# Founder Feature: Susan Hartman of Recoup Beverages

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2025-03-14
- Length: 38m
- Episode: 131
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-03-14-founder-feature-susan-hartman-of-recoup-beverages
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/ae8f5666

## Summary

Susan Hartman, co-founder of Recoup Beverages, discusses the journey of building a gut-healthy hydration brand with co-founder Siwat, transitioning from a fresh juice to a shelf-stable beverage. She details their strategic retail expansion, starting with regional self-distribution to control messaging before unlocking distributors through anchor stores like Wegmans and Erewhon, leading to a national launch at Sprouts. Hartman also covers their fundraising strategy using SAFE notes, the importance of packaging cues in the functional beverage category, and their approach to managing complexity and hiring as they scale.

## Outline

1. Introduction and Recoup Brand Overview
2. Founding Story and Product Evolution
3. Branding Strategy and Consumer Focus
4. Packaging Design and Category Positioning
5. Retail Strategy: Self-Distribution to Distributors
6. National Launch at Sprouts and Pilot Programs
7. Expo West Strategy and Investor Visibility
8. Fundraising with SAFE Notes and Capital Needs
9. Beverage Market Trends and Product Development
10. Founder Challenges: Prioritization and Hiring

## Topics

- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Packaging design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/packaging-design)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Recoup Beverages (product)
- Sprouts (company)
- Wegmans (company)
- Erewhon (company)
- Jimbo's (company)
- Olipop (product)
- Poppi (product)
- Unilever (company)
- Campbell's (company)
- EOS (company)
- Expo West (other)
- Included CPG (company)
- New Hope (company)
- NCN Nutritional Capital Network (company)
- Go to IO (tool)
- Instacart (company)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Health-Ade Kombucha: Daina Trout (2020)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-01-09-health-ade-kombucha-daina-trout-2020) (How I Built This)
- [Guayakí Yerba Mate: David Karr and Chris Mann](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-11-28-guayaki-yerba-mate-david-karr-and-chris-mann) (How I Built This)
- [How I Built Resilience: Kara Goldin of Hint](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-04-01-how-i-built-resilience-kara-goldin-of-hint) (How I Built This)
- [Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-10-17-advice-line-with-lara-merriken-of-larabar) (How I Built This)
- [Advice Line with Lara Merriken of LÄRABAR (October 2024)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-01-09-advice-line-with-lara-merriken-of-larabar-october-2024) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

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