Good friends Chris Williamson and Vladimir Herrera realized they shared a vision of a holistically healthier life and founded Owluma based on that vision. Since Chris is a long-time kombucha lover, they decided to start by making an affordable kombucha with targeted health benefits. Soon they needed a bigger operation to keep up with the demand for kombucha, and that’s where their partnership with Union Kitchen began.
Read more about Owluma and the role food plays in a healthy life:
Did you always know that you wanted to start your own business?
We’ve always been entrepreneurs and determined to create our own reality by blending our passions with those around us. Starting Owluma came naturally to us because it is a culmination of everything we love: community, health, and wellness.
Why did you start your business? What convinced you to take the plunge?
We started Owluma to promote healthier nutritional practices, active lifestyle choices, cultural exchanges, and healing through plant-based foods and beverages. After taking our kombucha to a friend’s launch party, it was clear from all the positive feedback that not only were people loving the kombucha flavors, they were super excited to order their own! This is when it became clear we had to take our small kombucha operation to the next level.
How did you pick the product?
I’ve been drinking kombucha for nearly a decade and I was tired of paying almost $4 a bottle, so we started brewing our own to save money. One thing led to another and we realized there was a missing niche in the kombucha market: reasonably priced kombucha that provides targeted health benefits. From there, our concept was born.
What do you like about food? What drew you to the food industry?
Food allows people, who may not speak the same language, to be able to communicate cross-culturally through taste, smell, cultural traditions, and the common love of a good tasting home-cooked meal. Working in the food industry and creating healthy products is a great way to share one’s passion for health and wellness with a larger community.
What is your biggest business accomplishment to date?
Becoming a member of Union Kitchen’s Accelerator cohort.
What's the biggest business challenge you've faced to date?
Determining how to create an effective production plan for canning our kombucha product.
What does your typical day look like?
Vlad: For me, a typical day starts with a bike ride to work where I create communication products that will reach the client target audiences with visuals and words mostly focused on health in the Americas. For Owluma, I work on developing the communications efforts and the “Owluma 100 Campaign” to get resources for the company to expand its operations.
Chris: A typical day begins at 5 o’clock sharp with coffee and a protein smoothie before starting my early morning personal training sessions. From there, I use late-morning to midday hours to workout, practice Spanish, eat lunch, read, and complete any admin work associated with personal training and Owluma. Afternoons are mostly committed to coffee meet-ups and evenings I am back to training and teaching fitness classes. Weekends are committed to kombucha production.
Want to learn more about Owluma? Visit their website for more information.