# Health-Ade Kombucha: Daina Trout

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2020-09-28
- Length: 57m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-09-28-health-ade-kombucha-daina-trout

## Summary

Daina Trout, co-founder of Health-Ade Kombucha, explains how a failed attempt to create a natural hair loss product pivoted into a kombucha brand after realizing the formulation was too difficult. Starting in her Los Angeles apartment closet, Trout, her husband Justin, and friend Vanessa Dew sold kombucha at farmer's markets, eventually quitting their jobs at GlaxoSmithKline to scale the business. The company secured $2 million in Series A funding from First Beverage, allowing them to move from home brewing to professional facilities and secure distribution deals with retailers like Erewhon and Gelson's.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-09-28-health-ade-kombucha-daina-trout#t=0) Introduction: Daina Trout and Health-Ade Kombucha
- [4:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-09-28-health-ade-kombucha-daina-trout#t=272) Daina's Background: Biochemistry, GSK, and the 'Change Agent' Role
- [13:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-09-28-health-ade-kombucha-daina-trout#t=809) The Entrepreneur Club: Brainstorming Ideas and the Pivot from Hair Loss
- [23:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-09-28-health-ade-kombucha-daina-trout#t=1398) The Pivot: Selling Kombucha at Farmer's Markets and Branding Health-Ade
- [33:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-09-28-health-ade-kombucha-daina-trout#t=2037) Going Full-Time: Quitting Jobs, Brewing in the Closet, and Bartering Space
- [40:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-09-28-health-ade-kombucha-daina-trout#t=2441) Scaling Distribution: Self-Distribution, Erewhon, and Rejection from Banks
- [47:19](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-09-28-health-ade-kombucha-daina-trout#t=2839) Series A Funding: First Beverage Investment and Hiring Key Staff
- [53:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2020-09-28-health-ade-kombucha-daina-trout#t=3213) Coca-Cola Investment, Founder Dynamics, and Reflections on Growth

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Health-Ade (product)
- GlaxoSmithKline (company)
- Erewhon (company)
- Gelson's (company)
- First Beverage (company)
- Coca-Cola (company)
- U.S. Bank (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [#49 Scaling Health-Ade Kombucha's Operations with Co-Founder Justin Trout](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2022-06-21-49-scaling-health-ade-kombuchas-operations-with-co-founder-justin-trout) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#179 - Bootstrap Heroes: Hazard's Hop Water, SWAIR, Gourmend Foods](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-01-21-179-bootstrap-heroes-hazards-hop-water-swair-gourmend-foods) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Building a Women's Health Beverage Brand and Landing Nationwide Sprouts Distribution in Months with Anastasia Sartan of The Cycle](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-06-26-founder-feature-building-a-womens-health-beverage-brand-and-landing-nationwide-s) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Amna Mettmann of Brause](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-07-18-founder-feature-amna-mettmann-of-brause) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Caroline Howard Walker Brothers](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-12-13-founder-feature-caroline-howard-walker-brothers) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

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