Me & the Bees
Me & the Bees is a privately held Austin, Texas-based beverage company that produces and distributes premium honey-sweetened ready-to-drink lemonade in five flavors, selling direct-to-consumer, through national retailers like Whole Foods and Target, and via foodservice distributors across all 50 U.S. states.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersAustin, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Me & the Bees does
Me & the Bees is a privately held, founder-led consumer packaged goods company based in Austin, Texas, that produces and markets a premium ready-to-drink honey-sweetened lemonade brand. Founded in 2009 by Mikaila Ulmer at age four and a half, the company sells five core flavors (Classic, Black Cherry, Passion Fruit, Prickly Pear, and Very Berry) plus a Variety Pack, all packaged in 12-fluid-ounce aluminum cans and formulated with U.S. Grade-A honey, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, flaxseed with omega-3s, and no artificial ingredients. The company is certified non-GMO, gluten-free, dairy-free, and is a certified National Minority Supplier. Products are produced in a U.S. commercial food processing facility.
The company operates a multi-channel distribution model that combines direct-to-consumer e-commerce via its Shopify storefront at a uniform $27.99 per 12-pack case (with bulk discounts for 6+ cases), national retail presence across Whole Foods Market, Target, World Market, H-E-B, and The Fresh Market, online marketplaces including Amazon and Instacart, and foodservice distribution through Sodexo, Delaware North, Foodbuy/Compass, and Sysco. Wholesale distribution is managed through UNFI, KeHE, Farm to Table, and Ben E Keith. The company also operates a non-profit arm, the Healthy Hive Foundation, dedicated to bee conservation.
Me & the Bees monetizes primarily through unit-priced packaged beverage sales across consumer, retail, and foodservice channels. Its pricing is uniform across flavors at $27.99 per 12-pack case with tiered bulk and wholesale structures for offices, schools, small retailers, and pallet-quantity distributors. The company is majority founder-owned, received an undisclosed investment from Daymond John following its 2015 appearance on ABC's Shark Tank, and raised $1,160,000 in a subsequent funding round in 2018. It is not publicly traded, has no disclosed institutional controlling stake, and has 11–50 employees.
Me & the Bees firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Me & the Bees
- Legal name
- Me & the Bees Lemonade Company
- Website
- https://meandthebees.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Me & the Bees is a privately held Austin, Texas-based beverage company that produces and distributes premium honey-sweetened ready-to-drink lemonade in five flavors, selling direct-to-consumer, through national retailers like Whole Foods and Target, and via foodservice distributors across all 50 U.S. states.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Me & the Bees industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Premium Ready-to-Drink Lemonade Beverages
- NAICS
- Soft Drink Manufacturing (312111)
- SIC
- Beverages (2080)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Non-Carbonated Soft Drinks (Juice Drinks, Lemonades, Fruit Drinks) (CRADAHAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Still Soft Drinks & Flavored Waters (Non-Carbonated) (AFAFABAB)
Keywords
Where Me & the Bees is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Austin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Me & the Bees business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Direct E-commerce Sales: The company sells products directly to consumers through its Shopify-powered e-commerce storefront at $27.99 per 12-pack case. Bulk discounts are available for orders of 6+ cases.
- Retail Distribution: Products sold through major national retailers including Whole Foods Market, Target, World Market, H-E-B, and The Fresh Market, as well as regional grocers and local specialty shops. Distribution managed through UNFI, KeHE, Farm to Table, and Ben E Keith.
- Online Marketplace Sales: Products available through Amazon and Instacart, enabling consumers to purchase for home delivery.
- Foodservice Distribution: Products distributed through foodservice operators including Delaware North, Sodexo, and Foodbuy/Compass for restaurants, hotels, and other food service venues.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Case (12-pack) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Bulk Orders (6+ Cases) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Small Retailer/Foodservice (10+ 12-packs) |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Wholesale/Pallet Quantities |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels11 records
Marketing channels8 records
Me & the Bees product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Me & the Bees produces and sells premium ready-to-drink honey-sweetened lemonade beverages in five flavors (Classic, Black Cherry, Passion Fruit, Prickly Pear, Very Berry) plus a Variety Pack, packaged in 12-fluid-ounce 100% recyclable aluminum cans. Products are formulated with U.S. Grade-A honey, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, flaxseed with Omega-3s, and cane sugar, and are certified non-GMO, gluten-free, and dairy-free. The company sells direct-to-consumer via e-commerce and distributes nationally through major retail chains and foodservice operators.
Product overview
Me & the Bees is a sustainable, all-natural beverage company offering honey-sweetened lemonades. The product portfolio consists of five core ready-to-drink lemonade flavors (Classic, Black Cherry, Passion Fruit, Prickly Pear, and Very Berry) packaged in 12-fluid-ounce 100% recyclable aluminum cans, plus a Lemonade Variety Pack bundling all five flavors. All products are made with U.S. Grade-A honey, real lemon juice, flaxseed with omega-3s, and natural sweeteners, and are certified gluten-free, non-GMO, dairy-free, and free of high-fructose corn syrup and artificial ingredients. The company sells direct-to-consumer via their Shopify-powered online store at $27.99 per unit/case, and distributes nationally through retailers including Whole Foods, Target, H-E-B, and World Market.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Healthy Hive Foundation: A non-profit foundation launched by Me & the Bees Lemonade in 2016 dedicated to bee conservation and supporting pollinators.
Products and services
- Classic Lemonade Original honey-sweetened lemonade honoring founder Mikaila's great-granny Helen's 1940s cookbook recipe. Made with filtered water, honey, cane sugar, lemon juice concentrate, natural flavors, and flaxseed extract. Packaged in 12-fluid-ounce recyclable aluminum cans, priced at $27.99 per 12-pack case.
- Black Cherry Lemonade All-natural lemonade blending ripe dark cherries with fresh lemon juice for a sweet-and-tart profile. Sweetened with honey and made with dark sweet cherry juice concentrate, natural vegetable color, and flaxseed extract, packaged in 12-fluid-ounce aluminum cans.
- Passion Fruit Lemonade
- Prickly Pear Lemonade
- Very Berry Lemonade
- Lemonade Variety Pack
Quantifiable outcome
- 27-30 grams of sugar per 12-ounce serving
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Me & the Bees
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Me & the Bees technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Me & the Bees partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Lemonade DayminorNational non-profit organization that empowers children through experiential entrepreneurship. Mikaila Ulmer was elected to the Board of Directors in October 2024.
- Healthy Hive FoundationcoreCompany-founded non-profit foundation dedicated to supporting bee conservation and protecting pollinators. The foundation was established from the company's mission to share profits with organizations helping to save the bees.
- UNFI (United Natural Foods)coreMajor food distributor for retail channel, enabling nationwide distribution to grocery stores and retailers.
- KeHEcoreNatural and organic specialty distributor serving retail partners.
- Farm to TableminorRegional food distributor supporting retail distribution.
- Ben E KeithminorRegional wholesale distributor for food and beverages.
- Delaware NorthcoreHospitality and food service company, distributing products to restaurants, hotels, and entertainment venues.
- SodexocoreGlobal food services and facilities management company, distributing to institutional food service locations.
- Foodbuy/CompasscoreFoodservice procurement and distribution partner for Compass Group companies.
- SyscocoreGlobal food service distribution company, providing broad foodservice channel access.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Me & the Bees competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Newman's Own: Premium bottled lemonade and juice brand with a mission-driven nonprofit model (100% profits to charity). Most direct competitor on product, premium positioning, and mission-based brand storytelling.
- Olipop: Premium better-for-you functional soda with low-sugar, clean-label positioning. Competes for the same health-conscious consumer in the same retail aisles (Whole Foods, Target) with similar DTC + foodservice model.
- Spindrift: Premium sparkling water made with real fruit and no artificial ingredients. Closely comparable on premium natural RTD positioning, clean-label certifications, and DTC + national retail distribution strategy.
- Califia Farms: Premium plant-based beverages (lemonades, oatmilk, cold brew) sold through Whole Foods, Target, and natural foods distributors. Comparable on premium natural positioning, multi-flavor portfolio, and broad retail + foodservice distribution.
- Santa Cruz Organic: Organic juices and lemonades sold primarily through natural and grocery channels. Direct competitor in premium organic RTD lemonade with overlapping retail presence.
- Health-Ade Kombucha: Premium functional beverage with strong Whole Foods and natural channel presence. Comparable on premium positioning, founder-driven brand, and clean-label certifications.
- Suja Life: Premium organic cold-pressed juices and functional beverages. Comparable on natural/organic positioning, multi-SKU portfolio, and distribution through Whole Foods and natural foods distributors.
- RISE Brewing Co. Premium RTD nitro cold brew and oat milk lattes with clean-label positioning. Comparable on premium natural RTD beverage category, DTC-first growth, and Whole Foods/natural channel distribution.
Broad incumbents
- Simply Lemonade (The Coca-Cola Company): Mass-market premium-positioned lemonade brand owned by Coca-Cola. Competes head-to-head on shelf but at much larger scale and lower price points; sets the mainstream benchmark Me & the Bees must differentiate against.
- Country Time (Kraft Heinz): Mass-market powdered and bottled lemonade from Kraft Heinz. Defines the entry-level price/value end of the category against which Me & the Bees positions as a premium alternative.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Me & the Bees social profiles
Digital presenceMe & the Bees compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
Me & the Bees financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Me & the Bees leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Me & the Bees funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Me & the Bees M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Me & the Bees
What does Me & the Bees do?
Me & the Bees produces and sells premium ready-to-drink honey-sweetened lemonade beverages in five flavors (Classic, Black Cherry, Passion Fruit, Prickly Pear, Very Berry) plus a Variety Pack, packaged in 12-fluid-ounce 100% recyclable aluminum cans. Products are formulated with U.S. Grade-A honey, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, flaxseed with Omega-3s, and cane sugar, and are certified non-GMO, gluten-free, and dairy-free. The company sells direct-to-consumer via e-commerce and distributes nationally through major retail chains and foodservice operators.
Is Me & the Bees a public or private company?
Me & the Bees is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Me & the Bees founded?
Me & the Bees was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Me & the Bees based?
Me & the Bees is headquartered in Austin, United States, in the North America region.
How does Me & the Bees make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Direct E-commerce Sales are the primary driver. The others are retail Distribution, online Marketplace Sales and foodservice Distribution.
Who are Me & the Bees's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Newman's Own, Olipop, Spindrift, Califia Farms, Santa Cruz Organic, Health-Ade Kombucha, Suja Life and RISE Brewing Co.. Broad incumbents are Simply Lemonade (The Coca-Cola Company) and Country Time (Kraft Heinz).
Does Me & the Bees have an API?
No public API is recorded for Me & the Bees.
What industry is Me & the Bees in?
Me & the Bees's product category is Premium Ready-to-Drink Lemonade Beverages. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADAHAB, Non-Carbonated Soft Drinks (Juice Drinks, Lemonades, Fruit Drinks), with a secondary code of AFAFABAB, Still Soft Drinks & Flavored Waters (Non-Carbonated). Its NAICS code is 312111 and its SIC code is 2080.