Is The Juice Worth The Squeeze?
By: Todd Kent – CEO/Co-founder of Boochcraft
It’s natural to wonder. Totally normal to question, and quite honestly, I encourage you to ask, “is this worth it?” Whether you are training for a marathon or starting a new business, you have to ask... is the juice worth the squeeze?
When we started Boochcraft in 2014, the idea of high alcohol kombucha on a large scale was uncharted territory. It was a left turn when the entire industry was going right. Essentially, we were creating a new category that we like to call “conscious consumption.” We knew Boochcraft was a great idea. We knew our vision was focused, and knew that we had to keep pushing because we thought the juice was pretty damn good.
In late 2017, Robert Vail, the Head of Innovation and Commercialization from Boston Beer, asked to tour our brewery in Southern California. While touring the brewery, there was a small group of employees huddled in a corner juicing limes. I’m serious, they were diligently juicing limes because we use real, fresh pressed juice to flavor our product. Robert looked at me and said “that’ll never scale” ...but to us, it had to. It felt honest, transparent, and bold. We wanted to list every single ingredient on our bottle and the juice was a non-negotiable. Secondly, I like a challenge. I thrive when I work against the status quo. I knew it was a risk, and that made it even more appealing.
Fresh juice. It seems simple, but it isn’t. It takes time, people, money, you name it. It “costs” us extra. A lot extra. You could ask, “would Boochcraft have seen this level of growth without the commitment to ‘the juice?’” It’s hard to say… but if I had to, I'd say probably not. Our commitment to this difference, among the giants of this business, has paved the way. It has turned heads and raised eyebrows. It has created conversation. It has created conscious consumption and a mindful experience for our consumers.
So, here we are five years later. Still being bold, squeezing limes, and giving a shit about our product and the people behind it. In short, the juice is definitely worth the squeeze!!
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About Todd Kent: Todd has been an entrepreneur for the past 26 years starting his first business when he was just 16 years old. Creating a culture of community at each business is a personal goal and he looks to create that “family feeling” in and outside the office. When he’s not working you can find Todd engaged in some of his favorite past times such as running, biking or climbing.
