People who drink kombucha love it; it’s become cult-like in a way, but what is it really? Kombucha has a black tea base that is fermented drink with sugar, bacteria and yeast. First, bacteria and yeast grow together to form a culture and then it’s added to sugar and tea. When the mix ferments, it creates a liquid that has vinegar, B vitamins and many other types of acids, like amino acids. Kombucha lovers claim that it helps certain health conditions and may act like a probiotic supplement.
Tyler Fields had extremely limited experience in foodservice but loved the kombucha lifestyle. Kare Kombucha was a way for him to creating a delicious drink that everyone can enjoy and feel good about.
What inspired you to get into foodservice?
“I have always had a passion for fitness and wellness with kombucha being a prominent part of our family’s diet. I was a cable installation technician before my wife and I purchased Kare Kombucha from another local business owner. With our lifestyle views and love for kombucha, it was something that we both felt we could see ourselves doing and succeeding. Being able to provide our local community with delicious and healthy drink options is a true joy and a big reason we do what we do.”
What do you love about your business?
“We believe that making healthy lifestyle decisions shouldn’t be a challenge, but something you can truly enjoy. Our aim is to be the kombucha anyone and everyone can experience any time at any place. One of our biggest challenges being located in Atlantic Canada is the kombucha market is still very young and growing with many people still unaware of the benefits behind this wondrous drink. We are very proud to offer a wide variety of flavors so that there is something for everyone’s palate.”
What’s the most interesting thing to happen to your business?
“We recently moved all of our drinks into cans instead of glass bottles to reduce our footprint for the planet. There were many reasons we decided to make the change; it made sense from a business standpoint and also a customer experience level too. Cans are cheaper, easier to store, environmentally friendly and actually produce a higher quality end product for kombucha. The bacteria and all the other good stuff in kombucha loves a dark enclosed space, which makes a can the ideal home for it.”
What is the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome?
“Our biggest challenge has been reaching into wholesale markets. When we purchased Kare in late October 2020, we were only selling through our online website and at our local farmer’s market without wholesale clients. We knew we had to get our product into more customers hands and convert them into kombucha drinkers. Since that time, we are now found in over 20 different locations across Nova Scotia and are actively working to create new relationships with other businesses to offer Kare Kombucha.”
Which Cambro products help make your business work?
“We use the Cambro GoBoxes to transport kombucha from market to market!”
About Kare Kombucha
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada
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