Profile: Fernie Alpine Springs, Fernie, BC, Canada

Simon Lefrancois came to Fernie, BC, for the water and stayed to found Fernie Alpine Springs. Fernie is a picturesque town in BC encircled by the Rocky Mountains.

Stable and raw kombucha

The kombucha is brewed from spring water from the snow-capped mountains surrounding the town. After fermenting five to eight weeks, little residual sugar is left, making it feasible to ship for a few days without refrigeration. Consumers enjoy a shelf-life of 18 months when it is kept refrigerated

Brewery Tour and Tasting Room

Customers visit the taproom to fill their growlers, buy bottled kombucha, merchandise, and take advantage of an electric vehicle charging station! There are taps in place locally at outlets like AG Valley Foods and Le Bon Pain Bakery. Simon also sells at the seasonal farmers’ market.

When his schedule allows, he opens his doors for brewery tours. These have attracted visitors from across Canada and around the world. Two video bloggers visited Fernie and took time to sample to Simon’s kombucha.

Distribution

Simon has two distributors selling to 80 accounts — north to Edmonton and across eastern British Columbia. He hopes to expand to 300-400 accounts in future.

Podcast

To hear the story of Fernie Alpine Springs in Simon’s own words, click on the podcast icon below.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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