In a time where we have seen many of our local hangouts forced shut, leaving us the customer to adapt to new ways of receiving our ‘date night’ restaurant meal or see our favourite bands perform, have you wondered how our local business community is surviving and what is driving those who are still going forward? Buchi Kombucha is among many local businesses whom have had to pivot in the way they do business, making sure their customers are still able to get their ‘gut loving’ kombucha and survive in this strange climate we are in today.
The immediate aim for Buchi in this situation was to create a safe environment for their customers to get their Kombucha whilst also keeping the health of the planet in mind.
“Our goal has always been to offer a reusable option and reduce the impact our business makes on the environment and over this time, we didn’t want to lose that,” explains Jason, Founder of Buchi Kombucha.
“The refill stations we have at the markets for our customers are very important in that therefore we had to adapt to new hygiene practices so that our customers were safe, and they could be assured we were supporting social distancing protocols.”
Buchi have seen two sides for local business during this time. Some businesses they know have survived like them, while many others have lost access to their customers completely, and had to close their doors. To keep their customers stocked up they decided to start their home delivery service.
“Buchi is all about community,” Carolyn Ritchie, local Gold coast distributor states. “We wanted to take care of those who couldn’t get out for their Buchi supply due to having to self-isolate.”
“Thank goodness [some of the] the farmers markets are still alive,” Carolyn continues. “There is this beautiful sense of normality there. We can connect with our customers, and they can feel safe in getting what they need, supporting our farmers at the same time. Even in this time of social distancing, it still holds this space of connection.”
Supporting the local economy is important to Buchi, in particular our local farmers.
“We support local wherever we can,” says Jason.
“Farmers have faced a lot of hardship with the recent fires and droughts. So, to us it is important to get behind them. All our products use only wholefoods so whenever the farmers have excess fruit, we purchase that from them to create local seasonal flavours.”
Buchi ONLY produce seasonal flavours, so if you are craving a mango kombucha in winter, you probably won’t find it!
Who knows what the after tale of COVID-19 will tell? How our local economy will recover and how we as a community will connect with each other remains to be seen. Among the hardships there have certainly been people thinking more about their health, and reaching out to others offering support.
Asking Jason what piece of advice he would give to others, he replied: “Get planting, get fermenting and if there is one thing more contagious than COVID-19 that will see us through this challenge, it’s your SMILE. Spread it around.”
You will find Buchi Kombucha at:
Saturday
Currumbin / Palm Beach High School
Helensvale Markets (Helensvale Hornets Junior Rugby League Club - short-term).
Sunday
Miami High School
They also make deliveries all over the Gold Coast. Head to their website buchi.com.au to enquire.
