Locally Sourced & Organic - Escarpment Kombucha Co.
Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Robyn Starkey, co-founder of Escarpment Kombucha Co., located in Hamilton, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My partner Drew and I brew delicious fermented tea, a.k.a. kombucha, from locally sourced, organic, and foraged ingredients! Our customers are often looking for a healthier alternative to high-sugar juice, pop, or alcohol, and want a specialty beverage that tastes good and makes them feel good.
Tell us about yourself
Drew started home-brewing kombucha on a bookshelf in our bachelor apartment in Halifax nearly 5 years ago, and after a lot of positive reviews from friends, we started taking steps to turn the hobby into a business! We moved back to Hamilton and opened in March 2020 out of The Kitchen Collective, and have been growing slowly and sustainably ever since. We're inspired and motivated by the seasonal ingredients we use, and by the connections to farmers, other small businesses, and the land we all live and work on. We're very lucky to call that a part of our day job.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
We're really proud to have so many regulars, especially our growler subscription customers! Knowing that a glass of Escarpment Kombucha is part of someone's routine really makes us feel connected, and like we're bringing some happiness to their day!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
For me (Robyn), it's long-brewing days in the hot kitchen in summertime (having a good podcast always makes things better though). For Drew, it's keeping a healthy relationship with social media.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
1. Don't compare yourself to others! You'll learn more by treating other small businesses as colleagues rather than as competition. We operate out of The Kitchen Collective, a non-profit commercial kitchen co-op, and the kind sharing of resources, knowledge, and support from our fellow members is what's made us the business owners we are.
2. Keep your relationship with social media balanced and healthy. Remember, posting gets you clicks and likes, but what makes people come back is the quality of your product.
3. Notice the parts of your job that make you feel the most grateful! Some of my favourites are being able to sleep in without calling the office, driving around Hamilton for deliveries every week, and having "go on a walk with friends and pick sumac" be a completely valid day's work. There are so many cool things to be thankful for when you build your own job, and it always feels good to appreciate them.
Anything else you'd like to share?
If you're thinking of starting a food business in Hamilton, check out The Kitchen Collective! We're always taking new membership applications, and it's an awesome place to work when you're just starting out.
Where can people find you and your business?
https://www.escarpmentkombucha.com/
https://www.instagram.com/escarpmentkombucha/
https://www.facebook.com/escarpmentkombucha
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.