Oregon Chai (1994-2004)
Nirvana. Now available by the cup.
In the beginning…
After working a couple years with a marketing agency, I was offered the opportunity to co-found a company focused around Chai tea, a drink commonly found in Asia, but unheard of in the US. What started as myself and a partner passing out samples of product on Portland’s NW 23rd street led to a company generating revenues in excess of $40 million annually and, eventually, a $75 million sale to a global food and beverage branded manufacturer.
As CMO, I was charged with:
Development of the brand from inception to scale to acquisition;
Hiring and management of the sales organization;
Customer acquisition and management;
Trade show strategies and execution, development of brand evangelists;
National advertising and promotional events;
Public Relations;
Development of food service and retail packaging to differentiate our product from the competition.
