Hardware Podcasts

SmartSweets: Tara Bosch

How I Built This · 5 Aug 2024 · 1h 14m

What this episode covers

Tara Bosch, founder of SmartSweets, explains how she developed a low-sugar gummy candy recipe in her grandmother's basement and secured debt financing to launch the brand. She details the critical decision to pivot from 'Stevie Sweets' to 'SmartSweets' after investor rejection, and the subsequent challenge of finding a reliable manufacturer after a partner attempted to steal her formula. Bosch describes scaling production, securing a national deal with Whole Foods, and eventually selling a majority stake to TPG for $360 million to accelerate global growth.

Most relevant to

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

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Whole Foods, TPG, Futurepreneur, BDC, Man City
Products
SmartSweets, Halo Top
Materials
Stevia, Monk Fruit, Chicory Root Fiber
Also
Dragon's Den, Shark Tank, Peter Thiel Fellowship

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