Is Honest Tea Discontinued? What Happened to the Beloved Brand

January 2, 2026 •

3 min read

In May 2022, Coca-Cola announced its decision to phase out the Honest Tea bottled beverages by the end of the year. For nearly 25 years, the brand had built a loyal following with its organic and 'just a tad sweet' drinks, leaving many consumers wondering: is Honest Tea discontinued?.

Quick Summary

Honest Tea's discontinuation by Coca-Cola at the end of 2022 was driven by a portfolio strategy shift and pandemic-related supply chain issues. The company prioritized its more profitable Gold Peak and Peace Tea brands, while Honest Kids juices remained. Honest Tea's founder has launched a new, mission-driven alternative named Just Ice Tea.

Key Points

Discontinued by Coca-Cola: The bottled Honest Tea product line was officially phased out by parent company Coca-Cola by the end of 2022.
Strategic Shift: Coca-Cola's decision was driven by a desire to streamline its portfolio and focus resources on more profitable brands like Gold Peak and Peace Tea.
Honest Kids Survived: The Honest Kids line of organic juice pouches was not discontinued and remains available.
New Brand from Founder: Honest Tea co-founder Seth Goldman launched a new brand, Just Ice Tea, to continue the original mission of providing organic, Fair Trade certified beverages.
Just Ice Tea is the Replacement: For consumers looking for a direct substitute, Just Ice Tea is the closest option, offering similar flavors and upholding the original brand's ethical standards.
Supply Chain Issues: Pandemic-era logistical and supply chain challenges were cited as contributing factors in the decision to cut the Honest Tea line.
Legacy Continues: While the Honest Tea name is no longer used for bottled tea, its legacy of organic and less-sweet options lives on through Just Ice Tea.

Yes, Honest Tea was officially discontinued

In May 2022, Coca-Cola announced it would phase out the Honest Tea bottled beverage line by the end of that year. This decision marked the end of the brand's presence on shelves after nearly 25 years. Coca-Cola stated this was part of a broader strategy to simplify its portfolio and concentrate on brands with higher growth potential and profitability. The discontinuation applied to the bottled teas but did not affect the Honest Kids juice pouch products, which continue to be available.

The Reason Behind the Discontinuation

Several factors led to the discontinuation of Honest Tea. Coca-Cola explained it was prioritizing its more successful and scalable brands, such as Gold Peak and Peace Tea. The company also mentioned that challenges with supply chains and logistics, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, played a role in focusing resources on its most popular offerings.

The Founder's Response and the Birth of a New Brand

Seth Goldman, co-founder of Honest Tea, described Coca-Cola's decision as a "gut punch". However, he quickly responded to consumer demand for mission-driven, less-sweet beverages by launching a new brand, Just Ice Tea, with many former Honest Tea team members. Just Ice Tea aims to continue the legacy of its predecessor by offering organic and Fair Trade certified drinks, emphasizing social and environmental justice.

A Tale of Two Tea Brands: Honest Tea vs. Just Ice Tea

The creation of Just Ice Tea by Seth Goldman reflects a commitment to the values that defined Honest Tea. While Coca-Cola's focus shifted towards other brands, Just Ice Tea was specifically developed to appeal to the original Honest Tea consumer base.


Feature	Honest Tea (Discontinued)	Just Ice Tea (Current)
Parent Company	Coca-Cola	Eat the Change (founded by Seth Goldman)
Status	Discontinued (End of 2022)	Active and Available
Key Values	Organic, "Just a Tad Sweet"	Organic, Fair Trade, "Just a Tad Sweet"
Production	Phased out by Coca-Cola	Started quickly to recapture market
Availability	No longer available	Expanding nationally in retail

Where to Find Your Honest Tea Replacements

Just Ice Tea is the closest option for those seeking beverages similar to Honest Tea. The new brand offers flavors designed to be reminiscent of popular Honest Tea varieties, with Goldman actively involved in maintaining the taste and mission. Just Ice Tea products can be found in various grocery and natural food stores.

What happened to Honest Tea's brand name?

Coca-Cola retained ownership of the Honest brand name and intellectual property, allowing the Honest Kids juice line to continue. While the bottled teas were discontinued, the brand name itself remains with Coca-Cola. There has been no indication of plans to revive the bottled tea under the Honest name.

Conclusion

In summary, Honest Tea's bottled beverages were discontinued by Coca-Cola at the close of 2022 due to strategic business decisions and supply chain issues. However, the commitment to organic and Fair Trade practices continues through Just Ice Tea, a new brand founded by Honest Tea's original co-founder, Seth Goldman. While the Honest brand name persists for the Honest Kids juice line under Coca-Cola, Just Ice Tea aims to carry forward the original tea brand's values and mission.

A Final Word on the Legacy

Honest Tea's legacy highlights the appeal of mission-driven brands focusing on organic and ethically sourced ingredients. Although its corporate journey with Coca-Cola concluded, the launch of Just Ice Tea demonstrates the potential for these values to endure and be re-established by founders after corporate changes.

The Impact on Organic Farmers

The discontinuation significantly impacted the small-scale organic and Fair Trade farmers who supplied ingredients to Honest Tea. These farmers, who often learned of the decision informally, relied on Honest Tea's business. Seth Goldman's Just Ice Tea initiative is working to reconnect with these suppliers to continue supporting their work.

Finding the Right Replacement

Exploring Just Ice Tea is recommended for former Honest Tea drinkers. Additionally, consumers might consider other organic or less-sweet iced tea brands, comparing them to find a suitable alternative, though Just Ice Tea is often cited as the closest match.

A Quick List of What Happened:

May 2022: Coca-Cola announces the discontinuation of bottled Honest Tea.
End of 2022: Honest Tea products are phased out from store shelves.
Reasons: Strategic portfolio review and pandemic-related supply chain issues.
What remained: The Honest Kids juice line continued under Coca-Cola.
New Brand: Original founder Seth Goldman launches Just Ice Tea.
Mission Continues: Just Ice Tea continues the organic and Fair Trade mission.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, Honest Tea was officially discontinued by its parent company, Coca-Cola, at the end of 2022, though the Honest Kids line of juice pouches was not.

Coca-Cola cited a shift in corporate strategy to focus on fewer, more profitable, and scalable beverage brands, such as Gold Peak and Peace Tea. The company also mentioned pandemic-related supply chain issues that necessitated prioritizing its most successful brands.

Honest Tea was founded in 1998 by Seth Goldman and Barry Nalebuff. Goldman went on to launch a new brand, Just Ice Tea, after Honest Tea was discontinued by Coca-Cola.

The most direct replacement for Honest Tea is Just Ice Tea, a new brand launched by original founder Seth Goldman. It carries on the mission of offering organic and Fair Trade certified, less-sweet bottled teas.

No, only the Honest Tea bottled tea line was discontinued. The Honest Kids line of organic juice pouches remains in production and is still available for purchase.

Coca-Cola still owns the Honest brand name, which is why the Honest Kids juices continue to be sold. While there are no current plans to bring back the tea, the name remains part of Coca-Cola's portfolio.

While Just Ice Tea is the closest successor, other brands like Gold Peak (prioritized by Coca-Cola) and Peace Tea offer alternatives. For a focus on organic, other brands can be found in natural food stores.