Naman Shrestha
A childhood love for tea gave birth to Y’all Sweet Tea, founded by two best friends, Darien Craig and Brandon Echols. From dropping out of college to creating a successful business involving sweet tea, the duo also achieved their dream of pitching their company in front of some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the nation. Serving their sweet tea and pitching their business, Darien and Brandon featured in the fifth episode of ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’ season 16, and managed to secure a deal with Lori Greiner and Rashaun Williams.
Y’all Sweet Tea: Who Are They and What Do They Do?
Just like Y’all Sweet Tea, the story of its conception is also sweet and comforting, one that dates back to the childhood of founders Darien Craig and Brandon Echols, who have been best friends since they were 6. Growing up in Hayden, Alabama, they went to Hayden High School and shared a common love for sweet tea. It was in high school that Darien first had the idea to sell Sweet Tea, but it took several years of professional experience before he decided to pursue it seriously. After dropping out of college together, Darien and Brandon’s journeys differed from one another. The former started out as an Operations Assistant at Gerald Swindle Inc., before joining Commercial Printing Company as a Sales Representative. For nearly five years, from 2016 to 2021, he served as a Social Media Manager at TH Marine Supplies.
Besides being the co-founder and CEO of Y’all Sweet Tea, Darien has also been the Founder of The Outdoors Agency since November 2016. As for Brandon Echols, he has served as a General Manager at two different companies — Shakalaka and Sky Zone. Between 2016 and 2019, he was employed at New York Life Insurance Company. He had been working at Regions Bank as the Manager until 2021, when he shifted his full focus to Y’all Sweet Tea. According to Darien, he decided to pursue the idea of selling sweet tea after getting fired from a job. He said, “The week I got fired, I had $7 to my name. With the last paycheck I received, I used the $300 from that check to purchase the first jars, sugar, and tea that would eventually catapult this idea.”
Between 2015 and 2017, the duo found success at multiple festivals, where they sold freshly made sweet tea. They used to spend around $500 one weekend and make nearly $7,000. To take their tea business to the next level, they decided on the name of their company, and in 2020, they created their own blend of Black Teas that complemented their recipe. Around the same time, Darien and Brandon worked on the business strategy, came up with the logo, and created anticipation about their brand using social media and influencers. Finally, on April 10, 2021, with the launch of Y’all Sweet Tea, they achieved their mission — “Deliver True Southern Sweet Tea to as many people as possible!” Through their company, they provide premium sweet tea products in different varieties.
Y’all Sweet Tea: Where Are They Now?
After the premiere of their ‘Shark Tank’ episode in November 2024, Y’all Sweet Tea saw a massive increase in traffic and overall sales. At one instance, over 17k people were live on their website at the exact same time as opposed to the usual 4k prior to their presentation on the show. Of course, it also generated an uptick in revenue as they earned 350k on their website and over 80k on Amazon in nearly a week for about 10k orders. All of this, coupled with positive word of mouth, further propelled the company to new heights. Among their achievements, the team considers their partnership with author and cooking session, Brenda Gantt of Cooking with Brenda Gantt fame, as one of their most cherished ones.
From their launch date until today, the Andalusia, Alabama-based science teacher turned bed and breakfast owner as well as internet personality has served as a constant support to the boys and their endeavor. Apart from her, the team has garnered the support of many influencers and personalities across social media platforms over the years. In November itself, they partnered up with Sue Garrett AKA Mama Sue to announce Mama Sue’s Hot Chocolate and special edition tea bags with ‘Duck Dynasty’ fame Uncle Si-inspired Realtree camo packaging. The month of November marked the company’s biggest ever Black Friday sales (about 16,000 orders), leading to their highest ever sales in a single month, surpassing over $1 million in sales.
In just over a year, the company has only grown from strength to strength, dropping new products and garnering new fans along the way. Fast forward to February 2025, and Y’all Sweet Tea won Small Company of the Year at the Business Alabama Awards. In the same month, they announced they had secured another building opposite the one where they had been operating their business since April 2024. In the same month, they also got their tea urns set up at the iconic Golden Rule BBQ in Irondale, Alabama. In May 2025, on the occasion of their 4th birthday, the company dropped merch such as hydrojugs, pint cups, sweatshirts, and t-shirts. Thanks to Lori Greiner’s surprise, Y’all Sweet Tea was also featured on The Jennifer Hudson Show.
One can indulge in their Sweet Teas by ordering from their official website, which sells different flavored teas, such as caffeinated, decaffeinated, Georgia Peach, Strawberry Splash Bash, Snazzy Razzy, Juicy Watermelon Whirl, Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy, Mango Tango, and more. While each Flavored Tea is priced at $7.49, the caffeinated Sweet Tea is available for $7.89. Meanwhile, the decaffeinated Sweet Tea can be purchased for $9.49. They also have Shark Tank bundles — the regular ones for $28.25 and the XL ones for $37.99. Besides the Sweet Teas, they also sell seasonings of different flavors, apparel, and different kinds of drinkware. As of today, the team is proud of being dubbed #1 Selling Georgia Peach Tea. Aside from a hit social media channel, Darien Craig and Brandon Echols also host a podcast under the name of their brand. From what we can tell, with their growing fan base, strong partnerships, and rising sales, this sweet blend of Southern charm and nostalgia is on the right track to achieve further success in the market.
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