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

Sep 3, 2025

Danny Stepper, co-founder and CEO of L.A. Libations and Taste Tomorrow Ventures, shares his journey from Coca-Cola merchandiser to beverage entrepreneur. He reveals how his incubator has helped brands like BodyArmor achieve billion-dollar success. Stepper discusses the essential traits of successful founders and the emerging trends in beverages, such as adult non-alcoholic drinks and protein-fortified options. With insights on pitching to retailers and navigating industry challenges, he offers invaluable lessons for aspiring beverage innovators.

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ANECDOTE

From Coke Merchandiser To Founder

Danny Stepper left Coca-Cola after rising from merchandiser to managing Costco business and then made movies in Europe for four years.
He returned to found LA Libations 15 years ago, starting as a struggling brokerage that found its niche with Kroger as Emerging Beverage Category Captain.

INSIGHT

Vertical Ecosystem Powers Brand Scale

LA Libations vertically integrated by building in-house marketing, merchandising, distribution, and events to support brands end-to-end.
That ecosystem lets them act as incubator, accelerator and route-to-market for founders and retailers.

ADVICE

Work The Point Of Purchase

Focus relentlessly on the point of purchase and do the unsexy work of merchandising to drive trial and awareness.
Being in stores early and filling shelves correctly is fundamental to building a drink brand.

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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.

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.

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.

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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