Dutch Bros. Coffee: Travis Boersma

How I Built This · 26 Jun 2023 · 1h 17m

What this episode covers

Travis Boersma, co-founder of Dutch Bros., explains how he and his brother Dane started with a pushcart in Grants Pass, Oregon, in 1992, learning espresso craft from local roasters like Paul Layton of Coffee Corner. They pivoted from carts to custom drive-through trailers, developed proprietary products like Blue Rebel energy drink and the Mocha using Valley Rogue Dairy chocolate milk, and navigated a franchise model that eventually shifted to corporate ownership. The episode details the company's growth to over 700 locations, the tragic loss of Dane to ALS, and the successful $500 million IPO in 2021.

Mentioned

Companies
Dutch Bros., Boyd's Coffee, Coffee Corner, Western Espresso, Valley Rogue Dairy, Fred Meyer, Grocery Outlet
Products
Red Bull, Blue Rebel, Mocha, Golden Eagle

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 38m

    Founder Feature: Amna Mettmann of Brause

    Amna Mettmann, founder of Brause, explains how she launched a line of German-inspired craft sodas using whole food ingredients like organic apples and dates to avoid added sugars and artificial flavors. She details the brand's sleek, industrial design philosophy and her strategy of leveraging failed search data from her time at Postmates to identify the growing demand for non-alcoholic beverages. Mettmann also discusses how the Startup CPG community and the SF Grocery Run event helped her secure initial distributors and navigate early-stage growth.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 34m

    Founder Feature: Greg Cahn of Tamar Date Coffee

    Greg Cahn, co-founder of Tamar Date Coffee, explains how he transformed a personal solution for acid reflux into a new product category by blending coffee with upcycled date seeds and fruit. Cahn details the minimalist branding strategy, the nutritional benefits of the upcycled ingredients, and the company's strategic growth through farmers markets, Expo West, and independent natural grocery retailers in California. He discusses the challenges of educating consumers on a novel product while maintaining a clean-label, two-ingredient formulation.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 32m

    Founder Feature: Caroline Howard Walker Brothers

    Caroline Howard, co-founder of Walker Brothers, explains how the brand leverages an inherited family scoby and in-house brewing to achieve superior flavor profiles in both non-alcoholic and hard kombucha. She details the strategic decision to build a 20,000-square-foot production facility early on, requiring significant capital raises before proving product-market fit, to avoid the limitations of co-packers. Howard also outlines their dual distribution model, using direct-store-delivery (DSD) for alcoholic products and chain-anchored distribution via UNFI and KeHE for non-alcoholic lines, while highlighting collaborations with Rishi Tea and Counter Culture Coffee to drive brand awareness.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 44m

    Founder Feature: Cason Crane of Explorer Cold Brew

    Cason Crane, founder of Explorer Cold Brew, discusses his journey from endurance athlete to CPG founder, explaining how a lack of decaf options during lockdown inspired the brand's unique 'caffeine-conscious' positioning. He details the strategic pivot from concentrates to ready-to-drink (RTD) cans to simplify the value proposition and drive velocity, while navigating the challenges of customer acquisition and achieving profitability. Crane shares insights on securing retail partnerships with Whole Foods and Sprouts, the importance of online rebates for trial, and his advice on considering strategic partnerships or M&A for early-stage brands struggling with scale.

  • The Startup CPG Podcast · 30m

    Founder Feature - Fane He and Kyle Nguyen of The Lucky Ox

    Fane He and Kyle Nguyen, co-founders of The Lucky Ox, discuss their journey bootstrapping a Vietnamese-inspired beverage brand from concept to 100 wholesale accounts. They detail the challenges of DTC logistics with glass bottles, including breakage and the need for hand-delivery via subway and Uber, and explain their pivot to 12-packs and a new repacker. The founders emphasize their 'streetwear brand that makes drinks' identity, drawing inspiration from Nike and Kith, and their grassroots door-to-door sales strategy in New York City.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by How I Built This. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.