Today we’d like to introduce you to Andy Kuklock.
Hi Andy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Our story kicked off in 2021 when 3 friends co-founded a beverage company – Garrett Olsen, Jake Ryder, and myself were living out of a 1994 RV in San Diego as we started the company. The RV was fully branded, and we drove it around promoting Passion Tree, just trying to get people to notice us and try the product. We were out there every weekend hand-selling cases at stores across the city and partnering with local brands to throw events as a way to grow within the community. At the time, we were selling our seltzer in 12oz cans, like every other brand. Our first major retailer that gave us a chance was Ralphs in San Diego, then things started to grow from there.
But by late 2022, after expanding throughout California, we hit a wall. We were facing rejection from retailers outside of the state due to the market becoming insanely saturated with competing brands. We realized that we needed to do something truly unique to stand out in the market and we had to face the fact that what got us this far wasn’t going to take us where we wanted to go as a brand.
It was tough, but we took a step back and noticed Gen-Z and Millennials were leaning into more mindful drinking. People were looking for something lighter that still gave them a buzz but fit into their healthier, active lifestyles. There wasn’t a beverage that fit that middle ground between non-alcoholic options and the traditional hard seltzers or RTDs. We saw an opportunity there, so in October 2023, we made the pivot and launched the first mini seltzers nationwide with Target. It was a big shift, but it was the single best choice we’ve made since forming the company. The response was organic from customers, retailers were interested again and willing to talk with us, which lead to sales taking off in a way that confirmed there was a real demand for this type of beverage.
Now, almost a year later, we’ve expanded into Whole Foods across Southern California, along with other awesome retail partners in CA, FL, TX, NY, and IL. All of us are excited to bring on an all-women marketing team to drive things forward with the majority of our customer base (75% women) Plus, we’re gearing up for the launch of a new product this October, so there’s a lot to look forward to.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s definitely been far from smooth (as are most startup ventures). When we first launched, living out of that RV and trying to build this brand from the ground up, constantly on the move, it was a real grind. One of the toughest battles we’ve faced has been fighting for shelf space and getting meetings with retailers to make our product more available to customers. The distribution side has been a whole other challenge. We’ve partnered with the wrong distributors in the past—ones that wouldn’t pay on time or didn’t handle deliveries and merchandising when we needed them to, which forced us to start our own distribution branch of Passion Tree here in California to ensure we were giving ourselves a fighting chance by at least being available on the shelves.
Raising capital in uncertain market conditions as a private company always has its difficulties but it’s part of what being an entrepreneur is, adapting and fighting through obstacles that come your way and not letting uncontrollable variables affect your progress moving forward. It’s a constant balancing act between staying true to our vision and navigating the realities of scaling a business in a competitive industry, luckily we really love what we do and the challenges we’ve faced have been key to the brand scaling to where it is today!
As you know, we’re big fans of Passion Tree. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Yeah, we would start off by saying, Passion Tree is a company rooted in redefining how people experience their beverages. We launched with the goal of offering something unique in a saturated market—smaller, better-for-you options that appeal to modern, mindful consumers who still want to enjoy the experience of a drink without overindulgence. We specialize in producing products that cater to this shift toward moderation while emphasizing great taste and quality.
What sets us apart is how we’ve embraced this consumer behavior shift. Our flagship mini hard seltzers, for example, embody the idea of balance: allowing people to savor a drink but with less quantity and fewer compromises. We recognized early on that people were tired of large portions, bloating drinks, and options that didn’t align with their health-conscious lifestyles, and we’ve leaned into that gap in the market. The concept of ‘less is more’ resonates strongly with our customers, and that’s what makes Passion Tree stand out.
Brand-wise, what started as a grassroots effort, hand-selling our product, turned into us being the go-to drink for people that enjoy a light, refreshing choice that aligns with their lifestyles. We’ve launched in key retailers like Target and expanded our reach beyond our local roots in San Diego, and every step of the way, we’ve stayed true to our mission of offering a more guilt-free drinking experience for people! We’re now focused on creating products that are approachable yet innovative, which I think our customers will appreciate.
and as we continue to grow, we’re excited to introduce a new product line called PopSips – a spiked prebiotic soda, with real fruit juice, a light buzz, and ingredients that make you feel good inside and out. PopSips represents our continued effort to push boundaries in the better-for-you beverage space. It’ll be available at Target this October, with other retailers soon after!
How do you define success?
For us, success is about creating something that truly resonates with people in this world. It’s about building a brand that not only stands out in the market but also fosters real connections and brings value to those who engage with it. When customers interact with Passion Tree or PopSips, we want them to feel like they’re part of something more—whether it’s the sense of community, the joy of enjoying a well-crafted product, or the positive impact on their lifestyle. Ultimately, success means seeing people genuinely excited about what we offer and knowing we’re making a difference in how they experience everyday moments.
We are working towards building this company into a self sustaining business at a national scale, it’s something we’ve all dream about from the beginning.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.drinkpassiontree.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/passiontree/
