Fund Me, KC: Brewkery hopes to tap support for healthy Kombucha

Editor’s note: Startland News is continuing its new segment to highlight area entrepreneurs’ efforts to accelerate their businesses. This is an opportunity for entrepreneurs to share their stories to gain a little help from their supporters. If you or your startup is running a crowdfunding campaign, let us know by contacting news@startlandnews.com

Who are you?

Brewkery co-owners Sean Galloway and Amy Goldman. We share an enthusiasm and fascination for fermented food and drink.

What’s your product?

We make Lucky Elixir Kombucha. Kombucha is fermented tea and is a non-alcoholic probiotic health drink that aids in digestion, boosts your immune system and gives you energy. It is an open-air fermentation with a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast. We have been distributing since April 2016 and now are in 55 locations in the KC metro area.  

How much do you hope to raise?

$20,000.

What do you plan to use the funds for?

We want to turn the front section of our North Kansas City, Missouri, production facility — where we already brew, bottle and distribute — into a kombucha taproom. It would be a first for Kansas City. We plan to have 12 taps with the standard flavors we currently distribute, as well as experimental flavors. We also plan to offer a kombucha radler — kombucha mixed with beer from a local brewery in North Kansas City — on tap and water kefir. In addition, we plan to hold classes for people in this new space to learn how to brew kombucha at home. We would spend some of the funds on new fermenters to help keep up with demand.  

How are you differentiating your campaign?

Our campaign is unique to KC because the city does not currently have a kombucha taproom. We want to raise awareness about the drink’s wonderful health benefits. The beverage industry does a really good job of confusing consumers by putting drinks on the market that masquerade as healthy. Kombucha is all-natural, gluten-free and low in sugar. We want to give people a healthy alternative to a sugary soda or energy drink. We really want to educate people to read labels and understand what they are putting in their bodies.

Is there anything quirky with your campaign?

We did a spoof of “Laverne & Shirley” at the end of our Kickstarter video.  We had so much fun filming it. It really fits our personalities of having fun in everything we do and not taking ourselves too seriously.  

Any advice on crowdfunding?

Spend time on a really great video to showcase your product. Brainstorm unique and fun rewards. Reach out to local media to get your story out there.

To learn more about the Lucky Elixir Kombucha Kickstarter campaign, click here.