Krazy Kombucha, borne of Catapult and the Lakeland farmer's market, getting a storefront

POLK COUNTY — A darling of the Lakeland farmer's market is finally getting its own storefront in Dixieland.

Wendy Johnson, 44, has owned and run Krazy Kombucha since December 2017. She bought the company from its previous owner and started running it with her best friend, A.J. Jackson.

The duo took Krazy Kombucha to the Lakeland co-working space Catapult in May 2018. By June, they had returned as Lakeland's only kombucha brewing company at the Saturday farmer's market and are now approaching their three-year anniversary. 

"I was one of those worriers, like I don't know how to run a business, I don't know how to do this. I just know I need this kombucha and it helps me and my family," Johnson said. "And I was like maybe we can bring it back to the community, you know. So that's how we did it." 

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Kombucha is fermented tea, often consumed for its gut health benefits. Johnson said kombucha can sooth digestive issues, serve as relief for chronic conditions and even assist with anxiety. A batch takes between five and six weeks to produce as it undergoes three separate ferment periods. 

"All of us have a digestive issue in some sort of way, whether it's stress-induced or emotions to the food we eat and constipation," Johnson said. "I mean, it's all of those things."

Currently, Johnson and Jackson, 44, have brewed their kombucha — about 48 five-gallon kegs a month — at Good Thyme, a kitchen space they share with the restaurant and a bakery. While the walk-up window at the restaurant kept them alive when COVID-19 shut the farmer's market down, the space has become too small for their operation. 

"Pretty much everything that we do is on a two-by-six shelf at this point," Johnson said. 

With a booming business and not enough space, Krazy Kombucha is moving to Dixieland at 1030 South Florida Avenue. While Johnson decided on the brick-and-mortar location mostly to expand their brewing area, they will serve kombucha on tap about twice a week to start, likely on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Johnson said they're looking to have between 16 and 20 flavors available in-store, doubling the eight flavors available at the market. 

COVID-19 slowed down their search for a permanent location, but Johnson said they're looking to officially open in April. 

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And once Krazy Kombucha officially opens its doors, possibilities are endless. Jackson said they're looking to possibly do more fermented items, such as sauerkraut, salsas and even kombucha gummies. And as for the physical space, adding food and making the brewery a cafe or even adding alcohol and hard kombucha to the list are both ideas in the air. 

But for now, don't look for a buzz in the new space. While Johnson is playing with the idea of calling it a "kombucha bar," you can't yet grab beer or wine alongside your probiotic-filled fermented tea. But Johnson noted kombucha does pair well with beer, liquor and wine, and they even have suggestions for how to optimize kombucha for adult nights in.

If you've passed by the kombucha tent on Saturdays and hesitated, Johnson and Jackson recommend you take the leap of faith. 

"We get that several times a week on Saturday, of people going, 'I don't like kombucha,'" Johnson said. "And we're like, 'You haven't tried ours yet.' And they'll try it and their eyes get really big going, 'I like yours!'" Jackson works in the Lakeland parks and recreation department, but for Johnson, Krazy Kombucha is her full-time job. She said they may look at adding part-time employees and an intern in the future, especially to boost their social media presence and get the word out to locals that kombucha is brewed and available in Lakeland.

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