From Health Crisis to Beverage Founder: Creating The First Okra Sparkling Water with Anna Cobb

Anna Cobb almost lost her life to a synthetic energy supplement. That experience made her to rethink what she was consuming and ultimately led to her creating the first okra sparkling water on the market.In this episode, Anna shares the story behind building O’kra, the wellness beverage brand that went from an idea to being on the shelves at 11 Erewhon luxury grocery stores in California and a nationwide launch in Sprouts in May 2026. We talk about navigating the beverage industry, pivoting until you find product-market fit, and why okra was the best choice to create a beverage brand.In this episode, you'll learn:Pivoting without quitting and the importance of isolation before launchingWhy okra has deeps roots in Black history and the benefits often overlookedWhat beverage founders can learn from brands like Poppi and OlipopHow a viral LinkedIn post helped generate early momentumThe strategy behind securing retail partnerships and scaling🚨 Special Offer: Receive $10 off your O’kra purchase: https://loox.io/z/pjgYoi6CfConnect with Anna Cobb:Website → drinkokra.com Instagram → @drinkokra | @theherbalhottieTikTok → @drinkokra📧 Your curated dose of Black culture, brand spotlights & real inspiration. Subscribe to the newsletter → kerihenderson.com/newsletter🛍️ Shop With Intention. Shop Black-Owned. Products that actually fit into your everyday life → https://bit.ly/12-products-everyday-life📲 Stay in the loop:Instagram → @kerilhenderson | @thekickbackwithkeriYouTube → @kerilhendersonTikTok @thekickbackwithkeriShop Affiliates:Get 10% off Dosso Beauty → https://dossobeauty.com/KERIHENDERSONEnjoying the podcast? Support the show