START UP IN A BOTTLE • BREW YOUR OWN KOMBUCHA BUSINESS

So, you're looking to start your own Kombucha Business? Look no further; we've got you covered. As you know, we've done this before...

At BOUCHE, we believe in innovation through experimentation and the exploration of unconventional ways, and let passion and curiosity drive each of our decisions. We also rely on the certainty that surrounding ourselves with the best collaborators and keeping a watchful eye on our environment has made us who we are today. That's why we've decided to offer the world a manual that we wish we had found when we first embarked on the BOUCHE adventure.

So here is the Ultimate Guide to Creating Your Kombucha Brewery, from the initial concept to hosting a lunch gathering with colleagues in your own brewery, celebrating the achievement and growth of a thriving enterprise. Including your first collaboration with one of the market's most influential partners, as well as the signing of contracts with quality suppliers who will walk hand in hand with you in nurturing your wildest projects. In all modesty, these few lines will open the doors to the start-up world and guide you step by step through the entire process of achieving your goals.

With the expectation (and certainty) that our own experience will be relevant for you, we trust you will find pleasure in reading. But before you get any further into the article, make sure to:

• Order the START UP IN A BOTTLE
• Store it in the fridge (important)
• Wait 7 to 10 days to get you own BOUCHE Kombucha ready to enjoy
• Subscribe to our newsletter

To begin, don’t blame yourself for not knowing where to start or wondering about the level of investment and sacrifices in your life you’re going to have to make. It's natural to have doubts about your abilities or initial funds. Even though we've never had such doubts ourselves, we empathize and are here to address all your uncertainties. Our biggest advice would be to follow these steps:

• Falling in love with Kombucha.
• Processing this article.
• Asking Chat GPT about anything during the first year.
• Organizing a lunch to thank your collaborators (whoever is still around) for surviving the first year.
• Writing a guide about your own experience so we are not the only ones sharing tips and processes.
  

Good luck, enjoy!

The BOUCHE team (who is thinking about establishing a consulting department).

THE BOUCHE WAY OR THE HIGHWAY • What's the next step?

More seriously, starting your own Kombucha brand involves several steps, and we'll begin with an in-depth market analysis, during which you'll discover that BOUCHE is the most thriving, innovative, and high-quality Kombucha brewery. Identify trends, target audience, and potential competitors, and take a look at the legal and regulatory requirements for beverage companies in your country. Do all the fun things like outlining your business vision, creating financial plans, revenue projections, and funding sources, establishing relationships with suppliers for tea, sugar, flavorings, and packaging materials. Easy peasy.

Next, be prepared to experiment with Kombucha recipes to find unique flavors or brewing techniques with START UP IN A BOTTLE starter. You can also rely on your personal taste preferences, but it's a good idea to first get their reliability checked from your circle of contacts. Then, consider sourcing high-quality and organic ingredients.

The next step involves legal and regulatory compliance and starting to search for a potential location that can accommodate a dedicated brewing area with proper sanitation measures and an office. Having a kitchen and amenities like a pool or tennis table could be a great idea for lunch breaks. A giant slide directly connecting the production area to the office can enhance communication efficiency within the team.

At that point, decide on a brand name, which should be memorable. - Like BOUCHE, for example. Design the logo, packaging, and set up a website with e-commerce capabilities. Decide on your distribution channels and implement an Enterprise-Resource-Planning-System (yes, we know what we are doing here at BOUCHE). Now, start recruiting. It’s time to surround yourself with competent collaborators who are motivated to drive the business forward and bake a banana cake every now and then (once a week could be nice).

Now that the easiest part is established, focus on the elements most likely to cause disagreements, especially within the team. This could include discussions about which magnet deserves a spot on the fridge or even the brand of coffee ordered for the office.

START UP IN A BOTTLE • How to brew at home?

While all of these are key elements in the process of creating your Kombucha business, we believe the starting point lies in brewing your own Kombucha at home. This marks ground zero in the journey of experimentation, whether you aspire to start and grow your brewery or simply enjoy your Kombucha according to your preferences and introduce it to your friends.

The START UP IN A BOTTLE bundle contains the starter culture and instructions - to help you become a Kombucha brewer - as well as a bottle of each of the 4 signature BOUCHE flavors. So you can try our Kombucha brewed in Berlin-Marzahn and let it inspire you.

Because one thing is certain: a start-up without inspiration and a 'can-do attitude' doesn't work! 

Disclaimer: This article is written by our one-week-experienced intern, so 97% of this content is based on her initial self-acquired start-up knowledge and the remaining 3% comes from a manager - who’s now skeptical about her abilities to the job.