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Businesswoman raises a glass to Sustaining Shropshire project for 'valuable' advice and support

Posted 16 September

A businesswoman who developed a range of popular kombucha drinks has thanked business development project  for streamlining her health and safety operations.

Charlotte Walters set up Shropshire Kombucha after deciding to become her own boss following a long career in the recruitment sector.

During the covid-19 pandemic, she began to develop a new range of products to sell at markets across the county.

Innovation Specialist from Sustaining Shropshire, Dr Jane Yarley, said: “Charlotte had been home brewing kombucha for personal enjoyment and health benefits. The company tested selling the kombucha at markets and it proved to be a big hit.

“When everything opened up after the pandemic, the business continued selling kombucha and experienced rapid growth - leading to a range of kombucha drinks being sold in farm shops, eco stores, and cafes.”

As Charlotte was selling her new products at markets across the county, she knew she would have to have them tested by Shropshire Council.

Realising she had knowledge gaps around health and safety paperwork, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), and ensuring her product met the legal standards for labelling compliance, Charlotte decided to seek external help from Sustaining Shropshire.

Both Jane and her fellow Innovation Specialist Tanya Postles worked closely with Charlotte on a one-to-one basis, offering the bespoke support and guidance she needed to fill these knowledge gaps.

They suggested essential courses, meaning Charlotte obtained a Level Two in Manufacturing from the Chartered Institute and completed an FSA allergies course. She also refined her knowledge around each of the food hygiene and safety procedures that needed to be conducted for the inspection, the product’s process flow, and the importance of each component.

Jane added: “Ensuring the labelling of products is accurate and meets legal compliance requirements is extremely important for all products. Labels need to contain information about the ingredients, including allergens, the location of where it was made, how it was stored, and information about the bottling procedure.

“To support Shropshire Kombucha with this, we sent three flavours of Kombucha for nutritional assessment, to determine the number of sugar contents in each of the products – this enables us to measure the alcohol content so it could be accurately documented on the product labels. It was also an important improvement for marketing the products to consumers.”

As part of the work with Shropshire Kombucha, the experts from Sustaining Shropshire also helped to upgrade the company’s PH testing methods by sourcing a lab-grade pH meter and training Charlotte in its use and calibration – helping to boost her work on the naturally-acidic brews.

Jane added: “Thanks to the support from Sustaining Shropshire, Charlotte now boasts a comprehensive suite of paperwork, logs, and a deep understanding of their necessity and functionality. She feels confident with the product's critical control points and can test and log them correctly.”

Thanks to the help of Sustaining Shropshire, Shropshire Kombucha was awarded a five-star hygiene rating when inspected.

Charlotte added: “I've received valuable advice on health and safety, and this advice has motivated me to invest in further equipment. With some helpful guidance, I was able to get everything done properly. I'm truly grateful for all the support that has helped me reach this milestone.

“They helped my business to achieve a five-star hygiene rating and gave me the knowledge and confidence needed.”

For more information about how Sustaining Shropshire can help your business, contact the team on 01952 815173.