Booch Kombucha
STARTUP RETAIL INCUBATOR
Booch Kombucha
Year of establishment: Founded in 2018 but started operating towards mid-2019
Names of co-founders: James Pritchard and Tamara Nieuwenhuijze
About the brand: Booch Kombucha is a small local company created by two friends, Pritchard and Nieuwenhuijze, who wanted to share their passion for the art of kombucha brewing. Kombucha is a slightly tangy gut-friendly fermented tea drink, vastly gaining popularity amongst people in the UAE, and already a major commodity worldwide. This home-grown brand started out in a home kitchen, perfecting recipes before branching out into a small catering facility. Pritchard and Nieuwenhuijze are the sole employees of Booch Kombucha, and still run every aspect of the business on their own.
Commercial success: The product speaks for itself, and it has organically built a loyal client base. Moreover, high product quality and collaborative relationships built with other like-minded businesses have resulted in greater brand awareness and building new client base.
Phased business transformation: In the near future, Booch Kombucha will release some new flavours and products. The co-founders intend to maintain a high product quality as a priority. Over the next few months, the brand intends to work with other brands in the beverage and distribution segments.
Major hurdles crossed: Kombucha is a brand-new product in the Middle East, and finding its place in the market and getting permissions proved difficult. The awareness and market for kombucha is steadily growing, and Booch Kombucha intends to grow along with it, learning along the way. Due to the current situation and as summer approaches, the F&B industry will likely slow down as is the trend in the UAE. Booch Kombucha is keen to utilise this time as an opportunity to execute plans and create a solid base.