# Numi Organic Tea: Reem Hassani and Ahmed Rahim

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2021-07-05
- Length: 1h 09m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-05-numi-organic-tea-reem-hassani-and-ahmed-rahim

## Summary

Reem Hassani and Ahmed Rahim, co-founders of Numi Organic Tea, recount launching their premium loose-leaf tea brand in 1999 from Reem’s 600-square-foot Oakland apartment. They detail the challenges of sourcing Fair Trade ingredients, navigating FDA regulations, and securing initial funding through their father’s home equity. The episode covers their strategic decision to reject an acquisition offer from Haynes Celestial, the pressure from investors to scale rapidly, and their eventual success as a privately held B Corporation selling tens of millions of dollars in organic tea annually.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-05-numi-organic-tea-reem-hassani-and-ahmed-rahim#t=0) Introduction: Reem Hassani and Ahmed Rahim
- [4:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-05-numi-organic-tea-reem-hassani-and-ahmed-rahim#t=281) Childhood Roots and Career Paths
- [19:05](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-05-numi-organic-tea-reem-hassani-and-ahmed-rahim#t=1145) The Grand Canyon Idea and Early Setup
- [25:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-05-numi-organic-tea-reem-hassani-and-ahmed-rahim#t=1546) Sourcing, Packaging, and FDA Compliance
- [38:17](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-05-numi-organic-tea-reem-hassani-and-ahmed-rahim#t=2297) Launch at the Gift Show and First Sales
- [47:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-05-numi-organic-tea-reem-hassani-and-ahmed-rahim#t=2838) Rejecting the Haynes Celestial Acquisition
- [54:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-05-numi-organic-tea-reem-hassani-and-ahmed-rahim#t=3265) Investor Pressure and Financial Struggles
- [1:00:29](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-07-05-numi-organic-tea-reem-hassani-and-ahmed-rahim#t=3629) Sustainability, Pricing, and Long-Term 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)
- [Sourcing & supply chain](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sourcing-and-supply-chain)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)
- [Sustainability & circular products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sustainability-and-circularity)

## Most relevant to

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

## Mentioned

- Numi Organic Tea (product)
- Haynes Celestial (company)
- Tazo (product)
- Starbucks (company)
- Rainbow Grocery (company)
- DeLuca (company)
- Pete's Coffee (company)
- La Colombe (company)
- Stumptown (company)
- Intelligentsia (company)
- Tommy Hilfiger (company)
- Smucker's (company)
- Trader Joe's (company)
- Target (company)
- Walmart (company)
- Ritz Carlton (company)
- Fairmont (company)
- Cost Plus (company)
- Neiman Marcus (company)
- U.S. Bank (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [#51 Pure Gold Series: Ask Seth Goldman Anything! Plus the Announcement of Just Ice Tea](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2022-07-06-51-pure-gold-series-ask-seth-goldman-anything-plus-the-announcement-of-just-ice) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founders Feature: Heidi and William Schneiders of Tea Jams](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-01-23-founders-feature-heidi-and-william-schneiders-of-tea-jams) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Greg Cahn of Tamar Date Coffee](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-09-12-founder-feature-greg-cahn-of-tamar-date-coffee) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#115 Pure Gold Series: Lessons on Iterating from Seth Goldman + Updates on Eat the Change & Just Ice Tea](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-11-21-115-pure-gold-series-lessons-on-iterating-from-seth-goldman-updates-on-eat-the-c) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Got herbs? Bringing sparking herbal teas to market with Hrbvor's founder, Zahira Marmar](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2021-12-07-got-herbs-bringing-sparking-herbal-teas-to-market-with-hrbvors-founder-zahira-ma) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

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