Today we’d like to introduce you to Todd Kent.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve always had a restless spirit. Constantly looking for something new to do. From mending fences to mowing yards, I had an entrepreneurial edge since I was young. So much so that I had 13 W2’s to process when I was only 17. Fast-forward a few years to 2001. I made the decision to pack up my life in Lake Tahoe, cash in my savings, and make to move to San Diego to start San Diego Hydroponics, a retail hydroponics store.
Originally one 450 sq ft store, where I also slept for many, many months, to over 30,000 sq ft, 5 retail locations, and 55 employees, this milestone acted as a springboard for future endeavors. Many companies, a few acquisitions, and a thriving new business later, I continue to find that restless spirit that keeps me innovating and pushing things forward.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I had my first child, Montana, when I was only 19 years old. There is something about the responsibility of a life beyond your own that really changes the way you look at the world. This single life event altered the trajectory of my life, as I could no longer think about just myself, I had another mouth to feed.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Boochcraft?
I was born an entrepreneur, and have spent my life launching a new business, as I knew I would make a terrible employee. I started San Diego Hydroponics in 2001 and later launched Mad Farmer and Allied Imports, and acquired House and Garden. I have since sold those businesses and now focus on Boochcraft, an Organic Hard Kombucha business launched in 2016. There is a uniqueness to all my business. Something different that disrupts the market in a positive way. Whether that is a better fertilizer for healthier soil or a completely new alcoholic beverage category, each endeavor has been driven by innovation. Boochcraft is a great example of this. When the idea came up of doing a hard kombucha with my co-founders, Adam Hiner and Andrew Clark, we weren’t planning to make an alcoholic beverage. In fact, none of us were big drinkers.
As we watched the category evolve we witnessed existing Kombucha brands pivot to no-alcohol formulations, and at that moment we thought – what if we went the opposite direction? What if we made a high-alcohol Kombucha? And Boochcraft was born. As the original Hard Kombucha brand, it has been exciting to see the category grow, but as the industry scales, we have focused on keeping the integrity of the beverage we originally set out to create. Today, we’re the only Hard Kombucha brand that juices whole fruit in-house and one of the last to deliver a truly fresh Kombucha, one that needs to be refrigerated at all times. I believe there are no shortcuts to building something great and at Boochcraft we believe the same old thing has no place in your mouth, or in our brewery.
In 2022, Boochcraft became the first Hard Kombucha brand to be certified as a B-Corporation. A certification we had been working toward for 3 years. This certification is a commitment to our drinkers that we will always find a balance between people, the planet, and profit.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
The alc bev market is changing. We’re seeing a bigger prioritization on health, a rise of the sober-curious, and new entrants coming into the market nearly every day. We are going to continue to see the better-for-you alcohol market rise as people become more intentional with what they drink. Boochcraft is well positioned for this consumer. It is not a product for over-consumption, but rather a catalyst for a deeper connection for moments you want to be present.
Plus, it’s insanely delicious. We focus on using real fruit and natural ingredients, with no preservatives or artificial additives in our cans. Just read the label, including the ingredient list, and you will only see whole fruit, fresh herbs, and of course, Raw Kombucha. Boochcraft is a better alcohol option, but we always encourage every drinker to consume responsibly.
Pricing:
- $15.99/6-pack
- $5.99/16 oz single serve
Contact Info:
- Website: https://boochcraft.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boochcraft/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/boochcraft
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Boochcraft
Image Credits
Boochcraft
