Waste Reduction meets Product Development
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Project Description
Kombucha Town's supply chain involves the process of fermenting tea and the only bi-product is excess SCOBY, the symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast. This is the "mother" that allows the kombucha to ferment. We decided to make (Phase I) kombucha starter kits to bring to events. Phase I is simple in design and includes one vaccum sealed SCOBY with directions in a brown paper bag. These were sold at an event in Portland, Oregon.
Project Objectives
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Analyze the supply chain of brewing kombucha.
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Eliminate muda, or waste, in the brewing process and look to lean manufacturing method to continuously improve the brewing process and efficiency.
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Sell packaged waste, SCOBY, at events and in the Culture Cafe as Kombucha Starter Kits.
Project Processes
Meeting with Sales Director Beau: To begin the product development of Kombucha Starter Kits, Beau and I created guidelines for Phase I of the kits (See Appendix B).
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Work in the Brewery with KT's Head Brew Master Blaize: I then begun handling the excess SCOBY and cuting it into individual kit sizes. Next came packaging the SCOBY's with a food saver. Each of these were put in a brown paper bag with a stamped KT logo. Blaize and I worked together to create a directions sheet that went inside as well (See Appendix B).
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Josh brings kits to Portland event.
Project Outcomes
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Created 75 Kombucha Town Starter Kits.
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Utilized waste in production line to create a new product in simple, sustainable packaging for Kombucha Town.
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Sold approximately half of total kits at Portland Event and the rest are being sold in Culture Cafe.
Pictures by Julie Fish