Elliot Pees, f’06, started brewing kombucha—a fermented, slightly fizzy tea—as a DIY project in his kitchen. Now, 16 years after creating his own brand, KANbucha, he brews 290 gallons in a single batch at KANbucha’s production facility in North Lawrence. KANbucha is available in bottles or on tap at about 20 retail locations throughout Lawrence, Kansas City and Baldwin City.
Originally operating his business solo, Pees now has employees who help with bigger processes and events, such as the Lawrence Farmers Market, tea brewing day and bottling day. “I used to do everything,” Pees says, “and it was hard eventually to muster up the energy day to day. And now I wish I had done it sooner, because I work with some great people who add a whole new meaning to the work.”
That his work would be as a small-business owner was not the original path he charted. After studying music education at KU, Pees worked as a middle school music teacher before deciding to brew kombucha full time. He says he built connections at KU that he continues to rely on today to better his business, as well as discipline and people skills.
“I think the experience in general at KU helped me to think in lots of different ways,” Pees says. “That probably fit my personality better, just to be able to think about something from a bunch of different angles and see possibilities.”
Visit the KANbucha website for more information and to find retail locations.
Rochelle Valverde, c’08, j’15, is staff writer for Crimson & Blue.
