Profile: Kombuco Fizz, Munich, Germany
Note: This interview happened in January, before the COVID-19 crisis. Kombuco Fizz is doing well despite the situation. Their online sales include a 20% ‘Kombuco-versus-Corona’ discount to customers.
Founding Kombuco Fizz
Three years ago Sophia and Andreas were looking for a business they could start. Both drank kombucha as children, even though the style people brewed back then tasted different, much more acidic and vinegary. Sophia spotted a blog post that made her aware that the ‘modern’ kombucha industry had taken off in the USA.
They were interested in starting their own company as an alternative to working in large corporations and to be able to show their children a new world of work as entrepreneurs.
They first visited Jarr Kombucha in London where they met with Adam as well as Ted from Bärbucha Kombucha in Berlin. Both were more than willing to share their knowledge and helped the pair learn the nuances of launching a kombucha business.
Brewing premium kombucha made sense to them. They recognize its importance as daily food and as a product that has a low impact on the environment. Kombucha is a down-to-earth drink that touches the heart and touches the earth.
Starting the business was a roller-coaster. They had to learn to brew in larger quantities (300L) and made mistakes. They well remember having to start over when a batch went wrong.
Marketing
They started marketing with tastings in different locations. They sent a SurveyMonkey questionnaire to gather feedback on how much people are willing to pay.
They believe it is important to test the product as early as possible, rather than waiting until everything is perfect. They believe it’s better to fail fast and produce kombucha that is less acidic if that is what consumers like.
They worked with the Drink Innovation Campus (DICA) start-up accelerator where they received coaching from SCE, one of Germany’s best entrepreneurship centers, opening the doors to effective networking opportunities in the beverage industry.
There’s more about their journey in this February 2020 YouTube video with Veronica Alfonzo:
Flavors
Pure
The pure (original) flavor is bottled immediately after the first fermentation. The combination of green tea with black and jasmine tea gives this character.
Raspberry
They make the raspberry puree themselves. The acidity of the raspberry harmonizes wonderfully with the kombucha.
Mint
This tastes a little like a Mojito.
Ginger Lemon
The fresh ginger gives the kombucha a lovely aroma.
They also produce seasonal flavors.
Podcast interview
Listen to the podcast interview with Sophia to hear the story of the founding of Kombuco Fizz. She also describes the history of kombucha in Germany. Back in the 1990s many of today’s brewers’ parents experimented with the more ‘medicinal’ variety of the drink. Sophia also shares details about the workshops they hold for home brewers. She welcomes anyone interested in launching a kombucha company to contact them.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Spotify | Pandora | iHeartRadio | TuneIn | RSS
