24 Beverage Company Success Stories
Are you thinking of starting a beverage or drink business?
Starting a beverage company can be a great way to combine your love of food and drink with a passion for entrepreneurship.
Beverage companies can make all sorts of different drinks, from juice to soda to beer. They can also sell other types of food products, like bottled water or snacks.
There are more and more drink options available today than ever before—and that means that beverage companies are constantly trying new things in order to stay competitive in this space! The more innovative they can be with their offerings, the better they'll be able to compete with one another
Here are some real life success stories of starting a beverage company:
1. BeatBox Beverages ($132M/year)
Justin Fenchel, co-founder and CEO of BeatBox Beverages, came up with the idea to create a party version of boxed wine with his friend Brad Schultz. They noticed the popularity of boxed wine like Franzia, but realized people weren't buying it for the taste, but for the affordability and convenience. Inspired by flavored malt beverages, they decided to create a fun flavored version of boxed wine for millennials. After testing their product at parties and receiving positive feedback, they knew they were onto something. With no prior alcohol industry experience, they navigated the complex laws and manufacturing process to bring their unique product to market. Since launching, they have grown their sales to $2.4 million in 2018 and hit $2 million in revenue in 2019.
How much they make: $132M/year
How much did it cost to start: $150K
Current team size: 164
BeatBox Beverages, a wine-based cocktail company, grew sales from $700k in 2016 to $2.4m in 2018 and is on track to hit $6m+ in 2019 through a unique and differentiated product, social media marketing, and an appearance on Shark Tank.
2. Tolago ($816K/year)
In December 2019, Nicholas Greeninger and a group of like-minded individuals came together to create Tolago Hard Seltzer, a better-for-you, all-natural hard seltzer. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Tolago pushed ahead and launched their product in October 2020, generating impressive results with over 68,000 unique website visitors and $220,000 in revenue by December 2020. Their unique approach of pre-selling brand awareness and aligning with a major wholesaler contributed to their success.
How much they make: $816K/year
How much did it cost to start: $2M
Current team size: 5
Tolago Hard Seltzer, a California-based brand launched during the pandemic, has generated over $220k in revenue since October 2020 with over 68k unique website visitors in the first four days, using sustainable, all-natural ingredients and pricing itself as a premium product in the hard seltzer category.
So... can you actually make money with a beverage company?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
3. Drink Shrub ($54K/year)
Aaron Weast, the founder of Drink Shrub, came up with the idea for his business after going through treatment for alcohol addiction. He realized that there was a lack of sophisticated zero-proof beverages available for those who didn't drink alcohol. Using his background in product development and innovation, he created Small Barrel Shrub, an all-natural balsamic beverage that serves as a "mocktail in a bottle." Through networking and crowdfunding, Drink Shrub has grown its customer base and secured funding to expand its business.
How much they make: $54K/year
Current team size: 1
A former alcoholic and Nike product developer created a sophisticated zero-proof beverage called Small Barrel Shrub, which has seen tripling sales growth since a rebranding and recipe overhaul in May 2018, and has raised the majority of start-up funding via crowdfunding platform Pie Shell.
4. Auric ($3.6M/year)
After a backbone fracture led him to explore yoga and Ayurveda, the founder of Auric had a lightbulb moment to make Ayurveda more convenient and aspirational for others. With a background in consumer brands from his time at Unilever, he launched Auric as a beauty and wellness brand based on Ayurveda, creating 100% natural and low-calorie beverages that offer visible benefits. With already selling 150k bottles monthly, the future looks bright for Auric as they aim to penetrate more consumers in India, the US, and the UK.
How much they make: $3.6M/year
How much did it cost to start: $500K
Current team size: 9
A beauty and wellness brand based on Ayurveda, Auric, is making 150,000 sales per month after launching in September 2018 and is currently 95% bootstrapped, with the company focusing on social media and D2C strategies and driving traffic to its website to understand its end consumer.
So... can you actually make money with a beverage company?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
5. Drink Leilo ($1.2M/year)
How much they make: $1.2M/year
Current team size:
Check out how the founder of the world's first relaxation beverage grew his team to 8 full-time employees and 30+ sales reps, and is on track to 10x last year's revenue.
6. TopWhiskies ($210K/year)
Ed, one of the co-founders of TopWhiskies, came up with the idea for the business while working in Financial Services in Hong Kong. He and his best friend Evan started a whisky blog as a hobby, focusing on social media to connect with fellow whisky enthusiasts. As they posted about unique independent whisky brands, their followers began asking where they could purchase these brands, leading them to launch an eCommerce site specializing in independent whiskies. With over 100,000 followers on Instagram and nearly 10,000 subscribers on YouTube, the eCommerce site has seen a monthly turnover of around $17,500 and continues to grow.
How much they make: $210K/year
How much did it cost to start: $300
Current team size: 0
TopWhiskies, an eCommerce store celebrating the best independent whisky brands, started as a social media hobby in 2016, and, after building a large following, pivoted to an eCommerce site in October 2020, achieving an average monthly turnover of around $17,500 with sales up around 50% year on year.
So... can you actually make money with a beverage company?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
7. Brine Brothers ($120K/year)
Harris Derner came up with the idea for Brine Brothers when he realized that drinking pickle juice cured his hangovers in 2015. Unable to find a drinkable pickle brine on the market, Harris and his friend Michael Belicose decided to start their own business. With a total investment of $11,000 in 2016, they now generate over $10,000 per month and have recently won an investment from Barstool and Jon Taffer, determined to make Brine Brothers a million-dollar beverage company.
How much they make: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $-2
Current team size: 0
Brine Brothers sells all-natural pickle brine (pickle juice), generating over $10,000/month and winning an investment from Barstool and Jon Taffer, and is determined to become a million-dollar beverage company.
8. Revive Me ($6K/year)
Ryan Pfeiffer, founder of Revive Me, came up with the idea for his wellness shot company after realizing the need for a convenient and effective way to boost the immune system. As an investment banker in New York, he couldn't afford to get sick and would load up on vitamins and health drinks. After experimenting with ingredients and receiving strong validation from a friend, Ryan created a unique blend of ingredients that became his signature product. He hand-delivered bottles himself to improve customer relationships and launched his business with a soft launch in New York. Despite not being profitable yet, Ryan is focused on investing every dollar back into the business and growing his online sales.
How much they make: $6K/year
How much did it cost to start: $6K
Current team size: 0
Revive Me is a wellness shot company projected to reach $5k in sales over the coming months, providing a natural, shelf-stable drink that caters to anyone who doesn’t have time to be sick or rundown.
9. Bodega Bay Hard Seltzer ($696K/year)
Charlie Markland, the founder of Bodega Bay hard seltzer, came up with the idea for his business after realizing that the dominant consumer trends of convenience and wellness were not being met by the current alcoholic offerings in the market. He discovered hard seltzer while on a surf trip to Bodega Bay in California and decided to bring the concept back to the UK, creating a low-calorie, low-sugar sparkling water-based alcoholic drink. After testing the product at music festivals and seeing its popularity, Markland knew he had a winning idea, and Bodega Bay is now the premium hard seltzer in the UK, making over $50,000 a month after just 18 months in business.
How much they make: $696K/year
How much did it cost to start: $50K
Current team size: 4
Bodega Bay hard seltzer founder Charlie Markland describes how his low-calorie, low-sugar drink has helped the company hit monthly revenues of more than $50,000, and expand globally into the United States, Brazil and Japan, while partnering with a charity to donate drinking water to those in need with every can sold.
10. Jibby Coffee ($102K/year)
James and Álvaro, the founders of Jibby Coffee, came up with the idea for their business during a Zoom call in March 2020. Álvaro mentioned adding CBD to his coffee to improve his mood, and that sparked the idea to create a coffee brand that balanced the natural jitters of caffeine with CBD. After months of refining their product and working through production challenges, they successfully launched Jibby Coffee and sold out of their initial production run in just two weeks. They continue to receive feedback from customers, refine their messaging, and plan to expand their product offerings in the future.
How much they make: $102K/year
How much did it cost to start: $30K
Current team size: 0
Jibby Coffee is a feel-good coffee brand that raised $8.5k per month by cold-brewing organic Colombian coffee and balancing it with tasteless, lab-tested CBD to create a better coffee experience.
11. Eli Mason ($540K/year)
Christopher bought this business from the original founder in 2017 after he fell in love with their products at local bottle shops. He was struggling to make a good cocktail on his own, and this was the first one his wife also loved!
How much they make: $540K/year
How much did it cost to start: $10K
Current team size: 0
How Christopher Thomas turned a struggling cocktail mixer brand into a consistent low five-figure business by investing in e-commerce growth and customer reviews, focusing on all-natural ingredients, and revamping the website and packaging.
12. VIRTUE Tea ($108K/year)
Andrea Legg and Alex Balcer, founders of VIRTUE Tea, left their careers in the circus industry to start their organic tea and matcha business. After experiencing high-grade tea while traveling in Europe, Andrea became hooked and they decided to create a business focused on quality, ethical sourcing, and minimizing environmental impact. Despite the challenges of COVID-19, their online sales have tripled and they have expanded their reach to customers across Canada and the US.
How much they make: $108K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
Current team size: 2
VIRTUE Tea is a business founded by Andrea Legg and Alex Balcer who source high-grade organic tea from Asia through ethical supply chains, and their business, despite COVID, is now shipping tea and matcha to various locations in Canada and the U.S.
13. Simple Goodness Sisters ($84K/year)
Belinda and Venise, the Simple Goodness Sisters, came up with the idea for their business while running a mobile bar company. Clients constantly asked how to recreate the fresh, farm-fresh drinks served at their events, leading them to develop their own small-batch, homemade mixers made with ingredients from Venise's farm. After much research and hard work, they launched their farm-to-bar mixers and accessories in Fall 2018, with their products gaining popularity in the cocktail and alcohol-free cocktail scene.
How much they make: $84K/year
How much did it cost to start: $30K
Current team size: 0
Simple Goodness Sisters is a lifestyle beverage brand that produces "farm to bar" cocktail mixers and accessories made with natural, sustainable ingredients, growing at a rate of 4 times their original production.
14. Plum Deluxe Tea ($900K/year)
Andy Hayes, the founder of Plum Deluxe, started off with a blog and a desire for a more fulfilling career. After generating traffic and revenue through display ads and affiliate relationships, Andy decided to launch his own product. Drawing on his love for tea and missing the flavors from Europe, he partnered with a tea farmer's market booth to create unique tea blends. Through launching his business with a built-in market and strategic marketing efforts, Plum Deluxe has grown to become one of the largest tea subscription boxes, on track to hit 7-figure annual revenue.
How much they make: $900K/year
Current team size: 7
How Andy Hayes built a 7-figure online loose leaf tea business, with one of the largest tea subscription boxes and a curated selection of tea accessories, generating half of their revenue from a la carte tea sales and half from their popular tea of the month club community.
15. Simple Green Smoothies ($360K/year)
Jen Hansard, the co-founder of Simple Green Smoothies, came up with the idea when she stumbled upon an article about boosting the immune system with green smoothies. After experiencing the health benefits firsthand, she started sharing recipes on Instagram and her blog, which eventually turned into a successful business generating as much as $30,000 a month in revenue.
How much they make: $360K/year
Current team size: 1
Simple Green Smoothies boasts a free 7-day smoothie challenge that has helped over 2 million people take control of their health and generates revenue with programs ranging from a 21-day cleanse to a plant-based meal planner, bringing in as much as $30k a month and also working to help women farmers in Cambodia build mushroom farms through World Hope International.
16. The Coca-Cola Company ($2.4B/year)
How much they make: $2.4B/year
Current team size: 700000
The Coca-Cola Company is a world-renowned global beverage firm that dominates the cold beverage market, selling over 50 billion beverage servings in 2005 and generating over $33 billion in sales globally in 2020.
17. Paper Boat Drinks ($28.6M/year)
How much they make: $28.6M/year
Current team size: 200
Paper Boat, a brand of traditional Indian drinks and culinary goods, has seen a 20% growth in sales in FY2020 with revenue increasing from INR 195 Cr to INR 235 Cr by taking customer feedback, introducing new flavors, focusing on market segmentation, and conserving ancient recipes.
18. BrüMate ($144M/year)
- Dylan Jacob, founder of BruMate, came up with the idea for his unique insulated drinkware brand after a frustrating search for a koozie that worked with his can of choice.
- He launched his first product line in November 2016 and has since experienced impressive growth (with over $1.1 million in monthly sales)
- Jacob's ability to pivot and adapt his business strategy has been key to his success.
How much they make: $144M/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
Current team size: 57
BruMate is a successful insulated drinkware brand focused on the adult beverage community, with a flagship product that generated $2.1M in sales in 2017 and is now doing over $1.1M per month in sales, with plans to do $20M this year.
19. Mindful Proteins Inc. ($14.4K/year)
Sean Penrith, the CEO and co-founder of Mindful Proteins, was inspired to start the company after his personal journey with yoga, meditation, and a healthy diet transformed his life. He saw a gap in the market for clean-label protein water and decided to create TATU Protein Water, which is loaded with 15g of whey protein isolate and free from artificial ingredients and sugars. After extensive market research and positive feedback from consumers, Mindful Proteins is preparing for its first commercial production run in early 2020.
How much they make: $14.4K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100K
Current team size: 0
Mindful Proteins co-founder shares how they developed TATU, a clean-label protein water with 15g of whey protein isolate that contains 0g of total sugars, to cater to wellness-oriented consumers looking for functional beverages and hydration; targeting yoga studios, retail, and online sales with plans to expand production and new product lines to become a $100 million company.
20. CAULIPOWER ($100M/year)
How much they make: $100M/year
Current team size: 49
Caulipower CEO, Gail Becker's startup, which generated $5 million in revenue in its first year, now operates in 25,000 stores and has a $100 million estimated revenue, and she shares her secrets to success.
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- 4,818 founder case studies
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- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
