# Tate's Bake Shop: Kathleen King (2019)

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2021-12-27
- Length: 56m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-12-27-tates-bake-shop-kathleen-king-2019

## Summary

Kathleen King, founder of Tate's Bake Shop, recounts how a disastrous partnership with two brothers led to the loss of her original brand, Kathleen's Bake Shop, and $600,000 in debt. Forced to restart at age 42, she launched Tate's Bake Shop, named after her father, focusing on thin, crispy cookies and strategic distribution to gourmet retailers. With business advisor Michael Namy, she scaled the company, eventually selling an 80% stake to Riverside for $100 million in 2014, before it was acquired by Mondelez for $500 million.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-12-27-tates-bake-shop-kathleen-king-2019#t=0) Introduction: Kathleen King and the Farm Stand Origins
- [4:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-12-27-tates-bake-shop-kathleen-king-2019#t=280) Growing Up on the Farm and Early Cookie Sales
- [11:46](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-12-27-tates-bake-shop-kathleen-king-2019#t=706) Opening Kathleen's Bake Shop and New York Times Feature
- [17:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-12-27-tates-bake-shop-kathleen-king-2019#t=1077) Scaling Distribution to Manhattan and Recipe Refinement
- [27:16](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-12-27-tates-bake-shop-kathleen-king-2019#t=1636) The Disastrous Partnership with the Webers
- [33:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-12-27-tates-bake-shop-kathleen-king-2019#t=2020) Lawsuits, Debt, and Losing the Original Brand
- [39:25](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-12-27-tates-bake-shop-kathleen-king-2019#t=2365) Relaunching as Tate's Bake Shop with Michael Namy
- [44:33](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-12-27-tates-bake-shop-kathleen-king-2019#t=2673) Strategic Growth, Exit Strategy, and Sale to Riverside
- [52:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-12-27-tates-bake-shop-kathleen-king-2019#t=3143) Final Sale to Mondelez and Reflections on Success

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Growth, exits & acquisitions](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/growth-exits-and-acquisitions)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Tate's Bake Shop (product)
- Kathleen's Bake Shop (product)
- Mondelēz (company)
- Riverside (company)
- TM Capital (company)
- Nestle (company)
- Mrs. Fields (product)
- Whole Foods (company)
- Consumer Reports (other)

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- [Founder Feature: Gabriella Labi and Tonya Reznikovich of Gato Dates](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-04-03-founder-feature-gabriella-labi-and-tonya-reznikovich-of-gato-dates) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Katie Lefkowitz of Harken Sweets](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2024-12-06-founder-feature-katie-lefkowitz-of-harken-sweets) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [#59 Welcome to the Oat Haus! Celebrity Collaboration, Sprouts Launch, and Mental Health with Ali Bonar](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2022-08-30-59-welcome-to-the-oat-haus-celebrity-collaboration-sprouts-launch-and-mental-hea) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Founder Feature: Sean Knecht of Tantos!](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-05-08-founder-feature-sean-knecht-of-tantos) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

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