10 'Indie' Brands That Got Acquired for Millions (or Billions)

The Indie-to-Corporate Pipeline

Every year, dozens of independent consumer brands get acquired by multinational corporations. These brands often started as passion projects, farmer's market vendors, or Kickstarter campaigns. They grew through authentic storytelling, social media marketing, and genuine product differentiation. Then, at some point, a corporate giant made an offer that was too good to refuse.

For consumers who chose these brands specifically because they were independent, these acquisitions can feel like betrayals. For the founders, they represent life-changing financial outcomes. And for the acquiring corporations, they provide access to loyal customers, cultural relevance, and product innovation that is nearly impossible to build internally.

Here are 10 independent brands that sold for staggering amounts, and what happened after the deal.

The List

1. Beats Electronics - Sold to Apple for $3 Billion (2014)

Founders: Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine Acquirer: Apple Founded: 2006 Acquisition price: $3 billion

Beats started as a headphone company co-founded by rapper Dr. Dre and music executive Jimmy Iovine. The brand combined celebrity endorsement, fashion-forward design, and bass-heavy sound to capture approximately 27% of the U.S. headphone market before Apple acquired it.

After acquisition: Beats thrived under Apple ownership. The brand maintained its distinct identity while gaining access to Apple's engineering (H1/H2 chips) and distribution. The Beats Music streaming service became the foundation for Apple Music. This is widely considered the most successful celebrity brand acquisition in history.

2. Dollar Shave Club - Sold to Unilever for $1 Billion (2016)

Founder: Michael Dubin Acquirer: Unilever Founded: 2011 Acquisition price: $1 billion

Dollar Shave Club disrupted the razor market with its viral 2012 YouTube video and subscription delivery model. The brand was a direct competitor to P&G's Gillette, which made it an attractive acquisition target for Unilever.

After acquisition: This is the cautionary tale on the list. Dollar Shave Club struggled under Unilever ownership, facing increased competition from Amazon and Walmart's subscription services. Founder Michael Dubin departed in 2021. Unilever eventually sold Dollar Shave Club to Nexus Capital Management in 2023 at a significant loss.

3. Burt's Bees - Sold to Clorox for $925 Million (2007)

Co-founders: Burt Shavitz and Roxanne Quimby Acquirer: The Clorox Company Founded: 1984 Acquisition price: $925 million

Burt's Bees started as a beeswax candle business in rural Maine. It grew into a natural personal care brand beloved by eco-conscious consumers. Clorox acquired it for nearly $1 billion, a surprising pairing given Clorox's association with bleach and chemical cleaning products.

After acquisition: Burt's Bees has thrived under Clorox. The brand expanded its product line, maintained its natural positioning, and grew distribution. Clorox used Burt's Bees as a proof-of-concept for its "natural products" strategy. This is considered one of the more successful indie brand acquisitions.

4. SodaStream - Sold to PepsiCo for $3.2 Billion (2018)

Founded: 1903 (modern version revived in the 2000s) Acquirer: PepsiCo Acquisition price: $3.2 billion

SodaStream, the at-home carbonation device maker, was acquired by PepsiCo for $3.2 billion. The brand appealed to PepsiCo as an environmentally friendly alternative to single-use plastic bottles and as a way to sell flavored syrups directly to consumers.

After acquisition: PepsiCo integrated SodaStream into its portfolio and began offering PepsiCo-branded syrups (Pepsi, 7UP, Mountain Dew) for the devices. The brand has maintained its identity while benefiting from PepsiCo's distribution reach.

5. Honest Tea - Sold to Coca-Cola (Gradually, 2008-2011)

Founder: Seth Goldman Acquirer: The Coca-Cola Company Founded: 1998 Acquisition price: Undisclosed (40% in 2008, remaining 60% in 2011)

Honest Tea was founded on a mission to create organic, fairly traded bottled tea. Coca-Cola acquired it gradually, first buying a 40% stake in 2008, then the remaining 60% in 2011.

After acquisition: Coca-Cola discontinued Honest Tea in 2022, replacing it with a reformulated "Honest" brand of juice drinks. Founder Seth Goldman publicly criticized the decision, saying Coca-Cola had abandoned the brand's mission. This is one of the clearest examples of a corporate acquirer destroying what made an indie brand special.

6. Native Deodorant - Sold to P&G for $100 Million (2017)

Founder: Moiz Ali Acquirer: Procter & Gamble Founded: 2015 Acquisition price: ~$100 million

Native launched as a direct-to-consumer natural deodorant brand in 2015. Just two years later, P&G acquired it for approximately $100 million. The founder, Moiz Ali, built and sold the company in roughly 28 months.

After acquisition: Native has grown significantly under P&G, expanding into body wash, toothpaste, and sunscreen. P&G maintained Native's natural positioning while leveraging its distribution to get the brand into Target, Walmart, and other mass retailers. This is considered a successful acquisition for both parties.

7. Blue Bottle Coffee - Majority Sold to Nestle for ~$500 Million (2017)

Founder: James Freeman Acquirer: Nestle (68% stake) Founded: 2002 Acquisition price: ~$500 million for 68% stake

Blue Bottle Coffee was the epitome of third-wave coffee culture: single-origin beans, pour-over methods, minimalist cafes. Nestle acquired a 68% majority stake in 2017, raising eyebrows among Blue Bottle's artisanal customer base.

After acquisition: Blue Bottle has expanded its cafe footprint and online presence under Nestle ownership while largely maintaining its premium positioning and sourcing standards. Purists have criticized some standardization, but the brand remains respected in specialty coffee circles. Nestle later acquired full ownership.

8. Casamigos Tequila - Sold to Diageo for $1 Billion (2017)

Founders: George Clooney, Rande Gerber, Mike Meldman Acquirer: Diageo Founded: 2013 Acquisition price: $700 million + $300 million in earnouts

While George Clooney is a celebrity, Casamigos was genuinely built as a small-batch tequila brand before it exploded in popularity. Diageo, the world's largest spirits company, acquired it for up to $1 billion.

After acquisition: Casamigos has become one of the top-selling premium tequilas in the U.S. under Diageo's global distribution network. The brand has thrived, making it one of the most successful brand exits in the spirits industry.

9. Kind Snacks - Sold to Mars for $5 Billion (2020)

Founder: Daniel Lubetzky Acquirer: Mars, Incorporated Founded: 2004 Acquisition price: ~$5 billion

Kind bars became ubiquitous in offices, gyms, and grocery stores. The brand's transparent packaging and "ingredients you can see and pronounce" philosophy resonated with health-conscious consumers. Mars acquired Kind for approximately $5 billion.

After acquisition: Kind has maintained its product quality and brand positioning under Mars ownership. The brand has expanded internationally and added new product lines. Founder Daniel Lubetzky initially stayed involved before transitioning away.

10. Dr Bronner's - Not For Sale (Still Independent)

Family-owned since: 1948 Revenue: ~$200+ million Status: Proudly and vocally independent

Dr Bronner's, the cult-favorite soap brand with famously verbose labels, remains one of the few major natural personal care brands that has resisted acquisition. The Bronner family has repeatedly turned down buyout offers, choosing to maintain the brand's independence, progressive values, and unique identity.

Why it matters: Dr Bronner's proves that indie brands do not have to sell. It serves as a counterexample to the "grow and exit" model that dominates the startup world. The brand generates over $200 million in annual revenue while maintaining its independence, B Corp certification, and activist mission.

The Acquisition Playbook

These acquisitions follow a consistent pattern:

Step 1: Indie brand disrupts a category through authentic marketing, better ingredients, or a new business model.

Step 2: The brand grows rapidly but needs capital for scaling manufacturing, distribution, and marketing.

Step 3: A corporate giant notices the brand taking market share and approaches with an acquisition offer.

Step 4: The founder faces a choice. Sell for a life-changing amount, or try to scale independently (with the risk that a well-funded competitor will copy the concept).

Step 5: After acquisition, results vary dramatically. Some brands thrive (Burt's Bees, Native, Casamigos). Others struggle (Dollar Shave Club, Honest Tea).

What Determines Success After Acquisition?

• Maintain operational independence
• Keep the founding team involved (at least initially)
• Retain their unique brand voice and values
• Gain access to distribution without compromising positioning

• Get absorbed into corporate structures
• Lose their founding team quickly
• Have their values overridden by corporate priorities
• Face cost-cutting that reduces product quality

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do big companies buy indie brands?

Large corporations acquire indie brands to access new customers, cultural credibility, product innovation, and growth segments that are difficult to develop internally. It is often cheaper to buy an established brand than to build one from scratch.

Do indie brands change after being acquired?

Sometimes. Products typically stay the same initially, but long-term changes may include ingredient substitutions, expanded (potentially cheaper) manufacturing, revised marketing, and pricing adjustments. The degree of change depends on how much autonomy the acquirer grants.

How can I tell if a brand has been acquired?

Check WhoBrands. We track brand ownership including acquisitions, spin-offs, and corporate changes. You can also check a brand's website for "About" or "Our Story" pages that may reference parent companies.

The Bottom Line

The indie-to-corporate pipeline is one of the defining dynamics of modern consumer goods. Scrappy startups build loyal followings, then sell to multinationals for hundreds of millions or billions of dollars. Some brands maintain their identity under corporate ownership. Others lose exactly what made them special. For consumers who care about who owns the brands they buy, these acquisitions are worth tracking.

Explore brand ownership on WhoBrands or browse all brands.

Sources

1. Apple Inc. "Beats Acquisition." Press release, May 2014. 2. Unilever. "Dollar Shave Club Acquisition." 2016. 3. Clorox. "Burt's Bees Acquisition." 2007. 4. PepsiCo. "SodaStream Acquisition." 2018. 5. Mars, Inc. "Kind Snacks Acquisition." 2020.

All brand ownership data verified through WhoBrands.com's research methodology. Last updated: February 6, 2026.