# Founder Feature:  Elan Halpern & Kiki Couchman of Sourmilk

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2025-11-07
- Length: 31m
- Episode: 214
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-11-07-founder-feature-elan-halpern-kiki-couchman-of-sourmilk
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/061257f4

## Summary

Elan Halpern and Kiki Couchman, co-founders of Sourmilk, explain how they combined Stanford education and tech/PE backgrounds to create a Greek yogurt cultured with targeted probiotics for gut health. They detail their unconventional 'drug deal' pickup model in New York City, delivering over 5,000 units in brown paper bags to build a loyal community before retail. The founders also recount their rapid rebranding from a cease-and-desist letter to the name 'Sourmilk' in 14 days, and their strategy for scaling production and launching into NYC grocery stores in early 2026.

## Outline

1. Introduction: Elan Halpern and Kiki Couchman of Sourmilk
2. Product Concept: Targeted Probiotics in Yogurt
3. Founders' Backgrounds: Stanford, Tech, and Private Equity
4. Product Development: Iterating Bacteria Strains and Taste
5. The 'Drug Deal' Pickup Model and Community Building
6. The Rebrand Story: From Cease-and-Desist to Sourmilk
7. Growth Strategy: Retail Launch and Scaling Plans

## Topics

- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Retail, wholesale & distribution](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/retail-and-distribution)
- [Materials & manufacturing processes](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/materials-and-processes)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Sourmilk (product)
- Chobani (product)
- Fage (product)
- Olipop (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Yasso: Amanda Klane and Drew Harrington](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2023-09-25-yasso-amanda-klane-and-drew-harrington) (How I Built This)
- [Live Episode! Milk Bar: Christina Tosi](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-10-14-live-episode-milk-bar-christina-tosi) (How I Built This)
- [Advice Line with Ben Goodwin of Olipop](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2026-09-03-advice-line-with-ben-goodwin-of-olipop) (How I Built This)
- [Noosa Yoghurt: Koel Thomae](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-11-25-noosa-yoghurt-koel-thomae) (How I Built This)
- [Magic Spoon & Exo: Gabi Lewis and Greg Sewitz](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2024-02-12-magic-spoon-exo-gabi-lewis-and-greg-sewitz) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-11-07-founder-feature-elan-halpern-kiki-couchman-of-sourmilk. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to The Startup CPG Podcast.