"If someone would have told me I needed $300,000 or $400,000 to start the company, I probably wouldn't have done it," he said.
Bossa Nova got another boost at the 2005 Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, Johnson's first trade show. He left with orders to ship his acai juice to 1,000 stores across the country.
"The most expensive thing we ever did was go to a trade show and have retailers demand the product," he said.
Another recession, another push: Since 2005, Bossa Nova has grown into a self-sufficient and profitable company, Johnson said. He was able to pay back loans from his family by 2006. Last year, the company reached more than $10 million in sales, and the brand expanded to 10 natural juices, adding goji, acerola and mangosteen to the list.
But then the economy went bad. Although the company proved it could stand on its own and probably would make it through the recession without shrinking, Johnson said, growth for Bossa Nova was looking less certain.
"When you're going into an economic crisis, if you can, that is the moment to invest aggressively and establish your brand while your competition cuts back," he said.
The big sale: The opportunity to invest in and expand the brand came in March, when serious discussions began between Beverages Holdings and Bossa Nova.
Rather than retain the independence of his company, Johnson chose the financial stability, marketing muscle and wider distribution that Beverages Holdings offered.
"Twice, a recession has forced decisions that turned out to be extremely necessary for the company -- starting Bossa Nova and now selling it."
For a company born from hardship, the challenge now will be to avoid getting too comfortable, Johnson said.
"Economic stability, comfort -- these things are truly enemies of innovation."
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nathan.olivarezgiles@latimes.com
