USask alumni-owned company successful amidst pandemic
Over the course of COVID-19, we’ve been sharing stories of USask alumni who are persevering. USask alumni-owned Parkerview Brews recently expanded their products into conventional grocery stores. Not only that, but they are creating merchandise of which 50 per cent of their sales are going toward supporting CHEP Good Food Inc. We caught up with Tyler (BSA'08, MSc'12) and Amy Kaban (BComm'06, MIT'15) to learn more about their story.
By Leslie-Ann Schlosser
Tell us a little about your company
We started Parkerview Kombucha in 2017 and are proud to be a woman-owned and family-operated business in Saskatoon.
Our mission is to create healthy beverages that are not only good for you but taste great!
Our kombucha is made with a focus on quality and flavour. We proudly use local, Canadian and organic ingredients including Saskatoon berries, sour cherries, Chaga mushroom and wild Canadian blueberries.
Customers can find us in over 50 retail locations across the province and can visit our storefront in Saskatoon.
How have you managed to grow your business during a pandemic?
Our kombucha has become part of the daily ritual and healthy habits of many of our customers. The community and customer base that existed prior to the pandemic really helped us through uncertain times, so we’re truly grateful for that.
We were also able to pivot our business very quickly. We temporarily closed our storefront and offered a home delivery service to our customers. This service has been so well received and something we’ll continue to offer into the new year.
It’s fun to drive throughout the city, getting to know the neighbourhoods and connecting with our customers in a different way.
Why is it important for your company to support local causes?
As a family and as entrepreneurs, we see the impact of the support local movement in terms of where people consciously choose to spend their dollars. In turn, we believe that giving back locally is equally as important.
We support local causes like CHEP Good Food Inc. because we see the value and importance of accessibility to healthy food, and that’s something that CHEP does through their urban farm program, cooking workshops, community garden, school lunch program and Good Food Box delivery service.
To learn more about Parkerview Brew Kombucha, visit their website: www.parkerviewbrews.com