Manda Pendleton, InJoyCHA, Denver, CO, USA
Q: When did you first discover kombucha?
I first discovered kombucha in 2008. A friend was brewing it and gave me a sip and my first reaction was ‘this tastes like vinegar’! I am partial to vinegar and also creating healing herbal products so she gave me my first scoby and an obsession was born! When I tried my first herbal kombucha I thought ‘this doesn’t taste like those herbs’ so I decided to combine my skill of mixology and herbal formulation with fermenting probiotic beverages.
Q: Why did you start your own kombucha company?
After home-brewing for several years I got such a great response from friends and whomever I sampled to that I decided to start my company in 2011, however I did not have the proper funding to make it feasible at that point, so I closed my business and then launched it again April 22nd 2013. I market 12 unique herbal flavors of my product @InJoyCHA with the energetic aspects of gem/flower essences and reiki universal energy.
Q: What is your favorite flavor of kombucha?
Whenever I see a new product on the market I always give it a try. Hence I have quite a collection of bottles in my marketing research. I am partial to small batch products not brewed in metal and love the energy of passiflora incarnata so I would have to say Rainbow Cloud kombucha passion fruit brewed in oak barrels out of Shelton, WA. I love their positive message and sacred geometry/hieroglyphics on their label.
Q: What is your former/current other life or career?
I am a Clinical Herbalist and Nutritionist by trade with 20 years of herbal formulating under my belt. I also do private health consultations and consult businesses for herbal and nutritional formulating. I have been educating the community locally/internationally regarding herbal medicine, natural health, Yoga and fermentation for over 15 years and this is a true Joy for me to share this important knowledge. I have a growing line of products besides InJoyCHA including Xun, Tibicos, herbal tonics, teas, topical balms and skincare as well as sauerkraut, pickles, and other probiotic foods.
Q: What is a saying that you live by?
May you realize your innate power to heal and transform yourself! U R love U R light