Krazy Kombucha
Krazy Kombucha
May 28, 2019
Krazy Kombucha has grown tremendously in the last year because of Catapult. We are so happy to be able to provide this healthy beverage to Lakeland because our community is so important to us. Our time spent at Catapult and those connections we have made have propelled us forward and have made way for a successful year. We could not be more thankful for all of the support.
Wendy Johnson

Founder, Krazy Kombucha

Wendy + AJ based Krazy Kombucha out of Catapult for just over a year and have experienced a steady and constant growth since. After reaching their max capacity in the space, they happened upon an impossible to pass-up opportunity in a space in central Dixieland, which has allowed them to expand like never before.

We dropped in at Krazy to see how things have been going since the transition.

Q+A with Wendy Johnson

Catapult: When did you know it was time to move out?

Wendy: We knew we couldn’t expand operations much further in the Catapult space, so we began looking extremely casually. We were connected with Cory Petcoff at the Lakeland Entrepreneur Awards who over time provided the perfect connection to the space we are in now which ended up being the perfect fit for us. 

Catapult: How has the transition been in the new space? Wendy: We were a bit scared at first. Maggie, staff, and others were so helpful at Catapult and we were scared of losing that help initially. We’ve been in our space since February and the support has not stopped. Cory and Maggie especially have been a huge help to us continually. Catapult: What are some wins for your business since you’ve moved into your new space? Wendy: The location of the new space is amazing. We are in the heart of Dixieland and there is a ton of development in this area. We also have a huge walk-in fridge that we get to take advantage of, which is a necessity when brewing kombucha. Aside from the space itself, we are in two retailers in town (CBD Store + Swan Brewing) and are introducing a fleet of new flavors, including: Strawberry, Tart Cherry, Spearlina Apple Mint, and Coffee in collaboration with Ethos Coffee Roasters. Catapult: How have you developed your customer family? What are your secrets to customer growth? Wendy: Word of mouth and consistency. Now that we’ve established ourselves at the Farmers’ Market, people are returning every Saturday to fill their growlers with our kombucha. We love looking at the analytics from each Saturday to see that our customers are 50-60% returning with the rest being returning customers!

CatapultHave you been able to hire any new employees?

Wendy: No, it’s still just me and AJ. We work well together as a two-woman operation and sometimes get help from my youngest son on Market days.

Catapult: Have any of your goals changed from when you first started to now?

Wendy: At Catapult, we wanted to get going, make our initial sales, and solidify out customer base. Now that we’ve accomplished that and have space to expand our operations, we’d love to get our kombucha into more retailers + restaurants in Lakeland.

Catapult: Which specific aspect of Catapult can you look back on and identify as the most helpful to your business? Wendy: We couldn’t have done it without Maggie. She was a massive help in connecting us to the right people and making sure we were all set on permitting. Laura Taylor from the LEDC also was a huge help as she helped us get our finances in order. Catapult: What would you wish next for your business? Wendy: We want to stay local. We absolutely love Lakeland and the growth that is happening so tangibly here. We want to normalize kombucha in this community and work on getting it into every home in this city.
 

More Information about Krazy Kombucha:

Member Since: October 1, 2017

New Space Launch: February 13, 2019

Location: 1037 Dixieland Mall Lane

Lakeland FL 33803

Square Footage: 200 square feet

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