Marketing of Kombucha 221 B.C. In Sarasota

One food and beverage industry in Sarasota that has long interested me is the local kombucha company, Kombucha 221 B.C. In the summer of 2014, I began babysitting for a family in my neighborhood who had then just begun brewing kombucha and giving it to others in the neighborhood. What was then such a small and freshly budding business, has now grown into a booming business. But with so many different beverages on the market, how did this small company thrive? What set them apart from all the others? We could say that the power was all in the drink itself, with unique flavors, great taste, and appealing packaging, but someone in the business field would take a much different approach to answering this question. The reason this small company was able to thrive so well may not have necessarily been that it was some wildy special product, but that it was marketed in a very effective manner. From the start, the Kombucha 221 B.C. team has done a fantastic job of marketing their product to successfully grow the brand. Seeing the effect that good marketing has on not only Kombucha 221 B.C., but on a multitude of companies around the world sparks my interest, and is one of the reasons I chose to major in marketing. Being close to the Kombucha 221 B.C. family, I got a bird’s eye view of the marketing tools and practices they were using. Marketing is all about building a relationship with the customer, and right from the start Kombucha 221 B.C. took actions to make lasting customer relationships. Frequently appearing at the Sarasota Farmers’ Market with an appealing tent set up and signage, producing high quality photographs and videos to share on a variety of social platforms, and hosting kombucha tastings at local health food stores are just a few of the ways they successfully marketed their brand. With a great product and a fantastic marketing team, Kombucha 221 B.C. was able to grow from a neighborhood commodity to a brand being sold across the United States.