining product quality while keeping prices accessible.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-10-14-live-episode-milk-bar-christina-tosi#t=0) Introduction: Christina Tosi and Milk Bar
- [5:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-10-14-live-episode-milk-bar-christina-tosi#t=302) Early Life and Culinary Training
- [15:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-10-14-live-episode-milk-bar-christina-tosi#t=908) Working at Boule and WD50
- [23:27](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-10-14-live-episode-milk-bar-christina-tosi#t=1407) Creating Crack Pie and Cereal Milk
- [37:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-10-14-live-episode-milk-bar-christina-tosi#t=2229) Opening Milk Bar in 2008
- [46:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-10-14-live-episode-milk-bar-christina-tosi#t=2784) Scaling Operations and Pricing Strategy
- [50:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-10-14-live-episode-milk-bar-christina-tosi#t=3019) Anderson Cooper Effect and Shipping
- [57:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-10-14-live-episode-milk-bar-christina-tosi#t=3445) Raising Capital and Future Vision

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Milk Bar (company)
- David Chang (other)
- Momofuku (company)
- WD50 (company)
- Boule (company)
- Crack Pie (product)
- Cereal Milk (product)
- Compost Cookie (product)
- Anderson Cooper (other)
- U.S. Bank (company)

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- [Founder Feature:  Elan Halpern & Kiki Couchman of Sourmilk](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-11-07-founder-feature-elan-halpern-kiki-couchman-of-sourmilk) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Dip Into Paradise with Founder Emily Edwards](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2021-03-01-dip-into-paradise-with-founder-emily-edwards) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [339 - Beyond the Dieline ep 1 with Tom Seymour and Jessica Kwon from Moka Energy!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2026-02-05-339-beyond-the-dieline-ep-1-with-tom-seymour-and-jessica-kwon-from-moka-energy) (People of Packaging)
- [Founder Feature: Jenifer Shwartz of Freezcake](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-03-28-founder-feature-jenifer-shwartz-of-freezcake) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

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