From runway to brewing deliciousness

We chat to Alex Glenday of Brew Kombucha

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BREWING DELICIOUSNESS

By Anthea Campbell

We chat to Alex Glenday of Brew Kombucha the driving force behind this award winning organic drink. It’s fun, cool, healthy and totally locally brewed.

EBL: TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF?

ALEX: I am a curious person by nature and love to try new things. Experimenting with kombucha and the journey of business has been so interesting. I am also very passionate about trying to do business differently, so that we can build a better example and inspire other businesses to do the same. Our goal is to look after our customers’ health, the health of the environment in which we live in and generate personal growth for the team that we work with. When I'm not thinking about Brew, I am out in nature as much as I can be and enjoy a quiet book read too.

EBL: WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE ON YOUR COMPANY NAME?

ALEX: It's a play on words: 1. Our Kombucha is made with rooibos and so has a lovely amber colour, and a white foamy head, looking much like a non-alcoholic beer, your 'Brew' beer. 2. It's made with tea, and you 'Brew' a pot of tea. 3. Lastly, it's a properly local and lekker South African brand 'Bru'.

EBL: WHAT MADE YOU START YOUR BUSINESS, WAS IT A LIGHT BULB MOMENT OR DID YOU SEE A GAP IN THE MARKET PLACE?

ALEX: Before launching Brew, I travelled the world for nine years, working as a model. From runway shows and catalogue shoots to TV commercials, I never lived in one place for more than six months, and the hectic lifestyle meant

Kombucha was a perfect solution for me. Since it goes through a natural fermentation process, it's imbued with natural probiotic properties, which help with digestion and it's super energising. The idea to kickstart a kombucha company made perfect sense to me when I returned to South Africa, at the age of 26, and discovered that South Africa had not yet caught on to the fermented drink craze. Aside from missing my daily probiotic routine, I saw an opportunity to get ahead of the trend. Kombucha was doing so well in the States already and I thought, why not in Cape Town too, and why not do a South African take on things with rooibos tea?

EBL: TELL US ABOUT YOUR COMPANY?

ALEX: We are a proudly South African, female -led producer of rooibos tea kombucha. Placing the environment at the forefront of every decision, we are the first and only provider of certified organic kombucha in South Africa, using raw, organic ingredients that are free of harmful pesticides. Our packaging is made up of recycled materials and is 99% single use plastic free. We also recycle, repurpose and compost 95% of our production waste – including wastewater, which is free of any toxins, due to the organic nature of the products and the use of environmentally-preferred cleaning materials. We believe that the right ingredients and ethos will be what holds together hard work and good planning for the longevity of a healthy company. In terms of the production of our product, we have developed a unique brewing technique, informed by food safety systems, brewing experts, and food scientists. Using custom-designed equipment, and fermentation tanks, our process ensures quality and consistency on a large scale – versus homegrown or plastic-brewed kombuchas which might vary in taste, colour, alcohol content, and health benefits.

EBL: ARE YOU LOOKING AT ANY MORE NEW INNOVATIVE IDEAS?

ALEX: We have new things coming at Brew, watch this space!

Alex and the team behind Brew Kombucha

EBL: DID YOU RESEARCH YOUR 'IDEA / CONCEPT' EXTENSIVELY?

ALEX: Yes – the beverage industry is tricky, and we are always learning. This takes constant research and innovation. attention of anyone looking for a refreshing, tasty beverage with a healthy twist. Being healthy should be fun – our target market generally includes health and environmentally conscious consumers, particularly GenZs and millennials.

EBL: IS THERE A REASON WHY YOUR BOTTLES ARE DARK?

ALEX: Yes – when it comes to kombucha, the darker the bottle, the better. When probiotics are exposed to light for a long period of time, they are damaged. This impacts the gut health benefits of the kombucha. Go for dark bottles of kombucha, rather than transparent ones.

EBL: IS KOMBUCHA AN AQUIRED TASTE?

ALEX: It can be, but Brew Kombucha has won the heart of many a novice kombucha drinker. It's light and naturally sweeter as it's made with rooibos tea. It's light, fizzy and ridiculously refreshing!

EBL: WHERE CAN CUSTOMERS BUY YOUR PRODUCTS?

ALEX: Brew Kombucha is available at selected stores nationwide, including Wellness Warehouse, Spar, Food Lovers Market, and a number of health shops. You can also order online at www.brewkombucha.co.za to get a case of Brew delivered to your front door.

EBL: I AM SURE YOU HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE AN INTERESTING JOURNEY, WITH LEARNING CURVES AND TRIUMPHS. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT AND WHAT IS YOUR NUMBER ONE TRIUMPH?

ALEX: I have learnt to have a thicker skin, it's a big bad world out there! At the same time, we are all always learning, and being willing to learn and adapt is the biggest skill you need. I would say that our number one triumph are our products. They speak for themselves, but have also won awards in blind taste testing with sommeliers, and are made in a light footprint brewery that has received international attention.

EBL: DID YOU GO ON A SPECIALISED COURSE TO LEARN ANY NEW SKILLS OR DID YOU LEARN AS YOU WENT ALONG?

ALEX: I have learnt as I have gone along. There has been a lot of kindness and support from other business owners and specialists, but one has to reach out and look for the answers. Hours of podcasts as well as 'Google' are very useful tools that I am grateful for.

EBL: WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS TO DRINKING BREW KOMBUCHA?

ALEX: Brew Kombucha is rich in antioxidants, naturally occurring Vitamin B12 and Vitamin C, and it's low in sugar. Foods and beverages that go through a natural fermentation process, like kombucha, gain probiotic properties. Probiotics are healthy bacteria that play an essential role in digesting food and helping to absorb and synthesise nutrients. Beyond the gut, they also assist with metabolic and immune function. With up to 80% of the human immune system housed in the digestive tract, taking care of your gut is an essential part of staying healthy.

EBL: YOUR PACKAGING IS COLOURFUL AND FUN WAS THIS INTENDED FOR A PARTICULAR TARGET MARKET?

ALEX: Our packaging, which is 99% singleuse plastic free, is designed to catch the 78