This podcast is the result of an experiment with Google’s new generative A.I. tool NotebookLM — created “to help you make sense of complex information. When you upload your sources, it instantly becomes an expert, grounding its responses in your...

Daniela Guilbert founded Bruja Sana Kombucha in 2015 after discovering the drink while living in Vancouver and visiting Northern California. On returning to Mexico, she was dismayed that kombucha was largely unavailable. A friend suggested that she start making it,...

Thierry Tran authored a 3-part series in SYMBIOSIS Magazine: (Back copies are available to order.) He now offers independent consulting via Transverse Consulting, contact Thierry by messaging him on his LinkedIn profile. He has published over 20 research papers on...

On the last day of a two-week road trip from my home in the San Francisco Bay Area to Portland and back, I was fortunate to arrive in Fort Bragg when the Wednesday Farmers’ Market was on. I came across...

It’s Alive Kombucha is located on the far north coast of California in the remote college town of Arcata. For the past 11 years, the family-owned business has supplied regular and hard kombucha to the region. They now distribute from...

Jared Englund founded Lion Heart Kombucha 14 years ago and named the company after his son, Lev, whose name means “lion heart.” He started teaching kombucha classes in 2008 and established Lion Heart Kombucha in 2010, brewing booch at night...

Michael Churchill and his wife Natalia Amijo are industrial designers living in the San Francisco Bay Area. They have employed their design chops to create KOMBU — a sleek, if pricey, appliance for home brewing kombucha. Their “Fermenstation” features a...

Julie Morrell and Ted Archuleta founded Urban Mama 505 in Albuquerque, New Mexico in June 2021. This was after a dozen years brewing kombucha at home that helped Julie resolve health issues including a brain tumor, autoimmune disorder, and fibromyalgia....

On May 17 we featured a Guest Posting by Joseph at Holos on How to make a SCOBY Leather Bag. This interview with company co-founder Naomi Partridge tells the story of the brand. I was introduced to Holos by Reeti...

Emma Davies founded award-winning Curious Kombucha five years ago. She is based in Thorncombe, Dorset, in the south-west of England. Emma began her brewing career 20 years ago, producing beer in local microbreweries, where she developed a deep understanding of...

In the Fall 2021 edition of SYMBIOSIS Magazine, we profiled Sacha Laurin’s award-winning designs fashioned from SCOBY fabrics. She had taken early experiments in fabrics based on SCOBY (pellicle) processing to an international audience when, in 2015, she premiered her...

We first reported on Andrew Mills — the founder of NUNC Living Jun-Kombucha — in December 2020. At that time the company, started with a paltry £12,000, was only two years old. I took advantage of a trip back to...

Statistics show that 50% of small businesses fail within five years. In October, we looked at general numbers for the kombucha industry. This is the story behind one person’s decision to move on. Eli Cayer founded Urban Farm Fermentory in...

I first met Numan Karabiyik of Boochman Kombucha in Berkeley in November 2019. Since then, his business has gone from strength to strength and he now operates out of a larger facility across the Bay in San Francisco. Boochmania Boochman...

Kendra stepped up to lead KBI in January after Hannah Crum moved on. She recently spoke with Booch News about the latest developments at Kombucha Brewers International. Listen to the podcast to hear the latest. Highlights include: Seal Program The...

Statistics show that 50% of small businesses fail within five years. In October, we looked at general numbers for the kombucha industry. This is the story behind one person’s decision to move on. Julie Davidson opened Komadre Kombucha in Tacoma,...

Statistics show that 50% of small businesses fail within five years. In October, we looked at general numbers for the kombucha industry. This is the story behind one person’s decision to move on. A decade ago, Rachel Rappa started Coastal...

Statistics show that 50% of small businesses fail within five years. In October, we looked at general numbers for the kombucha industry. This is the story behind one person’s decision to move on. Moss Beach Kombucha was profiled on Booch...

I enjoyed finding Bebida Viva Kombucha on the shelves of the large La Comer supermarket when visiting Puerto Vallarta on vacation. So, it’s appropriate that I conclude this series of profiles of Mexican brands by interviewing Marcelo Hinojosa, the founder...

Tania Góngora (a food scientist) and Fernanda (‘Fer’) Iturbide (a sociologist and marketing expert) founded Simbiótica Fermentación in Mexico City in 2017. They divide responsibility between the fermentation science and marketing of their eight-year-old company, which now employs 18 people....

My recent vacation in Mexico alerted me to the lack of retail availability of any but the leading brands. Research shows that Mexico ranks fourth worldwide in the number of active kombucha companies. However, the vast majority are small, regional...