80: Scaling Beverage Brands at L.A. Libations and Taste Tomorrow Ventures With Danny Stepper - Business of Drinks

What does it really take to build billion-dollar beverage brands — and spot the next ones before anyone else?

Danny Stepper, co-founder and CEO of L.A. Libations and co-founder of Taste Tomorrow Ventures, joins us to share his insights from the cutting edge of beverage innovation. If you’ve ever wondered how to get your drink on the shelf at Kroger, Walmart, or Sprouts, or what separates founders who make it from those who don’t, this episode is worth a listen.

We discuss:

• How Stepper went from Coke merchandiser to creating an incubator that’s helped build brands like Zico, Core, and BodyArmor — with exits in the billions

• The playbook behind breaking Gatorade’s exclusive deals at 7-Eleven, Walmart, and Costco, unlocking BodyArmor’s path from $100M to $1B+

• Why L.A. Libations’ role as “emerging category captain” with retailers is one of the most powerful positions in beverages — and how to pitch for placement of your brand

• The traits he sees in the most successful founders — red flags that make him pass every time

• The trends retailers are making more shelf space for right now, including protein-fortified drinks, adult non-alc, and what Stepper calls the “fourth category” 

• Why he launched Taste Tomorrow Ventures, a $30M fund investing in founder-first brands right now

From near bankruptcy to billion-dollar exits, Danny Stepper has lived the highs and lows of this industry — and his lessons could change the way you think about your own brand’s path to growth.

Last Call: 

Pitching a distributor can make or break a drinks brand. But most founders are making the same mistakes — losing opportunities before they’ve even started. On our latest sponsored Last Call, Alex Cherniavsky, managing partner at SWIG Partners, joined us to share how to avoid those pitfalls and stand out in a crowded market.

Don’t miss our next episode, dropping on September 10.

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Erica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry’s most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.

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Instagram @ericaduecy

Scott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. Most recently, he was the Portfolio Development Director at Distill Ventures. Prior to that, he was the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.

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Caroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.

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Instagram @borkaline

SPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinks

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