KBI Announces New Expanded Board of Directors

KBI Board Election Results Announced KBI was founded in 2014 with 40 member brands and 7 Board of Directors. Currently KBI boasts over Over the past several years, the Directors have shifted due to changes in company goals and focus. This has allowed new faces and voices to emerge. This year sees the biggest changes […]

Friday, 13th May 2022

KBI Board Election Results Announced

KBI was founded in 2014 with 40 member brands and 7 Board of Directors. Currently KBI boasts over Over the past several years, the Directors have shifted due to changes in company goals and focus. This has allowed new faces and voices to emerge. This year sees the biggest changes to the KBI Board since its founding.

As of January 2022, the Board consisted of the following Directors:

Hannah Crum*, KBI President/Kombucha Kamp
Alex LaGory,* Chairman of the Board, Kombucha Kamp
Zane Adams*, FedUp Foods/Buchi Kombucha
Chris Ollis, Spring Branch Kombucha (Treasurer)
Ed Rothbauer*, Rocky Mtn Cultures/High Country Kombucha
Amelia Winslow, Health-Ade Kombucha
Corey Wood, Elixir Kombucha
Barbara Wildhaber, BWild Kombucha (Secretary, non-voting officer)

New Chairman of the Board - Zane Adams

The organization has grown significantly since 2014. Despite taking a hit in membership during COVID, currently the membership is 280 members, a 600% increase since 2014. To meet the needs of the larger industry and membership, the Board decided to make some changes to increase the diversity and number of voices at the table.

Notably, after 7 years of service, Alex LaGory stepped down from his position as Chairman of the Board. The seat is now filled by Zane Adams of FedUp Foods & Buchi Kombucha. Alex remains on the Board.

Zane is one of the Managing Partners and owners of Buchi Kombucha based in Asheville, NC. Buchi is the largest craft kombucha brewery on the East Coast. For the past eight years he has been a part of crafting Buchi kombucha to cultivate a culture — both the billions of beneficial bacteria in our bottles as well as a thriving regenerative human culture that celebrates fermented foods. By engaging in community centered commerce, he advocates that Buchi (and like-minded organizations) are joining a larger dialogue around our food system and living in a more symbiotic way with each other and our planet.

Zane has been influential in providing thought leadership, compliance protocols and outreach strategies for the kombucha industry. As the son of immigrants, his success at this stage of his career is a direct result of focus, determination and deep community support. Zane is committed to pursuing the Seal Program to uphold the Kombucha Code of Practice (2020). His community organizing skills are vital to this next phase of industry growth and validation.

New KBI Board Members - Meet Johanna & Matt

In February, Amelia Winslow left Health-Ade and vacated her seat on the Board. The Treasurer position was promoted to voting Board member thus leaving a second seat available. KBI then held Board elections to fill the 2 open seats and are excited to announce our new Board members; Johanna Denne of Luna Bay Booch and Matt Silbert of Local Roots Kombucha.

Johanna Denne of Luna Bay Booch (T2)

Johanna Denne is currently Luna Bay’s production manager in Golden, Colorado. She is responsible for overseeing all production of all Luna Bay hard kombucha including R&D, quality assurance, forecasting and portfolio expansion. With her expertise in brewing and mixed culture fermentation, Johanna has been integral in scaling Luna Bay to serve consumers coast to coast.

Prior to joining Luna Bay, Johanna had been working in production for Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project where she was responsible for building the Lab and Quality Program and last held the role of director of brewing operations. Crooked Stave is known for its world class traditional wild, sour, and spontaneous beers. Johanna completed her B.S. of Chemistry from Metropolitan State University in Denver and her M.S of Chemistry at the University of Colorado.

Matt Silbert of Local Roots Kombucha (T3)

Matthew Silbert manages the quality assurance department for Local Roots Kombucha. He was a marine biologist before his passion for brewing inspired him to a career in fermentation microbiology. Matt joined the burgeoning team at Local Roots in 2019 and has helped the company through major scaleup. He recently expanded his responsibilities to include organic compliance, ingredient procurement and project management.

At Kombucha Kon 2020, Matt was a panelist on the Hard Kombucha Roundtable. He enjoyed sharing his experiences navigating this new segment of the kombucha industry and felt a great sense of community with the other brewers. He also provided technical support to the committee for the development of the Kombucha Kup.

Matt is excited to be part of an industry that promotes health and well being. He is very aware of how diet affects energy, cognition and overall mood. His vision is to work towards developing a circular production model for breweries to better manage resources as they become more scarce in our growing global population. Health, conservation and community building are some of his core values.

Expansion of Board - International Representative - Kendra Sepúlveda

Additionally, KBI added an International Board Liaison seat to give all of our international brands a representative. Kendra Sepúlveda of Casa de la Kombucha (Spain), longtime KBI Europe Secretary, has been appointed to the position.

Kendra studied nutrition and dietetics at the University of Texas at Austin, then traveled to Spain to study gastronomy. She became a chef and worked in Michelin star restaurants. Her goal is to stay true to that which resonates with her spirit and share positivity with all those she encounters.

“I am incredibly honored and excited to contribute to this noble and trailblazing organization. I can’t wait to help promote and elevate this wonderful project that has the ability to bring something wonderful to the world. We are at an excellent time in history to be an industry that is supporting the SDG and I feel fortunate to be a part of that.”

Path to the Board

KBI will be holding elections on a regular basis. The most important feature of a Board candidate is someone who has volunteered or assisted KBI above and beyond simply accessing the many resources available to our members. If you feel inspired to lead, we invite you to reach out and volunteer so that we can provide a path to serve the kombucha industry via the KBI Board of Directors.

Find Your Kombucha’s Sensory Profile with the NEW Flavor Flower

A New Tool for the Kombucha Drinker’s Palate Like all the finer things in life, many of which also happen to be fermented, Kombucha is often an acquired taste. Over time, the Kombucha drinker’s palate becomes more sophisticated – able to discern subtle notes from the tea, flavorings or organisms in the fermentation process. […]

Thursday, 20th January 2022

A New Tool for the Kombucha Drinker’s Palate

Like all the finer things in life, many of which also happen to be fermented, Kombucha is often an acquired taste. Over time, the Kombucha drinker’s palate becomes more sophisticated – able to discern subtle notes from the tea, flavorings or organisms in the fermentation process. To support this evolution,, KBI is proud to present “The Kombucha Flavor Flower.”

After months of development with industry stakeholders, we have created a 108 petal “Flavor Flower” that provides the vocabulary for identifying the flavors of the brew, as well as 2 offshoot “flowers” that describe the mouthfeel and potential off flavors.

The development of the Kombucha Flavor Flower is a crucial next step to support our blossoming industry, elevating the way consumers and brewers alike savor the unique taste we’ve grown to love.

Kombucha Sensory Program

When it comes to novel foods and beverages, you might get a consumer to try your product once. That means that first sip has to wow them. If quality assurance beyond pH and Brix testing isn’t part of your brewing process, you may be sending the wrong message with your brew. Establishing a sensory testing program ensures that the brewmaster’s flavor profiles are being executed on a consistent basis, batch after batch.

In addition to the Flavor Flower, KBI also developed a sensory rating chart that any member can download and use to start their own sensory program immediately. Together, when these tools are used on a regular basis, baseline profiles emerge that future products can be compared with to ensure they are meeting the quality standards of the brand.

To learn more about sensory training and how it can improve your product, don’t miss Lindsay Barr of Draught Labs speaking at KombuchaKon 2022 – Leveling Up.

Flavor Flower

When reinventing the wheel, KBI drew inspiration from the flavor wheels from beer, wine, spirits, tea and coffee. In the main flower, we’ve organized the type of flavor into recognizable categories – citrus, berry, and so forth – with individualized flavor descriptors. Sometimes the descriptors will be identical to the flavoring agents, other times, they may not.

If green tea or yerba mate is used as the base, we’d expect grassy notes to dominate. Fresh pressed turmeric juice evokes rich earthy tones, however if the turmeric is powdered, the flavor may come across as more citrusy. If you’re using herbs but getting a grassy or vegetal flavor, your kombucha may not be communicating its flavors clearly.

Mouthfeel Flower

How a food or beverage feels in the mouth is just as important as its flavor. Ever wonder how to differentiate the texture of your kombucha? We all know some kombuchas are more bubbly than others, but they also have other characteristics such as linger and body. An unfiltered Kombucha may have a rounder flavor that hits a different part of the palate along with a softer bubble than one that has been filtered or force carbonated. The interplay of both flavor and mouthfeel create a sensation, a story, if you will, of the fermentation that changes when any aspect is not in balance.

All of these factors contribute to the way customers perceive the beverage. Look at the Mouthfeel flower to begin dialing in how your kombucha FEELS to customers, and not just what its flavors are.

Off-Flavors Flower

With the Off-Flavors flower, you’ll be able to troubleshoot problems. Does your latest batch taste off somehow? Maybe that strange taste in your latest batch that has a rotten egg or the ever dreaded mouse taint flavor or smell. If there’s a sharp flavor to it, check the chart: does it have a taste of nail polish remover or metal? Such flavors are associated with deviations in fermentation. As the science of Kombucha is relatively new, we are in the early stages of fully understanding how the microbes create both good and bad flavors. Some of these issues are similar to those from the beer or wine industry and we can research using these terms.

Take a look and see if you can find your kombucha’s flavors on our chart, and help establish a new standard for sensory development in kombucha. Members can access a PDF version of the Flavor Flower as well as a sensory rating chart here. (Not a member? Join us today!)

Thirsty for Feedback? Enter the Kombucha Kup Competition

Want an unbiased perspective? Enter our industry’s FIRST international Kombucha Kup Awards. Each entry will receive detailed judge feedback to help you hone your craft. Plus winners will take home Gold, Silver or Bronze along with bragging rights and an award winning brew!

Happy International Women’s Day to KBI’s Fempreneurs

Despite the fact that women were the first alewives and brewsters in many societies, craft beverages have long been dominated by men. With the rise of the kombucha industry over the last twenty-five years, women have found a new opportunity to once again carve a space for themselves as business leaders and masters of the […]

Monday, 8th March 2021

In fact, as we celebrate International Women’s Day at KBI, we are proud to report that over 40% of our members have a female owner or founder. We reached out to these women, who are making names for themselves and for kombucha all over the world, to ask them to share their experience and advice for other female entrepreneurs.

Women in Kombucha Around the Globe

Australia & New Zealand

Amanda Carroll – rok Kombucha (Australia)

Being a working mother balancing and nurturing both a growing business and growing children is something that I take great pride in. I have the utmost respect for women managing both, it’s a juggle but it’s worth it. Happy International Women’s Day to all the women out there doing the juggling act!

Helen Tricarico – HOTI Healthy On The Inside (Australia)

My one tip for fempreneurs is to just start. I believe as women we often tread with caution in business and don’t take risks that men might otherwise take. We are traditionally nurturers with an instinct for longevity so I encourage all women to just get out there. Pick one thing, do that well in one sales channel for one year and just start.

Jo Kempton- Happy Belly Ferments (New Zealand)

I’m proud to be building a business which suits myself and my family. It fits in with my life and is a big part of my life. My business is not separate from me, it is part of me. I love that.

You never need to do business alone. There are always amazing people available to help, all you have to do is choose to let them help you. Whether it is family, friends or employing extra assistance there is never a need to feel unsupported in business.

Canada

Dasha Smolentseva – Artizen Kombucha (Perth, ON)

I am a young woman (34 years old) an immigrant to Canada, a mother of three children and a BIG dreamer. My greatest advice to other fempreneurs: throw out the window everything they said, and create a life that works for you. Young and want kids? Go for it. Want to create a business at the same time? Do it. Set your own rules.
Impatience can be a great asset. Everything I have achieved has come out of impatience to fulfill my dreams of creating and growing Artizen Kombucha. That and laser focus. Super proud as an immigrant business owner and a mother – to have pivoted in 2020 during COVID pandemic, for which Artizen Kombucha received the 2020 Business Breakthrough award.

Mel Tremblay — Babes Boocha! (Hanover, ON)

Being a female entrepreneur has its hardships for sure, but it makes me proud to be one as it puts you in this community of women helping women. Yes, we can be competitive, but in my experience, we build each other up and help rather than stepping on one another. Sisters helping sisters.

Victoria Lundgard – Happy Belly Kombucha (Calgary, AB)

I feel so blessed to have a thriving business as it has afforded me to keep my priorities and live a healthy balanced lifestyle while positively impact other’s health with one can of Happy Belly Kombucha at a time. I wish I had known that it is possible to be a happy and successful entrepreneur, mom, and wife a lot sooner.

Natalie Surette – Laurentian Brew Kombucha Company (Deep River, ON)

Be strong and fierce. Believe in yourself and believe in your fellow female entrepreneurs. There’s nothing more powerful than a band of women who come together to raise each other up. We’re creating space and adding more seats at the table of women-led success in this world.

Jenice Smith – Steep Peak Kombucha (Crowsnest Pass, AB)

Finding the perfect balance between our kombucha business and our family has always been a challenge, especially when we began our business and had small children at home. Focusing on getting outside, even for micro-adventures, is key in finding that balance.

Zoey Shamai – Tonica Kombucha (Woodbridge, ON)

In business, you either WIN or you LEARN. Don’t think of your experiences as losses or mistakes, they are learning opportunities. Often the biggest lessons are on the other side of fear, so step outside of your comfort zone and weigh your decisions carefully- sometimes taking a risk is the only way to reap the big rewards! The journey has been all the sweeter because of what I’ve learned from the ups and downs and how I’ve harnessed the experiences for smoother tomorrows.⁣

Beth Allen – Wild Tea Kombucha (Calgary, Alberta)

Women are a lot like our kombucha cultures. We are strong, we are diverse, we are unique, we are capable, we are beautiful!! This IWD, I’m pledging to challenge the labels we place on women who make their voices heard. As women in business, we’re often told we’re too pushy, aggressive, bitchy. It’s time we celebrate our strength and encourage one another to BE the strong women we are, and not silence ourselves for the sake of others.
Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want and need. Fill your network with women that inspire and encourage you. Protect your time and energy and don’t be afraid to say no.

Michelle Leclair – Wolseley Kombucha (Winnipeg, Manitoba)

There’s nothing more empowering than running your own business, growing your business and solving problems along the way. I’ve been so lucky to have an incredible community of local women entrepreneurs that have supported me in many ways through my journey. Women supporting women is where it’s at! Let’s do this ladies!!

East Asia

China

Alyson Lundstrom – Blissful Bombooch (Macau, CHN)

There may be male dominant areas in the industry, but there are no male jobs. I love working in a brewery with all the wetness and bad fashion choices it sometimes entails. Blaze a path unapologetically. It just breaks this paradigm of women having to take the extra step of validating their vision at every turn.
“The most revolutionary thing a woman can do, is not explain herself.” – Glennon Doyle

Taiwan

Cindy Chen & Sharon Lee – ZesTea Kombucha (Taiwan)

“If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it.
If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.
If you don’t step forward, you’re alway in the same place. ”
And brewing kombucha makes everything possible!

Europe & The UK

Freya Twigden- Fix8 Kombucha (London, UK)

I think it’s easy to lack confidence for many women in business. Especially when it comes to raising capital or venturing into a male-dominated industry like drinks. I think staying grounded and trusting yourself is important. I love the phrase ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’ – the worst thing I can do is not try.
Growth doesn’t happen in our comfort zone. It’s going to be hard, but you will consistently rise to the challenge and grow as a result. Look after yourself along the way, and don’t forget to ask for help when you need it.

Katherine Attieh – KTea Kombucha (Channel Islands, UK)

If you start with passion and self belief, the rest can be learnt along the way. Never let the fact that you are a woman ever hold you back!

Magda Wolska – Meduzyna Kombucha (Warsaw, Poland)

A tip for perfectionist entrepreneurs: don’t be afraid of asking for help or outsourcing some parts of your work. It’s not a sign of weakness, but a way of concentrating on things that matter most. Sometimes it can also help other people grow.

Naya Bravo – Meraki Ferments (Galicia, Spain)

I am certain that every human brain overflows with ideas every single day. The entrepreneur is someone that captures one of those crazy brain waves and materializes it. I have been very lucky to have a family that supports this roller coaster of attempts to find what I like. I feel tremendously successful thinking that only 3 years ago almost no one knew what kombucha was in Galicia, and now we are all over the country.
What would I have loved to know decades ago? Your product is always the first version of something that will continue to improve overtime. Do not stop because it is not perfect, because you don’t have a Masters degree or 10 years of experience. YOU have the tools and will seek the answers as you move. After 2 years I still have so much to improve and that is the way it should be, if not, we become robots… and what woman wants to run a business without a soul?

Kendra Littles – Probio Drinks (Barcelona, Spain)

My advice for other entrepreneurs is to find your happy place. When things get rough (and you can count on things getting difficult!), take yourself to your happy place. It has a strong affect on your ability to lower your stress hormones and get your head into a better space to solve problems. Mine is in my lab creating new mixtures of kombucha and functional foods to send out healing into to the world!

Luna Tarnawiecki Waitkuwait – St. Ferment (Breisgau, Germany)

Self-employment is challenging and sometimes exhausting. But it makes me incredibly proud and happy. I would like to encourage everyone to trust their own abilities.

Hanna Katajamäki, The Good Guys Kombucha (Tampere, Pirkanmaa, Finland)

As entrepreneurs we are shaping the society of the future. It’s our obligation to take part in social movements for a more equal and inclusive culture in our societies. Salute sisterhood!

Mar & Núria Benet, Vitae Kombucha (Barcelona, Spain)

We are Mar Benet and Núria Benet and together with Rogeli Gómez we are the founders of VITAE KOMBUCHA. We are majority women and this provides a more collaborative, compassionate, adaptable and resilient leadership. Like ours “mothers”!!! Very proud of them and of us!!

United States

Midwest

Jessi Hoeft – Ensign Beverage (Hastings, NE)

One thing that I have gotten better at doing over the years is listening to my gut, following through and acting on it. The world of kombucha and listening to your gut go hand in hand, so that’s handy!!
One of my absolute favorite things I have been able to do over the past few years is mentor other entrepreneurial spirits. To see someone realize their dream and be able to help them along the way only seems to grow the passion I have for my businesses. I’m happy to pay it forward from all of the people who have helped me. It‘s not always an easy road, in fact it’s the toughest job I have ever had. But at the end of the day I get to create, share, collaborate and be me.

Regina Sant’Anna – Kombucha Brava (Evanston, IL)

Here is a photo of the biggest loves in my life: my two amazing daughters who have learned growing up to speak their minds and push back against patriarchy.

We make this incredible traditional kombucha elixir with a lot of care. It is a creative and dynamic process where we get to connect to ourselves, our guts, and our community.
The business and the name Brava was born in 2016 out of passion, courage, resilience and force–all attributes of a woman. To all women everywhere: We can do anything!

Sarah Trombley – Lunar Infusions (Fort Wayne, IN)

Starting my own business has given me a sense of accomplishment and growth. As a female entrepreneur, there is an added layer of self doubt that you have to overcome so I love that I can help inspire other women to turn their passion into a dream job!

Jessica Ollis- Spring Branch Kombucha (Springfield, MO)

As an advocate for children with unique abilities–including my own child–one of the goals for starting my own business is to provide meaningful employment for people with all types of abilities. As our business grows, I look forward to making that dream an eventual reality.

Northeast

Gayle Galbraith – The Federal Brewing Co (Federalsburg, MD)

Don’t play small – It’s okay to be large and in charge. Kombucha Life is Good.

Meaghan Carpenter – HEX Ferments (Baltimore, MD)

When I officially started HEX Ferments in 2013 it had already taken three years to become a legitimate licensed business. I had to educate my city health department that what I was planning on making (fermented vegetables and kombucha) was not only safe but would benefit our local community. At one point a city zoning official told me that “Sauerkraut would not save the world and I should stop”– he then hung up on me. This taught me only to move ahead with more conviction and to stand firm in my love for the art and craft of traditional fermentation.

My Grandmother did not stop making sauerkraut because society told her it could be done quicker and cheaper and neither would I. My advice to women out there, whatever you are dreaming to do…keep going! Keep pushing. It will be tough. There will be days that you want to quit because there will always be naysayers. Prove them wrong! #gowithyourgut

Nina Gordon – Kulture Kombucha Martha’s Vineyard (Martha’s Vineyard, MA)

Since my kids are now grown, I’m proud to be a single mom to my kombucha microbrewery. It’s so satisfying to bring much appreciated health and wellness to my community despite all the hard work.

Hope Bigler – Undone Kombucha (Chambersberg, PA)

I was so naive when I started this adventure. I didn’t realize the mountains I would have to continually climb. haha! These few sentences remind me to look for the possibility in every problem.

“Your challenges are not an indictment against your capacity.
They are invitations to expand it.
To fortify it.
To fortify it for horizons yet to come.
Don’t back down.“
-Priscilla Shirer

Pacific Coast

Kat Gopez – KombuchaKat (Los Angeles, CA)

Growing up in the Philippines, I was exposed to a lot of double standards in the culture, where women stayed at home and were expected to have a more timid, shy, and even delicate nature. While I admit to carry some of these certain traits myself, I am proud to have gained the courage to take the leap and slowly make my vision come true.
Being a female business owner has given me the freedom to create and share a part of myself to others. While I know I have a long way ahead of me, having that opportunity to keep learning and keep growing is one thing that keeps me motivated and proud to be where I am. I also appreciate the support I get from my loving husband, whom I am very grateful for – a creative, supportive environment, truly matters.

Each day presents its own obstacles, and it is a delicate balance to continue being mindful of what is truly important to you, and keeping an open mind. I’ve realized that not everything will go as planned, but there will always be an opportunity to grow. Breath, and all will be okay.

Kellie Moffatt – Luna Booch (Long Beach, CA)

Being in KBI has really inspired me because I’ve been introduced to so many successful female entrepreneurs during events like Kombucha Kon. As a female business owner something I’m proud of is that my mom was the one who taught me how to make kombucha. One quote that I live by is “Be able to work with the energy at hand. When things are easy, work hard. When things are hard, go slow.”

Southern US

Pilar Quintero – Alegre Farm (Dacula, GA)

In my situation, I’ve always had a go-getter attitude, knowing that good things don’t come easy. So the more challenging the goal and/or obstacle the more fight, energy, and tenacity to work through it. Never allowing a no to stop me, making sure not to leave any stone unturned, and just look for answers, and God willing, a green light would appear and that small accomplishment gave me the drive to persevere.

Nancey Legg – Better Kombucha (Birmingham, AL)

Community has always been very important to me. Starting Better Kombucha has allowed my community to grow larger than I could have ever imagined. Together we are Better.

“It is not fair to ask of others what you are not willing to do yourself.” Eleanor Roosevelt

Jeannine Buscher & Sarah Schomber – Buchi (Marshall, NC)

We believe fermentation is the expression of a natural tendency to preserve, put away, and nourish. It’s a ritual that’s all about the alchemy of ingredients essential to the hearth and home, where, historically, women were the keepers. As leaders in the burgeoning fermentation industry, women continue to redefine what it means to nurture as they safeguard the practice of preservation for future generations.

Tonya Donati – Mother Kombucha (St. Petersburg, FL)

One of the gifts of being a female entrepreneur is the opportunity to use the knowledge, resources and connections that I’ve gained to help other women along in their journeys. I strongly encourage and challenge others to do the same – reach out to women in business for guidance and then pay that forward whenever the opportunity arises.

Shanti Volpe – Shanti Elixirs (Asheville, NC)

Something that I have learned over the past few years as a female entrepreneur is that it’s ok not to have all of the answers, and to receive support but in the end always listen to your intuition no matter what!

I have also found it helpful to delve deep into why you are doing what you are doing. What is the purpose of your business? If you have a clear vision and you have identified your purpose, you can weather any storm!

Amanda Webb – Wild Magnolia Kombucha (Mobile, AL)

Hi there! I am Amanda Webb and am the owner and lead brewma’am for Wild Magnolia Kombucha in Coastal Alabama.

“When you’re in the arena, sometimes your biggest opponent is yourself. You have to pull your shoulder back; pull up ya boot straps and go kick some ass. Even if that just entails taking a dang shower.”

Western US & Texas

Jenni Lyons – Happy Leaf Kombucha (Denver, CO)

As a business owner I’m proud that I have an opportunity to work with and learn from strong women every single day. Every person needs to choose to challenge gender bias, not just women.

Jess Matthews & Alexis DeLeon, Lazy Beach Brewing (Corpus Christi, TX)

In an industry that has been heavily male it’s hard only because they assume too little of me. When we first opened, we were the first production brewery in Corpus Christi. I hit road blocks because it was an all new area,” Jess recalls. “Now the industry has grown in Corpus but Lazy Beach remains ahead of the times, brewing the first hard Kombucha in Texas.”

Alexis De León is the Kombucha Queen at Lazy Beach. “I’m no stranger to male dominated settings in a work place, but it does feel cool to be introduced as a brewer, you always see people’s eyes light up. There is one other female (beer) brewer in town and we’ve become best friends through our brewing bond. I feel like brewers and business owners are a rare breed and it’s even more rare when they are female, so that sorta makes all of us like the pioneers of our industry,” Alexis explains.

Jess and Alexis agree the best perk to being a female business owner and a female brewer is having an amazing group of women supporting other women in the brewing community.

Kara Deyhle – New Mexico Ferments (Albuquerque, NM)

In reflecting on showcasing women in our industry, I feel inspired and in awe of the resilience and the abundance that women bring to our local Albuquerque community and to the world. I’m grateful to be surrounded by strong women who have done amazing things. I think about the many strong women who have swam against the current and started their own business, who play pivotal roles in the organizations they represent, and who are the leaders and guides of so many amazing and beautiful things. I’m grateful for the support and solidarity I’ve felt with many of these women and cherish the nourishment this has provided me.

South America

Ines Magri – Bendita Kombucha (Uruguay)

My advice to any other women following their dreams, is to surround yourselves with a beautiful and empowered female network and share everything you know. You never know who you might help next in fulfilling their dream.

Kombucha Microbiology: Understanding SCOBY Diversity to Reverse Engineering a SCOBY Webinar

Kombucha Microbiology: Understanding SCOBY Diversity to Reverse Engineering a SCOBY Webinar Presented by: Keisha Rose Harrison BIO Keisha-Rose Harrison, MS is a PhD candidate of Fermentation Science in the Food Science & Technology Department at Oregon State University (OSU). She received a BA in Cell Biology & Biochemistry from Rice University and a Master of […]

Tuesday, 7th July 2020

Kombucha Microbiology: Understanding SCOBY Diversity to Reverse Engineering a SCOBY Webinar

Presented by:

Keisha Rose Harrison

BIO

Keisha-Rose Harrison, MS is a PhD candidate of Fermentation Science in the Food Science & Technology Department at Oregon State University (OSU). She received a BA in Cell Biology & Biochemistry from Rice University and a Master of Science in Nutrition from the University of Houston.

Keisha’s love of microbiology and home brewing led her to her current field of study at OSU. She joined Dr. Chris Curtin’s lab to combine her love of Kombucha and Molecular Biology. She aims to develop a categorical system for Kombucha by first assessing the level of microbial diversity that varies from SCOBY to SCOBY. Currently, Keisha is collecting samples from across North America to identify the bacteria and yeast that live within our commercial breweries. She believes to get at the heart of Kombucha, we have to get better acquainted with it first!

WEBINAR DESCRIPTION

During the course of this webinar, we will review the cutting-edge Kombucha genomic research being performed at Oregon State University and its application to the industry. In collaboration with KBI, this group of OSU researchers have been able to characterize the dominant organisms that play a role in Kombucha fermentation through two previous rounds of genomic studies (KBI Diversity Study I and II). Findings revealed defined SCOBY styles among the commercial population and furthermore a characteristic difference in organic acid production. To best serve the industry, OSU has been directing its attention towards enhancing the tractability of the Kombucha SCOBY. Participation in this webinar should lead to a better understanding of the Kombucha SCOBY and the methods being used to evaluate culture stability.

We invite you to listen in and ask questions. FREE for KBI Members & Study Participants, $40 for Non-Members

SIGN UP TODAY TO ATTEND THE WEBINAR

July 15th 1:00pm PST

Details

DATE: July 15th, 2020
TIME: 1-3pm PST; 90 min presentation & 30 min Q&A
COST: Free for KBI members & Study Participants, $40 for Non-Members
REGISTRATION LINK
Have questions? Please send in advance to admin@kombuchabrewers.org

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Draft Standards Manual Webinar

Draft Standards Manual Webinar Presented by: Jared Gustafson BIO Jared started Kombucha On Tap in January 2014 after working at Outdoor Channel Television. Jared enjoys spending his time outdoors as much as possible, you’ll find him mountain biking, running, backpacking, doing triathlons, rock climbing, canyoneering, taking a yoga class, and other athletic endeavors that allow […]

Wednesday, 11th March 2020

Draft Standards Manual Webinar

Presented by:
Jared Gustafson

BIO

Jared started Kombucha On Tap in January 2014 after working at Outdoor Channel Television. Jared enjoys spending his time outdoors as much as possible, you’ll find him mountain biking, running, backpacking, doing triathlons, rock climbing, canyoneering, taking a yoga class, and other athletic endeavors that allow him to explore the world in different ways. Jared is an Eagle Scout, finds a way to have the best costume at any theme party, and is one of the most genuine and happy guys you’ll ever meet! His motto is, “you can’t control everything that happens to you, but you can control your reaction to everything.

WEBINAR DESCRIPTION

Draft systems may be installed by distributors, wholesalers, retailers, or draft installation teams and once in place, each system commonly pours a wide range of brewers’ and suppliers’products. We have sought to bring the industry together to agree upon guidelines that present
everyone’s Kombucha in an optimal condition.

When handled properly from brewery to bar to glass, draft Kombucha delivers what many consider to be the freshest, most flavorful product available to the customer. However, the job does not end once the keg is tapped and the booch begins to flow. Good Kombucha quality depends on proper alignment of the dispense variables and consistent housekeeping practices.

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March 18th 1:00 pm PST

Details

DATE: March 18th, 2020
TIME: 1:00-3:00 pm PST; 30 min presentation & 15 min Q&A
COST: Free for KBI members, $100 for non-members
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Kombucha HACCP Plan Template Review Webinar

Kombucha HACCP Plan Template Review Presented by: Susan Fink BIO Susan has a bachelors degree in Food Science from the University of Wisconsin, an MBA from Roosevelt University in Chicago and has spent 40 years in the food industry working in various capacities including manufacturing, quality and R&D. In 2011, Susan founded KARMA KOMBUCHA , […]

Wednesday, 5th February 2020

Kombucha HACCP Plan Template Review

Presented by:
Susan Fink

BIO

Susan has a bachelors degree in Food Science from the University of Wisconsin, an MBA from Roosevelt University in Chicago and has spent 40 years in the food industry working in various capacities including manufacturing, quality and R&D. In 2011, Susan founded KARMA KOMBUCHA , and was a KBI founding member and board director for five years. She continues to remain active with KBI serving as a consultant on various technical and regulatory issues. As an independent consultant, Susan also helps fledgling entrepreneurs with formulation, regulatory, and other key parameters related to beverage startups.

WEBINAR DESCRIPTION

The Food Modernization and Safety Act (FSMA) is now law for all sizes of businesses across the United States. FSMA aims to shore up the food supply by requiring manufacturers of all sizes to be completely responsible for what’s in their products at all times. This means any food production business is required to generate several supporting documents that outlines every step of the process including HACCP plan (Hazardous And Critical Control Points), lot coding and recall procedures.

This hazard analysis is used to identify and control reasonable foreseeable biological, chemical, and physical hazards within the preparation, use, storage, transportation, and sale of perishable goods. It also determines critical control points (CCP) in the process of food production. If a preventative control is identified, written documentation of monitoring and verification procedures, corrective actions, and recall plan are required for each process control.

While there are many resources that one can read online or courses one can take to understand the principles, there are few resources outside of hiring a consultant that demonstrates how to apply these principles directly to Kombucha manufacturing. KBI is thrilled to announce that we now have editable templates for generating a HACCP plan for your Kombucha manufacturing process – one of the key pieces required by most state and local regulators prior to launching a Kombucha business.

Having a plan is only one piece of the puzzle, then the manufacturer has to be able to articulate to their inspectors the entire Kombucha fermentation process from SCOBY & starter liquid to finished product. Join us for an engaging discussion with Susan Fink, former Kombucha manufacturer of Karma Kombucha and food safety expert from her many years working at Kraft Foods and other large food manufacturers. This webinar will walk you through the template so you can fill it out based on your process plus provide an opportunity to ask questions.

We hope you will join us for this vital and engaging presentation. Webinar tickets provide access to the presentation but does not include the templates which are only available to KBI members at this time.

TEMPLATES AVAILABLE HERE (must be KBI member to access the templates).

We invite you to listen in and ask questions. FREE for KBI Members; $100 for non-members.

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February 26th 11:30am PST

Details

DATE: February 26th, 2020
TIME: 11:30am-1:30pm PST; 30 min presentation & 15 min Q&A
COST: Free for KBI members, $100 for non-members
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Teatulia Bangladesh Trip

Teatulia Bangladesh Trip By Barbara Wildhaber, BWild Kombucha Our trip to Bangladesh to visit the Teatulia tea garden was truly amazing! This trip allowed us to witness firsthand the amount of care and detail that goes into the whole process of making their teas. From visiting their nursery where they grow starts from […]

Monday, 13th January 2020

Teatulia Bangladesh Trip

By Barbara Wildhaber, BWild Kombucha

Our trip to Bangladesh to visit the Teatulia tea garden was truly amazing!

This trip allowed us to witness firsthand the amount of care and detail that goes into the whole process of making their teas. From visiting their nursery where they grow starts from their mother bushes, to helping plant small tea plants in the garden, to seeing the workers hand plucking leaves, and then finally processing those tea leaves themselves in their tea factory.

Did you know they don’t even use conventional organic pesticides in their garden? They make their own pesticides out of herbs and plants to spray on the tea bushes as needed. Likewise, Teatulia also makes their own fertilizer and bio-diesel! They have a cow lending program that allows them to give cows to women as a business opportunity (which is unheard of in a male dominated country) to pay back the loan in cow dung that Teatulia “purchases” from them. The women get to keep the milk and can sell the extra at the market making money for their families. Some of the women who originally started with the program about 10 years ago now have 15-18 cows and now employ their husbands to help them take care of the cows!

Teatulia has also built a wonderful relationship with their workers by empowering them to learn what we would consider the basics of school (reading, writing and arithmetic). School is not free in Bangladesh!!! You must pay to even attend public school. Thus, only those with money or sometimes just one child from a family can attend school and that is usually a boy since they are more employable as adults.

They even offer pre-school care for the workers. This is not just play time, but they are also teaching these kids about hygiene, counting and other basic skills through their time together. We were lucky enough to have the kids sing a few songs for us and did a craft with them. They made me glasses and rings out of leaves.

Even being able to see the two sides of the road was both amazing and sad at the same time. On one side of the road you have the beautiful lush tea garden. And the other side of the road is the barren land from rock lifting that is actively happening. Rock lifting is illegal, but it is still actively happening all over. It is like night and day the difference and the road is really like drawing a line in the sand.

Oh, and we cannot forget about the food. We were immersed in their culture with being able to enjoy traditional breakfast, lunches and dinners at the tea garden. Each meal there was a huge, round 10 foot table covered in a full array of flavors and textures. We tried so many different veggies and dishes that I have no idea what I was eating most of the time. But the flavors were amazing, they use so many different spices and combinations than we do. It was spicy but not a hot spicy, a flavorful spicy taste to each dish. One of my favorites was the rice dish at breakfast (it was like cream of wheat but much better, since I never cared for cream of wheat). John’s favorite was the Parathas with honey on them. I also had a few veggie dishes that I would make sure I had a little extra of on my plate each meal when they served them.

To experience all of this firsthand was truly a gift and one we will not forget. I encourage everyone to get their cards filled out this year (at KKon 2020) so you can enter to win a trip of a lifetime, as I guarantee that you will never look at tea the same way again.

Distribution Guide for Commercial Kombucha

Distribution Guide for Commercial Kombucha Presented By: Danny Metcalf, Brew Dr. Kombucha Danny Metcalf is the Director of Business Operations at Brew Dr Kombucha. His primary focus is scaling the fast growing organization in line with the company’s sustainability initiatives. He was responsible for orchestrating B Corp certification at Brew Dr and continues to oversee […]

Tuesday, 31st December 2019

Distribution Guide for Commercial Kombucha

Presented By:
Danny Metcalf, Brew Dr. Kombucha

Danny Metcalf is the Director of Business Operations at Brew Dr Kombucha. His primary focus is scaling the fast growing organization in line with the company’s sustainability initiatives. He was responsible for orchestrating B Corp certification at Brew Dr and continues to oversee the sustainability department. Prior to working at Brew Dr, Danny was an analyst at the Department of Energy.

Cory Mathews, Lazy Beach Brewing

Cory and his wife Jess, started Lazy Beach Brewing in 2014 and began making Hard Kombucha in 2015. We self distribute to local bars and restaurants as well as create all sorts of different flavors for our taproom.

The committee met frequently between May and August 2019 to hash out the details of this info; we’re excited to share what we discovered and get additional feedback to include additional resources.

Learn about the various methods of distribution and route to markets for Kombucha brands of any size (including BIP)
Define appropriate margins at retail level
Broker vs in-house: when to align with a broker at retail
How to manage in-house fleet including at what point does it make sense to hire a delivery driver and schedule regular maintenance

We invite you to listen in and ask questions. FREE for KBI Members; $40 for non-members.

SIGN UP TODAY TO ATTEND THE WEBINAR

January 15th 1pm PST

Details

DATE: January 15th, 2020
TIME: 1-3pm PST; 30 min presentation & 15 min Q&A
COST: Free for KBI members, $40 for non-members
REGISTRATION LINK
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Meet Our Members – GT’s Living Foods (CA)

GT Dave, GT’s Living Foods, Beverly Hills, CA, USA Q: When did you first discover kombucha? A: I discovered it in 1993 when my parents started making it at our Los Angeles home. Q: Why did you start your own kombucha company? A: I started bottling my organic, raw kombucha because I wanted to make […]

Thursday, 10th January 2019

GT Dave, GT’s Living Foods, Beverly Hills, CA, USA

Q: When did you first discover kombucha?

A: I discovered it in 1993 when my parents started making it at our Los Angeles home.

Q: Why did you start your own kombucha company?

A: I started bottling my organic, raw kombucha because I wanted to make an authentic kombucha available to those who could not make it on their own.

Q: What is your favorite flavor of kombucha?

A: I like all the “elements” flavors from BUCHI from NC.

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

A: I started making Kombucha when I was 15 so I guess the best answer is “high school student.”

Q: What is a saying that you live by?

A: There’s no time like now.

Webinar Series: G3 “Beverage on Tap – What’s to Come”

G3: Beverage on Tap – What’s to Come DATE: 11/14/18; 1 pm PST on Zoom WHO: Scott Fore – Manager of G3’s Beer Sales Group COST: Free Members/ $20 Non-Members WEBINAR SUMMARY Join us for a webinar led by Scott Fore – Manager of G3’s Beer Sales Group to discuss the future of beverages on tap. This […]

Thursday, 25th October 2018

G3: Beverage on Tap – What’s to Come
DATE: 11/14/18; 1 pm PST on Zoom
WHO: Scott Fore – Manager of G3’s Beer Sales Group
COST: Free Members/ $20 Non-Members

WEBINAR SUMMARY

Join us for a webinar led by Scott Fore – Manager of G3’s Beer Sales Group to discuss the future of beverages on tap. This webinar will teach how putting your beverages on tap offers you lower up-front development costs, along with small-batch-to-large-batch production flexibility and higher margins in sales.

WEBINAR TAKEAWAYS

– Why are Beverages On Tap So Important to Your Business?

– What Beverages are Going on Tap?

– Who is pushing the On Tap Industry to Innovation?

– I have got this Beverage I want to put on tap. What do I need to know?

– Supply Chain – How It Works

– And much more!

REGISTER HERE!

ABOUT THE WEBINAR INSTRUCTOR

Scott Fore – Manager of G3’s Beer Sales Group

As manager of G3’s Beer Sales Group, Scott Fore manages a team of sales professionals that focus on the beer and specialty beverage market. His current role is to assist customers to expand their on-premise presence and explore export markets. He works closely with one- way petainerKegTM manufacturing and G3 teams to provide market education, filling training, technical services and logistics support so customers easily transition to this draught format. In addition to the keg, G3 offers integrated packaging solutions from crowns, corks and labels.

Scott has 24 years of deep knowledge and experiences in the beverages industry. He has worked in distribution, national accounts, category management, supply chain, import and export, production for domestic and international companies such as Southcorp Wines, Rocland Wine Group and 2X4 Brewing & Imports. He has developed distribution networks globally for wine and craft beer brands like Chocolate Box Wines, Ass Kisser Ales, Parallel 49 Brewing Company and Steamworks Brewing Company. Scott’s unique background ofsales, operations and production allows him to assess the viability of a beverage and its potential growth.