Folksy’s first hard kombucha is taking over local market shelves (and taste buds) across the county. This “booch” brand is produced by local husband-and-wife team Dylan and Anna Lundstrom. The Folksy founders were inspired by a mutual love of kombucha and fueled by a desire to create good-for-you beverages while working with the local Marin community.
“Folksy represents how we want people to feel,” says Anna on the thinking behind the brand’s name. “Friendly, familiar and unpretentious. We’re a bunch of uncomplicated folks who value good ingredients, good scenery and good times.”
By expertly pairing Dylan’s existing professional background in winemaking and Anna’s savvy business and marketing skills with a shared thirst for entrepreneurial adventure, the two successfully produced a buoyant new brew that locals are bound to start asking for by name.
Bubbling With Ideas
The brand was originally inspired by Anna’s love for nonalcoholic kombucha when she was abstaining from alcohol while pregnant with their first son. “It was delicious, and felt almost like a cocktail,” she says, “like a treat. When I went back to drinking alcohol, I discovered hard kombucha and became an evangelist for it.”
She quickly realized there was a gap in Northern California’s hard kombucha industry and knew how to fill it. Friends and neighbors were interested in learning more and trying it but didn’t know where to find the drink. “It took a little bit longer because of delays in shipping and production due to the pandemic, but we really wanted to create a local hard kombucha brand,” says Anna. And when it comes to founding and managing a quickly growing business, even this team of two knows it takes a village to build a strong following.
“This experience has taught me the power of relationships,” says Anna. “Partnerships are super important for building your community and your product — the biggest reward of starting our own business is getting to better know the community we live in.”
She appreciates how chefs, bartenders, grocery store owners and workers alike — everyone in the county — work together toward the common goal of supporting the community and each other’s ambitions. “Just talking to other business owners about the struggles and challenges and opportunities of owning a business, it’s really rooted us in Marin,” Anna says.
Breezy Brews
Self-described as “delightfully uncomplicated,” Folksy hard kombucha is made with all organic ingredients, and it’s gluten-free, low-sugar and naturally fermented to a light 5 percent ABV (alcohol by volume).
“We’re thoughtful about our ingredients,” Anna says. “We don’t use any concentrates or natural flavors. All of our ingredients are whole.” Flagship Folksy flavor combos include “sage, rosemary and mint” and “grapefruit and ginger” — both of which are playfully refreshing. As for new brews? Anna hints that there are some new flavors in the works that will offer a seasonal surprise.
Where to Buy
Sold on trying out some new sips? Folksy hasn’t made its online store debut yet, but hard kombucha lovers can find the canned drinks stocked on shelves across Marin including grocery stores like Andy’s Local Market, Driver’s Market and Mill Valley Market, as well as in restaurants like Hook Fish Co., Restaurant Picco and Madcap.
As for how well the brand has caught on, Anna says, “It’s all about making what you really believe in, something you can stand behind, and then your community will come around you.” Cheers to that.
