– **Founding**:
– Founded in 1998 by Seth Goldman and Barry Nalebuff.
– Raised $500,000 in startup funds from friends and family.
– First order was from Fresh Fields.
– Available on Independence Air flights.
– Revenue of $13.5 million by 2006.
– **Acquisition**:
– Coca-Cola purchased a 40% stake in 2008.
– Bought the rest of Honest Tea in 2011.
– President Obama endorsed Honest Tea in 2009.
– Honest Tea trademark dispute in Australia.
– Coca-Cola introduced Honest Yerba Mate in 2021.
– **Discontinuation**:
– Coca-Cola announced discontinuation in May 2022.
– Decision to prioritize Gold Peak Tea and Peace Tea.
– Honest Tea founders returned with Just Ice Tea.
– Coca-Cola to continue carrying Honest Kids organic fruit juices.
– Part of the 200 brands discontinued by Coca-Cola between 2020-2022.
– **Notes**:
– Honest Tea remained a work in progress after sale to Coca-Cola.
– Various articles and reports mentioned Honest Tea’s journey.
– Coverage of Honest Tea’s acquisition by Coca-Cola.
– Details on the Honest Tea trademark dispute in Australia.
– Information on the launch of Just Ice Tea by the founders.
– **Legal and Holdings**:
– Coca-Cola’s stakes in various companies.
– Former holdings of Coca-Cola.
– Notable legal cases involving Coca-Cola.
– Campaigns and slogans associated with Coca-Cola.
– Historical legal cases involving Coca-Cola.
Honest Tea (U.S.) was a bottled organic tea company based in Bethesda, Maryland. It was founded in 1998 by Seth Goldman and Barry Nalebuff. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Company.
 | |
| Type | Iced tea |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Honest Tea, Inc / The Coca-Cola Company |
| Distributor | The Coca-Cola Company |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Introduced | 1998 |
| Discontinued | 2022 |
| Website | www |