Written by Taylor Carmody

Between the growing bacteria, yeast combination and sweetened tea, kombucha possesses a unique flavor that can sometimes defer potential customers. But according to Matt Cone, founder of Chattanooga Culture, after enough time, kombucha can turn into not only something that benefits consumers, but also something they can enjoy.

“My buddy out in Colorado brewed a lot of kombucha for himself personally, and I always thought it was a very interesting drink. I was turned off by it at first, like everybody is. It’s kind of an acquired taste,” Cone said.

After tasting some of his friend’s kombucha, Cone began doing research on health and wellness. This led him to pursuing further education within that field; Cone ended up getting his degree in Health and Wellness at Life University in Georgia.

“I learned as much as I could in that realm and just kind of figured out how to pull all of these pieces together and build a business out of it, so that’s what Chattanooga Culture is,” Cone said. “It’s not just kombucha. It’s not just fermentation. It’s all of the years of experience.”