KTonic Kombucha breaks ground in Hutto

Texas-based organic beverage company KTonic Kombucha held a groundbreaking for its 4,380-square-foot production facility and taproom in Hutto on April 15.

The facility will be located at 3760 Limmer Loop and will offer existing flavors on tap as well as new, unreleased flavors in the taproom, KTonic owner and CEO Greg Goodman said. KTonic currently offers six flavors of kombucha, a fermented tea: ginger and lemongrass, cayenne, hibiscus, orange peel, cherry and elderberry.

Goodman said KTonic will also showcase local Texas beer and wine in the taproom, with hard kombucha hopefully available by late 2022. Making hard kombucha takes more time because of the development and permitting that goes into producing it in the facility, he said.

Goodman said he started brewing in his kitchen in 2010. After finding kombucha had too much sugar, he started developing a low-sugar version with help from his brother-in-law, who has a background in brewing.

Starting a business in Austin is expensive and difficult because there is not a lot of land to build on, Goodman said. The company chose Hutto because it is a growing and vibrant community, he said.

"Being in a smaller community, we want to help the community just as much as we think Hutto's helping us," Goodman said.

Brad Walker, chairman for the chamber of commerce board of directors, said he and other board members attended the groundbreaking to help promote the new business. The board of directors holds networking events and finds ways that businesses in town can promote each other, he said.

KTonic coming to Hutto is different from past businesses because it is produced locally and will be distributed on a national level, he said.

"As a small-business owner, you love to see that extra sales tax revenue coming in," said Walker, who owns Walker Insurance in Hutto.

Construction on the production facility is expected to be complete by August with the taproom expected to be open in 2022, Goodman said. He said he wants to take time on developing the taproom because it is different from the retail aspect of what the company has done before.