Why Small Businesses Matter
Shop small, do big things for your community
Why Small Businesses Matter puts a spotlight on the local merchants who donate their time, talent, goods, and services for the betterment of our community. The shop local movement spreads virally as local businesses who are “tagged” have the opportunity to share their story! HamletHub launched this initiative in Ridgefield in early 2018 and due to its overwhelming success, we brought it to neighboring communities - all in the name of keeping it LOCAL.
You're IT Cross Culture Kombucha!
Three questions with Liz Ceppos, co-owner of Cross Culture Kombucha.
Why did you start your business?
In 2016, two things were happening. I was in job search mode, and my husband Ian and I were on a massive kombucha kick (home-brewing it, drinking it, sharing it). I was approaching a milestone birthday and had an unstoppable desire to finally just go work for myself. And we realized this thing we loved, sharing our kombucha, was an opportunity to go into business, as there wasn’t a local brand to be found in any Danbury area cafes or shops.
Finish this sentence in regard to your business. “I wish I could…”
I wish I could shift social drinking occasions to include better non-alcoholic beverages. Typically, if you dine out, there are dozens of wine, beer, cocktail, liquor options at restaurants, but if you request a non-alcoholic beverage, you get limited and lame choices of soda, juice, sparkling water. We don’t all want booze. We also don’t want children’s drinks! The good news is, I am now providing that option.
How many local businesses do you use to support your business (products and services) and can you name them?
We get one of our core tea blends from Simpson & Vail in CT, and the rest of our teas from a Westchester County importer. We utilize Culligan in Danbury for reverse osmosis water. Our glass packaging comes from O’Berk in West Haven. We love the ginger from Fort Hill Farm for one of our flavors, and we expect to expand our local farm purchases for seasonal limited edition flavors.
Although we are a small, bootstrapped start-up, we have also supported others: We have provided kombucha cultures to Kinsmen Brewing for creating a sour beer collaboration, and we have even provided cultures for a fermenting workshop taught in Brookfield. We have donated product for Workspace Collective and Get Downtown Danbury events, as well as for several fundraiser raffles. Just today, I gave kombucha to the Danbury Public Library for one of their programs!
We look forward to being in the position to support additional local organizations in more meaningful ways in the future.
I tag Mothership Bakery & Cafe- the owners have helped us get our brand off the ground! We are grateful to both Mothership and Pour Me for being our first wholesale accounts! They supported our business since day one.
Cross Culture Kombucha products can be purchased at retail locations throughout Connecticut and New York. Click here for a comprehensive list.