# Built to Scale: Lessons from a Founder Who Sold

- Show: [The Startup CPG Podcast](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast)
- Published: 2026-10-17
- Length: 40m
- Episode: 387
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2026-10-17-built-to-scale-lessons-from-a-founder-who-sold
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/07018522

## Summary

Zoë Sakoutis, Co-Founder and CEO of Bittman’s and founder of the now-acquired Blueprint, details her journey from bootstrapping a cold-pressed juice brand with a $5,000 loan to selling it to Hain Celestial, and her current efforts raising capital for Bittman’s whole grain sourdough bread. She explains how discovering High Pressure Processing (HPP) provided the necessary 'kill step' to make raw juice safe for retail shelves, unlocking national distribution and attracting strategic acquirers. Sakoutis discusses the complexities of the acquisition diligence process, particularly the burden of four production facilities, 120 employees, and 10-year leases, and offers advice on maintaining a clear business thesis while navigating investor feedback and team-building decisions.

## Outline

1. Introduction: Zoë Sakoutis and the Blueprint Origin Story
2. The HPP Breakthrough: Solving the Retail Kill Step for Raw Juice
3. The Acquisition: Why Full Sale Over Minority Investment?
4. Diligence Nightmares: Leases, Facilities, and 120 Employees
5. Fundraising Bittman’s: Holding a Clear Thesis Amidst Investor Noise
6. Team Building and AI: Balancing Lean Operations with Growth

## Topics

- [Crowdfunding & preorders](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/crowdfunding)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Blueprint (product)
- Bittman’s (product)
- Hain Celestial (company)
- HPP (tool)
- Whole Foods (company)
- Bimbo (company)
- PepsiCo (company)
- Suja (product)
- Howard Schultz (other)
- Mark Bittman (other)

## Citing this page

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