Hardware Podcasts

#252 - The Rise of Laurel's Coffee: Whole Foods, Wegmans & 1,800 Target Stores in Two Years

The Startup CPG Podcast · 9 Jun 2026 · 44m · Episode 318

What this episode covers

Isabel Washington, founder of Laurel's Coffee, explains how she leveraged her McKinsey background to launch an A2 dairy canned latte brand and secure national distribution in Whole Foods and Target within six months of leaving consulting. She details the operational challenges of scaling from a garage startup to a 1,800-store Target launch, including sourcing A2 milk from suppliers like Alexandria Family Farms and managing logistics through partners like Rainforest and UNFI. Washington also discusses her flavor strategy, noting that Dirty Chai became a bestseller at Whole Foods by filling a gap in the refrigerated beverage aisle, and shares advice on fundraising and the risks of accepting large purchase orders with limited capital.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Whole Foods, Target, McKinsey, Alexandria Family Farms, Rainforest, UNFI, Erewhon, Wegmans, Chamberlain Coffee, La Colombe, Starbucks, Poppin Bottle, Koia, Celsius, Alex Ice Cream, Sprouts, Costco
Products
Laurel's Coffee

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