How A Gut Health Journey Turned Into A Beverage Brand Revolution

In a crowded beverage market dominated by sugary, traditional options, Halfday is carving a new path with its prebiotic-infused iced teas. I sat down with co-founder Mike Lombardo to hear the story behind the brand’s creation and growth, starting from a personal health journey to a successful product on shelves nationwide. In this interview, we dive into Halfday’s origin story, its innovative approach to flavor and health, and how the brand is challenging industry norms.

Dave Knox: Let’s start with the origin story. What inspired you to launch Halfday?

Mike Lombardo: Halfday started when my co-founder, Kayvon, was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at 18. As part of improving his microbiome, he began experimenting with prebiotics to boost his gut health. Eventually, he started adding prebiotics to the teas he made daily. One summer, he put it in iced tea, and that was the beginning of it.

Knox: When did you realize there was a business opportunity here?

Lombardo: What’s interesting about our origin is that it started so naturally. Kayvon and I were hanging out when he shared the tea with me. We liked it and thought others might too. We decided to test it at a farmer’s market, partly to get some hands-on experience over the summer. As we expanded, we noticed a lack of iced teas that resonated with us as millennials. Looking at the iced tea market, we saw that the leading brands were nearly 50 years old and hadn’t seen innovation. We also realized that 95% of Americans aren’t getting enough fiber, and over half of sugar consumption in the U.S. comes from beverages. This all led us to see an opportunity.

Knox: Over the past few years, prebiotics have exploded in popularity across beverages and supplements. Why did you choose to incorporate them into a beverage?

Lombardo: Beverages are a great form factor for prebiotics because they’re consumed regularly. Iced tea is a large category worth nearly $8 billion in the U.S., and people typically drink it for refreshment. It’s an ideal opportunity to add functionality without compromising the enjoyment. I remember growing up and seeing my mom mix Benefiber into water every night, grimacing as she drank it. I think our product offers a better way to get those fiber benefits — it’s delicious and easy to integrate into your routine.

Knox: In the early days, how did you find a co-packer and manufacturer to turn your homemade product into something for retail?

Lombardo: It was a wild journey. We didn’t know much about the industry, so we started Googling things like “bottlers near me.” Eventually, we learned about co-packers and pieced together a supply chain. It took us from 2017 until 2021 to truly understand what it takes to scale a product like this. When it came time to launch, we found a co-packer who could fit us into their schedule — just in time for a retailer to pick us up.

Knox: What was that first major retail deal, and how did it come about?

Lombardo: It’s crazy — we actually sold into our first retailer while Kayvon was recovering from surgery in the hospital. He reached out to Giant, a retailer in the Philadelphia area, via LinkedIn, and they liked the concept. Despite not having samples, they asked if we could deliver in six weeks. That’s when the scramble began to turn our samples into a product for shelves.

Knox: You recently did a rebrand. What led to that decision, and how’s it going so far?

Lombardo: The rebrand was essential as we expanded from 2,000 to 7,000 doors in six months. We realized we could do a better job of communicating who we are and what makes us different from other sugary iced teas. The rebrand was a year in the making, but we wanted a timeless, premium feel that resonated with our core demographic. It was important for us that the brand didn’t feel gimmicky but rather like a staple beverage.

Knox: How have you approached flavor innovation, and where do you plan to go next?

Lombardo: Early on, we Googled the top-selling iced tea flavors and started with lemon, peach, and green tea with honey and ginseng. We wanted three SKUs to start, as two felt too few, and four would complicate our logistics. As we expanded, we launched new flavors like raspberry and a sweet tea with only five grams of sugar. Our latest launch is a half-and-half iced tea lemonade, also with just five grams of sugar.

Knox: How do you decide where to innovate next?

Lombardo: The fun part of innovation is that we don’t have to stick to traditional flavors. We can experiment. This summer, we’re launching a limited-edition flavor exclusively with Whole Foods. It’s not your typical iced tea flavor but fits well with summer. Our goal is to create new classics that will define the next generation of iced tea drinkers.

Knox: Iced tea has regional and generational variations. How does your marketing approach these differences?

Lombardo: Regionality is definitely something we pay attention to. For example, sweet tea is big in the South, so we focus on that in Southern markets. Our brand name, Halfday, resonates with an active lifestyle, and we try to meet consumers where they are. For instance, we recently sent product to the Masters, where half-and-half iced tea is a popular flavor, to tap into the golf crowd. We think strategically about how to activate around specific flavors and locations.

Knox: You and Kayvon didn’t have industry experience when you started. How has that influenced your approach?

Lombardo: Not having industry experience was actually a big advantage. We didn’t know how hard it would be, and that gave us the freedom to try things without fear of failure. We were just excited about the brand. We reached out to experienced people, and they were happy to help because we were passionate and open to learning. That openness helped us build a network of supporters and mentors who later became part of our team.

Knox: As the team has grown, how has your approach to building the team evolved?

Lombardo: It started with just Kayvon and me, but we knew we needed more expertise. As we built relationships, we tapped into people who had the skills we lacked. When the time came to grow our team, those same people were eager to join because they had been part of the journey. We focused on hiring people with more experience than us and made sure they could bring something unique to the table.

Knox: How do consumer behaviors impact your innovation and business growth?

Lombardo: Flavor has become a bigger priority. Early on, functional benefits mattered most, but consumers now expect great-tasting products that also offer health benefits. People are more willing to accept some sugar if the flavor is right. We also see more awareness around prebiotics and gut health, and we’ve updated our packaging to highlight that. Meeting consumers where they are has been key to our growth.

Knox: What’s next for Halfday in the coming years?

Lombardo: We’re launching a new flavor and expanding into multi-pack formats to meet consumer demand. We’re also launching in Big Geyser in New York City, which is exciting because it’s a major market for ready-to-drink tea. On the marketing front, we’re leaning into our brand name with a campaign focused on taking time off. We’re encouraging people to take PTO, and the response has been great — we’ve had almost 1,000 submissions in the first few days. There’s a lot more to come as we continue to grow.