Today we’d like to introduce you to Buster and Angela Brown and Natalie Bixby.
Buster, Angela and Natalie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I (Buster) began home brewing kombucha when I moved to Miami in 2005, after reading a book (Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon) about the benefits of fermentation and the importance of locally-sourced foods. With the only local brand of kombucha (Holy Kombucha) leaving for Dallas-Fort Worth, Natalie and I saw an opportunity to fill the void left behind. We founded Counter Culture in 2013, with a mission of educating and subsequently changing the way our culture consumes. We started selling bottles of kombucha at farmers markets, offering unique local flavors with discounts for bottle returns. As the kombucha industry boomed and the locavore diet gained traction, we were constantly increasing production to meet the growing demand for locally-sourced kombucha at Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach farmers markets, as well as a variety of retail locations: grocery stores, restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, gyms, and yoga studios. Angela (Buster’s sister) joined as a third partner in 2016 to help grow the business. Today, we brew 900 gallons/month for over 70 locations from Fort Myers to Fort Pierce and down the east coast of Florida.
Has it been a smooth road?
It is anything but smooth. Finding a work/life balance feels like a losing battle. Fighting the misconceptions about kombucha in regard to alcohol, sugar, and caffeine is an upstream swim. Protecting our niche within the industry becomes more and more challenging, with dozens of brands popping up in the last few years in South Florida. Perhaps worst of all has been some baffling interactions with state and local government agencies.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Counter Culture story. Tell us more about the business.
We are known for serving high-quality kombucha with rotating local seasonal flavors. Customers appreciate our commitment to reducing carbon footprint, from sourcing local produce to reusing bottles and kegs. I (Buster) am most proud of the seasonal nature of our products. I think we are creating some awareness of the harm we cause our planet by having produce available year-round on store shelves, shipped from all corners of the Earth. One of our must popular flavors (strawberry) is only available for 5 months each year, as we only source from Florida farmers. I think that our celebration of all things local and sustainable is what sets us apart from others.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Unfortunately, I perceive an industry under fire from larger corporations, with a goal of eliminating smaller competitors, of which many are minority-owned or family-owned. I see a shift towards cheaper kombucha made by a handful of brands and shipped all over the country, versus hundreds of smaller brands with localized distribution. I also see a shift towards single-use kegs, now called “one-way” kegs to avoid the stigma associated with the term “single-use”. Americans’ insatiable appetite for disposables is affecting all industries, even threatening the iconic keg, which can be reused hundreds of times, with a lifespan over a decade.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.counterculture.miami
- Phone: 3058346774
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @drinkliveculture
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