Forbes features Milo’s Tea Company on cover

Yesterday, Forbes put a beloved local brand in the national spotlight: the iconic Milo’s Tea Company. Read on to see what the global business magazine had to say about the family-owned tea company that dates back to 1946.

Milo’s Tricia Wallwork makes it on the cover of Forbes

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If you’re a regular reader of Forbes, you might have recognized a familiar face as you scrolled through the front page on Sunday, January 25. Forbes spotlighted Tricia Wallwork—the Chair and CEO of Milo’s Tea Company—in an article titled, “How America’s Most Popular Tea Company Brewed Up a $1.7 Billion Family Fortune.”

“It is an honor to be featured for our remarkable growth in national publications like Forbes. It reflects TEAm Milo’s dedication to excellence; trusted partnership with our customers, suppliers, and the communities we call home; and support from our loyal fans who have invited us to their tables and gatherings for generations.

When a Birmingham-based brand receives national attention, it shines a spotlight on our community’s entrepreneurial spirit and proves that our bench of talent in the consumer packaged goods industry is strong.”

Atticus Rominger, VP of Communications and Community Affairs, Milo’s Tea Company

Forbes’ recognition spotlights the rise of Milo’s Tea Company from a humble offshoot of the Milo’s Hamburgers, a Birmingham-based restaurant chain founded in 1946 by Milo and Bea Carlton. In the 1980s, the restaurant started selling their popular sweet tea at local markets and stores like Piggly Wiggly after noticing that customers were buying their sweet tea to-go.

Although the Carlton family sold the Milo’s Hamburgers business in 2002, it held on to the tea company.

Today, Milo’s is America’s top-selling refrigerated tea brand—largely thanks to the leadership of Chair and CEO Tricia Wallwork.

Flashback: In November, Tricia Wallwork was the awarded the Entrepreneur Of The Year® US Family Business Award by global professional services organization Ernst & Young.

Since she took the reins 13 years ago, Milo’s Tea Company has grown from 40 employees in one facility to more than a thousand employees in three plants, producing nearly 62 million cases of tea and lemonade—with nine different flavors in various sizes—each year.

That hard work pays off. According to Forbes, Milo’s is on track to hit $1 billion in retail sales by the end of 2026, a full year ahead of initial projections.

What Milo’s recognition means for Birmingham

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The recognition of Milo’s is more than just a business headline—it’s a big win for the region that helps reinforce Birmingham’s reputation as a hub for local, homegrown brands turned national success stories.

“We’re proud to celebrate a brand that reflects the values and entrepreneurial spirit of our region. The success of Milo’s Tea Company is a powerful example of what’s possible in Birmingham, and stories like this reinforce our reputation as a place people want to visit, invest, and do business.”

Dan Williams, President and CEO, Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau

Excited to see Milo’s Tea Company spotlighted in Forbes? Tag us @bhamnow to let us know!