Honest Tea co-founder Seth Goldman has revealed the name and logo for his new iced tea venture, as well as details about its approach towards environmental sustainability, community support and fair business practices.
The new brand, dubbed Just Iced Tea, is still only a few weeks old, with Goldman confirming his intention – following Coca-Cola’s decision to discontinue Honest Tea – earlier this month to develop a new line of organic bottled teas through his current company, plant-based snack maker Eat the Change.
Though the release date is still some months away, Goldman detailed the meaning behind the brand’s name in a series of Tweets on Wednesday.
“The word ‘Just’ appeals to us for so many reasons. First, Just speaks to a set of working standards that we aspire to support,” he wrote.
By committing to Fair Trade Certified™ sourcing we support a third-party inspection system which ensures all our suppliers comply with International Labor Organization standards (including no child or prison labor) and pay the tea pluckers and factory workers a fair wage. (3/15)
— Seth Goldman (@HonestSeth) June 29, 2022
Those standards include Fair Trade Certified to ensure suppliers pay fair wages and are compliant with International Labor Organization standards. Just Iced Tea will also pay a premium on each pound of ingredients that it purchases that will go directly to workers to choose how to reinvest in their communities.
Just also speaks to our aspiration to respect and support our planet. By making all our varieties certified organic, we commit to a third-party verified approach to avoid the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, and fertilizers. (8/15)
— Seth Goldman (@HonestSeth) June 29, 2022
The brand’s name will also reflect Just’s approach to taste and formulation, Goldman said, by using recognizable (no artificial) and minimal ingredients.
You will taste the essence of the tea, and not much more. And our drinks will be either “Just sweet enough” or “Unsweetened” to accentuate the natural flavor. (13/15)
— Seth Goldman (@HonestSeth) June 29, 2022
The name “Just” could present trademark issues, however. JUST Goods, makers of eco-friendly packaged water brand JUST Water that counts artist/actor Jaden Smith as a co-founder, sued vegan product maker Just, Inc. (formerly Hampton Creek) after alleging in a 2018 lawsuit that the latter’s branding infringed on its rights to use the word on its products. The case was settled for an undisclosed amount in 2020.