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They launched in 1999 and sold the first stake to Coca-Cola in 2009. They somehow managed to scrape by for 120 months with no Coca-Cola ownership. Start-ups can
by mseebach 14y ago
They launched in 1999 and sold the first stake to Coca-Cola in 2009. They somehow managed to scrape by for 120 months with no Coca-Cola ownership. Start-ups can't have an exit after 10 years?
- gav 14y agoThe soft drink market is tough, you are fighting against two huge incumbents with a lot of power and money. Being purchased be one of them after you achieve a certain level of (local) success is one of the few options for a successful exit. I've worked with a small soda company that folded after a dozen years. The incumbents did everything from buy their space out from their retailers to scoring a monopoly with towns for public areas and schools. Selling low-margin (often with seasonal swings) products that have to be kept cool, with a limited shelf-life, and overcoming the retail and distribution hurdles is an achievement.
- mseebach 14y agoI'm sure it's a tough and dirty business to be in - but the GP is still completely wrong when they suggest that Innocent somehow benefits unfairly from being part of Coca-Cola when, in fact, they weren't for the first ten years of their life.