325. Seth Goldman — How to Build a Profitable Brand with Values With Just Ice Tea

325. Retailers don't reward the biggest mission. They reward the clearest value. What happens when one of the most influential founders in natural products decides to start over? In this episode, I sit down with Seth Goldman, founder of Honest Tea and co-founder of Just Ice Tea, to discuss what it takes to build a mission-driven brand in today's retail environment. We explore: • Why Honest Tea's discontinuation created an unexpected opportunity • How Just Ice Tea scaled faster than Honest Tea did in its early years • Why retailers actively sought out the brand when shelves went empty • The importance of authenticity and transparency • Why mission alone is not enough • How mission-driven brands can create profitable category growth • The pressure today's shoppers are facing • Why value and values must work together • What founders can learn from the changing retail landscape One of my favorite moments in the conversation is Seth's reminder that consumers can tell when a brand's mission is authentic—and when it isn't. Because the brands that endure don't just sell products. They stand for something bigger. And they consistently deliver value for the shopper, the retailer, and the communities they serve.  Time Codes 01:57 38 Mission-Driven Brands Win at Retail With Seth Goldman, Honest Tea and Beyond Meat 02:40 The story of Honest Tea 05:00 How Coke failed Honest Tea 06:14 How we are growing Just Ice Tea 07:31 Mission-driven brands - a strategic growth lever 10:09 How to operate in a challenging economy  12:04 How the tea category changed - the opportunity for Just Ice Tea 13:48 Growing the category with innovation - connecting with consumers 16:18 The importance of authentic consistent messaging  17:45 The mission behind the brand - doing real good!  19:35 Giving back - Mission Guardians  20:39 Why is plant-based struggling  25:05 The importance of meeting the consumer where they are  26:16 The importance of transparency  28:52 What makes Just Ice Tea unique - how we make it  30:55 Our goal to democratize organic and healthier drinks + do good 33:58 What's next for Just Ice Tea 36:11 Labeling confusing + why organic, the gold standard