# Founder Feature: Breanna and Jared Golestani of Kokada

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2025-02-14
- Length: 38m
- Episode: 122
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-02-14-founder-feature-breanna-and-jared-golestani-of-kokada
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/329c510d

## Summary

Breanna and Jared Golestani, co-founders of Kokada, discuss their journey from pandemic-era kitchen experiments to launching a nationally distributed coconut-based snack brand. They detail the strategic decision to scale rapidly after winning the NOSH Pitch Slam, the challenges of managing an international supply chain with co-packers in Sri Lanka and domestically, and their financing strategy relying on angels and family offices rather than venture capital. The founders also explain the development and retail testing of their new product, Kokada Dunks, leveraging FDA guidance on coconut to target school-safe, peanut-allergy-friendly markets.

## Outline

1. Introduction: Breanna and Jared Golestani and the Origins of Kokada
2. From Pandemic Hobby to National Brand via NOSH Pitch Slam
3. Scaling Production with Domestic and Sri Lankan Co-Packers
4. Forecasting, Inventory Management, and Retail Velocity
5. Financing Growth: Angels, Family Offices, and Bootstrapping
6. Launching Kokada Dunks: Product Strategy and Retail Testing
7. Advice for Founders on Risk, Fundraising, and Growth

## Topics

- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Kokada (product)
- Kokada Dunks (product)
- NOSH Pitch Slam (other)
- Sprouts (company)
- Wegmans (company)
- Weaver Street Market (company)
- Duke (other)
- Wharton (other)
- FDA (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Dang Foods: Vincent and Andrew Kitirattragarn](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-01-24-dang-foods-vincent-and-andrew-kitirattragarn) (How I Built This)
- [Perfect Snacks: Bill and Leigh Keith](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-06-09-perfect-snacks-bill-and-leigh-keith) (How I Built This)
- [nutpods: Madeline Haydon](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-05-13-nutpods-madeline-haydon) (How I Built This)
- [KiwiCo: Sandra Oh Lin](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-12-25-kiwico-sandra-oh-lin) (How I Built This)
- [Kodiak Cakes: Joel Clark (2020)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-01-02-kodiak-cakes-joel-clark-2020) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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