Innocent Drinks co-founder

Adam Balon and Innocent Drinks

One of three Cambridge friends who quit their jobs after a bin of empty bottles voted YES.

Adam Balon studied at the University of Cambridge, at St John's College, alongside Richard Reed and Jon Wright. Before Innocent he worked at McKinsey and Virgin Cola.

In 1998 the three friends spent six months developing smoothie recipes and £500 on fruit. They ran a stall at a London music festival and asked visitors to drop an empty bottle into a YES or NO bin on whether they should quit their jobs. The YES bin was full, and they resigned the next day.

Investors were hard to find until Maurice Pinto put in £250,000. Innocent launched its first product in 1999. Coca-Cola bought a minority stake for £30m in April 2009, raised it to 58% in 2010 and passed 90% in 2013. Sales were £247.4m in 2016.

Balon later became a director of JamJar VC, the investment firm the founders set up to back new start-ups. He also sits on the advisory panel of Piper, a private equity firm.

Read the full Innocent Drinks founder story

Where did Adam Balon study?

Adam Balon studied at the University of Cambridge, at St John's College. He met Richard Reed and Jon Wright there.

How did Adam Balon start Innocent Drinks?

Before Innocent he worked at McKinsey and Virgin Cola. In 1998 he and his two friends spent six months on recipes and £500 on fruit. They sold smoothies at a London music festival and asked people to vote YES or NO on whether they should quit their jobs. The YES bin was full.

What was Adam Balon's role at Innocent?

He was one of three co-founders and worked on the sales side of the business. Innocent launched its first product in 1999.

What does Adam Balon do now?

Balon is a director of JamJar VC, an investment firm set up by the Innocent founders to back start-ups. He also sits on the advisory panel of Piper, a private equity firm.