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Michael Kirban

Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, The Vita Coco

Search every verified Michael Kirban interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Michael Kirban, co-founder and executive chairman of The Vita Coco, discussed the company's early struggles and growth in a recent podcast appearance. He recounted that the company, founded in 2004, did not turn a profit until 2011, and that he personally maxed out credit cards, missed payroll, and paid himself $60,000 annually even as sales approached $100 million. Kirban described the company's origin story, including a realization at a bar in Brazil, and detailed how Vita Coco built a supply chain advantage by partnering with coconut processors to bottle what was previously discarded liquid, which he said improved margins and created a competitive barrier. Kirban also shared his approach to entrepreneurship, contrasting his company's speed with a competitor that spent two years on a business plan before launching the same week as Vita Coco. He credited the company's success in part to securing long-term licensing agreements with suppliers, which he described as a strategic move that competitors would find difficult to replicate. Additionally, he noted that celebrities, including Madonna, took the entire $10 million round of funding, and he expressed optimism about the brand's growing appeal among teenagers.

Recent appearances

  • How Vita Coco Built a $700M Business in a Market That Didn't Exist | Built Different

    October 09, 2026 · 📺 Yahoo Finance and Ian Schwartzman

    Michael Kirban co-founded Vita Coco in 2004 and didn't turn a profit until 2011. He maxed out credit cards, missed payroll, and by his account was paying himself $60,000 a year as sales reached around $100 million. The Vita Coco co-founder and executive chairman tells Ian Schwartzman how a waterfall of discarded coconut water in the Philippines became a supply chain no competitor can match, how Madonna and a group of celebrities took his entire $10 million round, and why the brand is now winning over teenagers. Timestamps 00:00 Intro 00:55 The Brazilian bar origin story 02:38 Creating a categ…

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  • How Success Happens - Snack: Vita Coco

    August 10, 2026 · 📺 safa vlogs

    This week Dan chats with Mike Kirban, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Vita Coco. Mike shares the brand’s original goals (to fund some really awesome parties) and how it grew to capture a massive share of the $1.2 billion coconut water category — not to mention Madonna’s attention. Mike is a big advocate for working hard, jumping on lucky opportunities and taking advantage of the mental and physical benefits of a daily power nap. You will not want to hit the snooze bar on this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices (https://megaphone.fm/adchoices) Episode…

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  • Vita Coco Co-Founder Mike Kirban on How They Beat Coca-Cola

    February 26, 2026 · 📺 Executive House

    “There were a lot of moments that felt like failure,” says Mike Kirban, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Vita Coco. From early supply chain challenges to competing with giants like Coke, building the coconut water category was far from smooth. In this episode of The CEO Series, William Salvi sits down with Mike to talk about taking a simple idea from Brazil and turning it into Vita Coco, navigating the lowest moments of his career, standing up to major beverage players, and what changed when he stepped into the Executive Chairman role. 🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for m…

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  • Vita Coco Co-Founder Mike Kirban Talks Coconut Water | Bloomberg Talks

    April 02, 2024 · 📺 Bloomberg Podcasts

    Mike Kirban, co-founder and executive chair of The Vita Coco Company talks about growth for the brand and about the beverage sector broadly. He speaks with hosts Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec. See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information. Bloomberg Talks curates top interviews from around Bloomberg News. Hear conversations with the biggest names in finance, politics and entertainment. On Bloomberg Talks, we round up interviews with Fortune 500 CEOs, government officials, well-known investors and business leaders. Listen to more Bloomberg Talks:    •…

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  • Vita Coco's Journey From Bodega Shelves to B-Corp | Fast Company

    November 15, 2022 · 📺 Fast Company

    Vita Coco's co-founder Mike Kirban describes how the company went from getting its start in the bodegas of New York City to founding a charitable arm to build schools for the farmers who grow their coconuts. Fast Company is the world's leading progressive business media brand, with a unique editorial focus on innovation in technology, leadership, and design. Follow us on:   / fastcompany     / fastcompany     / fastcompany     / fast-company  

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  • Vita Coco goes public via IPO, starts trading on Nasdaq at $15 a share

    October 21, 2021 · 📺 CNBC Television

    Mike Kirban, Vita Coco co-founder and co-CEO, joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss the company's first day of trade, how they have strength over Coca-Cola in coconut supply chains and potential company growth opportunity. For access to live and exclusive video from CNBC subscribe to CNBC PRO: https://cnb.cx/2NGeIvi » Subscribe to CNBC TV: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBCtelevision » Subscribe to CNBC: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBC » Subscribe to CNBC Classic: https://cnb.cx/SubscribeCNBCclassic Turn to CNBC TV for the latest stock market news and analysis. From market futures to live price u…

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  • It'll All Be Ok with Michael Kirban, CEO and Co-Founder of Vita Coco

    September 21, 2020 · 📺 Braintrust

    Vita Coco CEO and Co-Founder, Michael Kirban, was diagnosed with learning disabilities as a child and placed in special education classes that he and his peers dubbed "the romper room." Despite not being school smart, or perhaps because of it, Michael learned to see and create other opportunities for himself. That grit and fearlessness, plus his father's unwavering support, have helped Michael to achieve incredible success in business and beyond. His advice for those struggling in school (and their worried parents) – chill out! It'll all be okay. Visit braintrusttutors.com to learn more about…

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  • The Epic Table Podcast - Ep. 13: Mike Kirban

    August 07, 2019 · 📺 Dan Churchill

    Friends! Welcome back to the Epic Table Podcast! Today's guest - also friend and brother, is none other than Mike Kirban, Co-Founder & CEO of Vita Coco. He is unquestionably one of the most successful beverage entrepreneurs of all time. Since co-founding Vita Coco in 2004, Kirban has led the brand to dominate and disrupt the coconut water industry, all the while committing to raising coconut farming communities out of poverty through their philosophy of Give, Grow, Guide. Today, Vita Coco coconut water is available in over 75,000 stores in 13 countries world wide. These days Mike is doing it a…

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  • Vita Coco | Real Biz with Rebecca Jarvis | ABC News

    February 17, 2016 · 📺 ABC News

    Episode 78: Vita Coco co-founder and CEO Michael Kirban joins Rebecca Jarvis on Real Biz. See how a casual conversation in a bar turned into a billion dollar idea. REAL BIZ WITH REBECCA JARVIS is a weekly show hosted by ABC News Chief Business and Economics Correspondent Rebecca Jarvis featuring the biggest names in biz, food, sports, music, fashion, startups – everyone who’s changing the game, and redefining the rules. For more REAL BIZ WITH REBECCA JARVIS click on the links below: SUBSCRIBE to REAL BIZ WITH REBECCA JARVIS: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIuM... FOLLOW REBECCA JARVIS o…

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  • Vita Coco Coconut Water founder Interview

    June 09, 2008 · 📺 Jack Edwin

    Vita Coco Coconut Water founder Michael Kirban interviewed on the Big Idea by Donny Deutsch.

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The summary and quote tags on this profile are produced with AI assistance from verified, first-person interview transcripts, then checked by our team to confirm the speaker's identity and the accuracy of every quote. See how we verify →