What happens when a coffee expert decides to reinvent soda?

In this episode of Sippin' and Selling, Joey Chanel sits down with Ryan McDonnell, founder of ALLDAE Superfruit Soda, to talk about how he went from working in the coffee world — including Starbucks’ Reserve Roastery in Seattle — to building a better-for-you soda brand now landing on Whole Foods shelves.

Ryan shares the incredible origin story behind AllDAE, a lightly caffeinated soda made with upcycled coffee fruit, real fruit juice, and no added sugar or stevia. He opens up about the mission behind the brand, the challenges of bootstrapping a beverage company, and how a product born out of sustainability and purpose is now gaining serious traction in the market.

In this conversation, they cover:

• Ryan’s journey from Starbucks to startup founder

• What coffee fruit is and why it matters

• How ALLDAE is changing the soda category

• The story behind being the first Whole30-approved soda

• Getting into 500 doors and launching in Whole Foods

• Building a brand with purpose, transparency, and impact

• Founder struggles, trade show lessons, and real startup mistakes

• New flavor innovation and what’s next for ALLDAE

This episode is packed with founder insight, beverage industry strategy, and a powerful reminder that great brands can do good while growing fast.

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