Category: Companies

Meet Our Members – Pigeon Cove Ferments (MA)

Dylan LAbbe-Lindquist, Pigeon Cove Ferments, Rockport, MA Q: When did you first discover kombucha? A: We have been consumers of kombucha for many years. I (Dylan) remember when I was a child visiting my parents’ friends’ houses where they were often brewing their own Kombucha, I remember the smell most of all. Q: Why did […]

Tuesday, 14th February 2023

Dylan LAbbe-Lindquist, Pigeon Cove Ferments, Rockport, MA

Q: When did you first discover kombucha?

A: We have been consumers of kombucha for many years. I (Dylan) remember when I was a child visiting my parents’ friends’ houses where they were often brewing their own Kombucha, I remember the smell most of all.

Q: Why did you start your own kombucha company?

A: Kristen, my wife and I started our company in 2016 with a focus on locally sourced sauerkrauts. We have also done small batch Hot sauces and salsas. We added Kombucha to our product line in 2018. Our company was a natural progression from fermenting and storing our excess produce from our gardens and evolved into what we are today. We still use ingredients from our home gardens in our sauerkrauts, kombuchas and other fermented goodies.

Q: What is your favorite flavor of kombucha? 

A: The best Kombucha I ever had was Panacea Brewing’s Oat Straw Kombucha. It had such a delicate flavor, it reminded me of the sweet smell of a hay loft.

Q: What is your former/current other life or career?

A: Kristen has a degree in sustainable agriculture and as the owner she takes care of our books, social media presence, flavor development and making sure we are all staying in line. I have a degree in Geological Sciences and business management with close to 15 years culinary experience and another 14 years as the head brewer for Cape Ann Brewing Co.

Q: What is a saying that you live by?

A: We don’t really have a saying that we live by although we do have “Get Fermented” on our cans. Be nice, be kind, there are many people going through many things you will never know. Treat everyone with kindness and respect, it’s a tough world out there.

Meet Our Members – Tonica Kombucha (CAN)

Zoey Shamai, Tonica Kombucha, Canada Q: When did you first discover kombucha? A: In 2004 while living at a Kundalini Yoga Ashram in New Mexico. Everyone was making their home brews and GTS was the only booch on the shelves in Wild Oats (now Whole Foods) back then! Q: Why did you start your own […]

Monday, 13th February 2023

Zoey Shamai, Tonica Kombucha, Canada

Q: When did you first discover kombucha?

A: In 2004 while living at a Kundalini Yoga Ashram in New Mexico. Everyone was making their home brews and GTS was the only booch on the shelves in Wild Oats (now Whole Foods) back then!

Q: Why did you start your own kombucha company?

A: I loved the immediate digestive boost I experienced with kombucha, and wanted to share it with friends and family. When the response was so incredible, the business kind of started to make itself. I quit my day job as a yoga teacher, and night job as a waitress, and the rest is history!

Q: What is your favorite flavor of Kombucha? 

A: I love Wild Brews out of Costa Rica, especially the Limon & Chlorofila flavour.

Q: What is your former/current other life or career?

A: I was a yoga teacher before starting Tonica. Now I am a full blown CEO and business woman everyday!

Q: What is a saying that you live by?

A: Let Love Rule. Believe. Receive. Flow.

Meet Our Members – Bambucha Kombucha (CA)

Michael Zonfrilli, Bambucha Kombucha, Vista, CA Q: When did you first discover kombucha? A: After college I spent a couple years living in southern Oregon on a commune called the Magic Forest Farm. This was in the 1990s before there was a bottle of commercial kombucha on the shelf, so the drum of fermenting tea […]

Monday, 6th February 2023

Michael Zonfrilli, Bambucha Kombucha, Vista, CA

Q: When did you first discover kombucha?

A: After college I spent a couple years living in southern Oregon on a commune called the Magic Forest Farm. This was in the 1990s before there was a bottle of commercial kombucha on the shelf, so the drum of fermenting tea was a total mystery to me. We didn’t flavor or do secondary fermentation, but just ladled it into cups to drink with our vegan dinners. Years later, working as a chef, my sous chef brought me a bottle of GT’s Trilogy. It blew my head off! I started growing my first modern day SCOBY a week later.

Q: Why did you start your own kombucha company?

A: When teaching at a culinary school in San Diego, I would tell my students that being a chef is great, but in my “next life” I would want to make one product perfectly and sell it. I am fortunate that I was able to find that product in kombucha and quickly realized that I could take flavor pairings inspired from different world cuisines and infuse them into this hippie juice we had been making on the farm many years ago.

Q: What is your favorite flavor of kombucha? 

A: GT’s Divine Grape. We decided not to make our own grape flavor, because why mess with perfection!

Q: What is your former/current other life or career?

A: Everything I had learned as a professional chef translated perfectly into commercial kombucha brewing. Fermentation, ingredient sourcing and purchasing, classic flavor pairings, sanitation and food safety, high volume production, knowledge of the hospitality industry and enough connections to get those first kegs out the door. Having a trained palate also helped in balancing taste, flavor, acidity and sweetness which is so important in making a kombucha that has a mainstream appeal.

Q: What is a saying that you live by?

A: Make it nice or make it twice.

Meet Our Members – Cultura Viva Kombucha (ITA)

Stefano Zenezini, Cultura Viva Kombucha, Italy Q: When did you first discover kombucha? A: Back in 2007, my wife Laurence, artist-herbalist-forager-yoga teacher-health conscious, offered me a scoby and the book “The art of Fermentation”. Six weeks later kombucha appeared in our home and never left our table! Q: Why did you start your own kombucha […]

Monday, 30th January 2023

Stefano Zenezini, Cultura Viva Kombucha, Italy

Q: When did you first discover kombucha?

A: Back in 2007, my wife Laurence, artist-herbalist-forager-yoga teacher-health conscious, offered me a scoby and the book “The art of Fermentation”. Six weeks later kombucha appeared in our home and never left our table!

Q: Why did you start your own kombucha company?

A: When visiting our family in Italy each summer, we could not find kombucha anywhere and missed it a lot. As soon as the opportunity came, we decided to start producing and selling kombucha in Italy using a unique infusion of black, green and olive leaves and herbs and fruits from our garden!

Q: What is your favorite flavor of Kombucha? 

A: We love all GT’s flavors and GT’s Peach Paradise takes it to another galaxy….

Q: What is your former/current other life or career?

A: I am a Chemical Engineer and spent more than 33 years working in the Consumer Goods Industry in Europe and USA.

Q: What is a saying that you live by?

A: Things are united by invisible bonds. You can’t pick a flower without upsetting a star (Galileo Galilei)

Meet Our Members – Kouboya (AUS)

 Tsumugi Osakabe, Kouboya, Australia   Q: When did you first discover kombucha? A: I grew up in Japan where avvariety of fermented foods are consumed on a daily basis. However, after moving away at 15, fermented foods became a rarity in my life. This all changed when I met my friends who create artisan sauerkraut […]

Wednesday, 25th January 2023

 Tsumugi Osakabe, Kouboya, Australia

 

Q: When did you first discover kombucha?

A: I grew up in Japan where avvariety of fermented foods are consumed on a daily basis. However, after moving away at 15, fermented foods became a rarity in my life.

This all changed when I met my friends who create artisan sauerkraut in Brisbane. I started appreciating the beauty of fermenting foods. They were extremely inspiring and were the first ones to introduce me to kombucha.

They also gave me the opportunity to work for their company in 2015, creating different kinds of fermented products. They shared the fermentation brewery with a kombucha company, and that further cemented my interest in kombucha.
Their flavour of kombucha brew my mind how delicious it was.

Q: Why did you start your own kombucha company?

A: After moving to the mid north coast in 2016, I started exploring the idea of creating a fermenting business as there was a gap in the market. I felt the need to spread the health and taste the benefits of fermented foods. This began with selling Japanese pickles and kombucha at the local farmers’ market. We also used this opportunity to received amazing feedback from customers, which further assisted in finalizing the product.

Q: What is your favorite flavor of Kombucha? 

A: Buchi Hibiscus and Galangal

Q: What is your former/current other life or career?

A: I studied a bachelor’s degree in animal sciences, before making ferments.

Q: What is a saying that you live by?

Appreciate the people that make you smile and throw kindness around like confetti.

Meet Our Members – J’s Kombucha (MN)

Jason Wagner, J’s Kombucha, St. Paul, MN Q: When did you first discover kombucha? A: Several years ago, I was searching for a way to alleviate my oldest son’s severe allergies. Having learned of the allergy-immune system connection, I had reason to believe strengthening his gut health would improve his immune system, and this in […]

Monday, 16th January 2023

Jason Wagner, J’s Kombucha, St. Paul, MN

Q: When did you first discover kombucha?

A: Several years ago, I was searching for a way to alleviate my oldest son’s severe allergies. Having learned of the allergy-immune system connection, I had reason to believe strengthening his gut health would improve his immune system, and this in turn would hopefully lead to less severe allergic reactions. Since he was allergic to dairy and other common foods that naturally contain probiotics, I needed to find an alternative source that a picky four-year-old would also enjoy – the answer was kombucha!

Q: Why did you start your own kombucha company?

A: I wanted to bring something positive into the world that I can be proud. After many years of home brewing, the volume was approaching commercial levels anyways.

Q: What is your favorite flavor of kombucha? 

A: GT’s “Sacred Life” — you had me at blue spirulina.

Q: What is your former/current other life or career?

A: In another life, I was the proprietor of Univocal Publishing, an independent press specializing in artisanal editions and translations of texts spanning the areas of cultural theory, media archaeology, continental philosophy, aesthetics, anthropology, and more. Univocal is now a series with the University of Minnesota Press.

Q: What is a saying that you live by?

A: The Dude abides.

Meet Our Members – Gut It Right (IND)

Kruti Gajjar, Gut It Right, India Q: When did you first discover kombucha? A: I discovered Kombucha a few years back around 2019 at a friend’s place. I feel lucky that she forced me to try it out which amazed me and inspired me to start brewing my own booch gradually. Q: Why did you […]

Wednesday, 11th January 2023

Kruti Gajjar, Gut It Right, India

Q: When did you first discover kombucha?

A: I discovered Kombucha a few years back around 2019 at a friend’s place. I feel lucky that she forced me to try it out which amazed me and inspired me to start brewing my own booch gradually.

Q: Why did you start your own kombucha company?

A: Despite having a moderately successful stint in the IT field, I was always drawn towards the subject of optimal health and creativity. I decided to pursue a course of exercise and science of nutrition, and got deeply interested in gut health which eventually led me to understanding fermentation and its benefits. Having always looked upon foods as medicine over traditional medicines, I didn’t want to just offer up a quick short term solution, but help people make the right nutrition and lifestyle choices and that’s what got me started. We will be gradually expanding into a range of other fermented products as well!

Q: What is your favorite flavor of Kombucha? 

A: GT’s Guava Goddess & Synergy Trilogy, Beetroot Ginger Kombucha from Dr. Booch

Q: What is your former/current other life or career?

A: I am the chief brewer and founder of Gut It Right, which is my full time job and passion. I am not just interested in gut health but also in overall nutrition. I would like to focus a lot more on making health and nutrition accessible to everyone and position it as a lifestyle shift that doesn’t require anguish but rather requires some basic choices. Nutrition is definitely my focus point now.

Q: What is a saying that you live by?

A: Always be a little kinder than necessary!

Meet Our Members – Boochy Call Kombucha (MD)

Eric Kelchlin, Boochy Call Kombucha, Sharpsburg, MD Q: When did you first discover kombucha? A: Kombucha arrived in my life in 2018 when sobriety became a life or death decision. I started drinking Kombucha instead of alcohol and this was the key ingredient that allowed me to break free from my addiction. Q: Why did […]

Thursday, 5th January 2023

Eric Kelchlin, Boochy Call Kombucha, Sharpsburg, MD

Q: When did you first discover kombucha?

A: Kombucha arrived in my life in 2018 when sobriety became a life or death decision. I started drinking Kombucha instead of alcohol and this was the key ingredient that allowed me to break free from my addiction.

Q: Why did you start your own kombucha company?

A: I was an avid homebrewer for more than 15 years. I was planning to go professional, but decided it was the wrong path for me. I missed the brewing culture and creative outlet, so I started brewing Kombucha to rekindle my spirits. I developed a lot of friend tested recipes during our stay-at-home Covid pandemic retreat and soon realized that this new passion I had could become a new lifestyle. A healthy lifestyle with healthy, happy people. Boochy Call Kombucha was thus born out of the ashes of addiction.

Q: What is your favorite flavor of kombucha? 

A: Ginger-Lemon from Health-Ade Kombucha. Yummy!

Q: What is your former/current other life or career?

A: I’m a federal biologist that specializes in distance learning. It’s my big boy job that allows me to do my little boy fun job.

Q: What is a saying that you live by?

A: Everything in life is temporary and cyclic. Take a breath. A new wave is coming.

Meet Our Members – Amare Probiotics Limited (TTO)

Dominique Himiob, Amare Probiotics Limited, Trinidad and Tobago Q: When did you first discover kombucha? A: I first discovered kombucha in 2015 when a peer had a scoby hotel and very kindly introduced me to it by giving me one of his scobys to use. Q: Why did you start your own kombucha company? A: […]

Thursday, 8th December 2022

Dominique Himiob, Amare Probiotics Limited, Trinidad and Tobago

Q: When did you first discover kombucha?

A: I first discovered kombucha in 2015 when a peer had a scoby hotel and very kindly introduced me to it by giving me one of his scobys to use.

Q: Why did you start your own kombucha company?

A: I started kombucha as a result of starting to make water kefir first. My cousin brought some kefir grains back to Trinidad from Costa Rica and we decided to start a business because I had a background in Medical Microbiology and had done a project on probiotics.

Q: What is your favorite flavor of kombucha? 

A: Healthade Pink Lady Apple

Q: What is your former/current other life or career?

A: My former career was working in laboratory as a technician

Q: What is a saying that you live by?

A: “Live everyday like its your last and love every night like its your first”

Meet Our Members – Kombucharista (NY)

Brendan Multala, Kombucharista, Rochester, NY Q: When did you first discover kombucha? A: I remember it so clearly! I was in about eighth grade and I saw a Kevita bottle in the cooler section while shopping with my mom and thought “Oh, this is new and interesting.” It took a bit to convince my mom […]

Monday, 28th November 2022

Brendan Multala, Kombucharista, Rochester, NY

Q: When did you first discover kombucha?

A: I remember it so clearly! I was in about eighth grade and I saw a Kevita bottle in the cooler section while shopping with my mom and thought “Oh, this is new and interesting.” It took a bit to convince my mom to purchase it, since the cost of kombucha can begin to add up, but I absolutely loved the taste of the Lemon Cayenne kombucha that Kevita offered and solely drank that for years. Once I got my first job, I admittedly spent a large percentage of my paycheck on kombucha.

Q: Why did you start your own kombucha company?

A: I truthfully did not intend on owning a business. I witnessed my dad owning businesses growing up and saw what a challenge it could be at times, along with how much grit someone needs to have to follow through. Once I graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with my B.S. in Economics, however, I was able to better analyze the market. I quickly realized there were flavors that were missing from the marketplace, those being cocktail flavored kombucha. I began experimenting with a mule flavor and realized I had found my niche. That is how Kombucharista was born; I wanted to make a mocktail that didn’t have added simple syrups or soda for consumers that don’t drink but wanted a product that could also be mixed with liquor to create a healthier, classic cocktail. Everyone wins!

Q: What is your favorite flavor of kombucha?

A: To this day, the very first flavor I tried when I was 13 is still my favorite. The Kevita brand has a Cayenne Lemon flavor that is refreshing and light; even though I have seemingly unlimited amounts of my own kombucha I still find myself putting numerous bottles in my shopping cart.

Q: What is your former/current other life or career?

A: I have been a server or bartender since I was 18, and I still am. I have met amazing customers who want to support my business so I am still part time in the service industry (for now).

Q: What is a saying that you live by?

A: I have had a quote written down that I keep by my desk since my last semester of college. It says, “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.” It’s a quote by Henry Ford that reminds me to go with my gut. It’s gotten me this far so I think it’s been a good reminder!

 

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