From a Williams College Idea to Earth Brands: Our Founders Featured in Trivium Venture Network
Earth Brands cofounders Peter Frelinghuysen and Misha Vitels were featured in Trivium Venture Network’s Liberal Arts Ledger, discussing how their college idea evolved into a successful company focused on sustainable foodservice packaging.
It Started at Williams College
Earth Brands began with a simple question: Why are we still using so much plastic for something as everyday as a cup?
While at Williams College, Peter and Misha started exploring what it would look like to create a better alternative to traditional single-use plastic cups. What began as an idea on campus quickly turned into a business — and eventually, their first major order of 100,000 cups.
Building a company while still in college came with plenty of challenges. From figuring out manufacturing and logistics to convincing customers to try something new, every step came with a learning curve.
But the mission remained the same: make it easier for people and businesses to choose more sustainable alternatives without sacrificing convenience, quality, or design.
From 100,000 Cups to Earth Brands
That first 100,000-cup order was just the beginning.
Since then, Earth Brands has grown into a team serving customers across the country, while continuing to expand our product offerings, partnerships, and community.
Today, Earth Cups are used by businesses, events, colleges, organizations, and brands across the country — all with the same goal of helping replace traditional single-use plastics with better alternatives.
The journey from a college idea to a growing company has certainly come with its challenges, but it’s also been one of the most rewarding parts of building Earth Brands.
What’s Next
As we continue to grow, our focus remains on making sustainable products more accessible and helping more people Drink Sustainably™.
We’re grateful to Trivium Venture Network for giving Peter and Misha the opportunity to look back on where Earth Brands started, share some of the lessons learned along the way, and talk about where we’re headed next.
Read the full feature in Trivium Venture Network’s Liberal Arts Ledger:
Read the full article →
And a big thank you to the Trivium team for sharing our story!
Frequently asked questions
- What inspired the creation of Earth Brands?
- Earth Brands was inspired by the need to reduce plastic waste, starting with a simple question about the sustainability of single-use cups.
- How did Earth Brands start from a college idea?
- Earth Brands began with cofounders Peter Frelinghuysen and Misha Vitels asking why we still use so much plastic for cups. While at Williams College, they explored creating a better alternative to traditional single-use plastic cups, which evolved into a successful business.
- What was the significance of the first order of 100,000 cups?
- The first major order of 100,000 cups marked the transition from a college idea to a business. It demonstrated the demand for sustainable alternatives and set the foundation for Earth Brands' growth.
- What challenges did the founders face while building Earth Brands?
- Building Earth Brands while still in college involved challenges like figuring out manufacturing and logistics, as well as convincing customers to try something new. Each step presented a learning curve, but their mission to promote sustainability remained consistent.
