I’m a huge fan of social ventures–companies out to make a profit and make the world a better place. One of my favorites is Honest Tea. It’s a great product–organic tea made from real leaves with no or very little sugar. And it’s a great company–dedicated to integrity and sustainability, in the broader sense of the word. (Sustainability is not just about the environment anymore).

But lately the Honest Tea founders have been lambasted by some in the sustainability arena for a decision to sell a 40% stake in their company to Coca-Cola and it’s really ticking me off.

Yes, Coca Cola has a lot of issues they need to address. But taking a purist viewpoint here means overlooking the fact that the relative profits Coca-Cola will get from Honest Tea are probably far less than the positive benefits of giving the product a strong national distribution platform. It means Honest Tea will be buying more ingredients from more organic farmers, contributing more money to the social causes the products support, providing a great-tasting, healthy low- or no-calorie beverage choice to vastly more people, and expanding opportunities to work for an employee-friendly company.

Running a beverage company is a challenging endeavor. Production, financing, food safety regulations–but most of all getting on the shelves in an industry dominated by two global powerhouses. The more time you end up bogged down in these issues, the less time you have to focus on the reasons you started the company.

As for the deal itself, the founders did not just take the money and run. They negotiated a riskier deal that allows them to maintain management of the company. And if there’s one thing Coca-Cola understands , it is branding (aside from the New Coke debacle). They would be complete idiots to invest this money and then force any changes that would hurt the Honest Tea brand. If they do, then I’ll reconsider my support. But until then, I’m looking forward to cheering on the small, social company making it to the big leagues–and being able to get my Peach Oo-la-long and Assam Black Honest Teas wherever I go.