Bend’s Humm Kombucha follows Deschutes Brewery to Roanoke

Bend-based Humm Kombucha announced Tuesday a partnership with the city of Roanoke, Virginia, that will bring a 100,000-square-foot brewing facility and about 50 jobs to the city. A 12-acre site in the Roanoke Centre for Industry & Technology will be the home of the independently owned kombucha maker’s East Coast brewery.

Humm is the second company from Bend with plans to set up East Coast operations in Roanoke, following in the steps of Deschutes Brewery, which already opened a tasting room in downtown Roanoke and will build their new brewery in the same industrial park.

Humm Kombucha co-founders Michelle Mitchell and Jamie Danek released a statement about the $10 million investment, saying, “Roanoke is filled with genuinely good people. The residents love Roanoke, have so much pride in where they live and many simply wouldn’t live anywhere else. Their outdoor amenities and culture are a huge part of their day to day. This environment and vibe is very similar to Bend. Aligning with a similar culture is a must to the ethos of our company. Combine that with Roanoke’s central location and the low cost of doing business there, and we’ve found the perfect second home for Humm.”

The city’s desire to bring Humm Kombucha to Roanoke was instrumental in bringing the deal to fruition, the company said in a news release.

The City of Roanoke, the Roanoke Economic Development Authority, the Roanoke Regional Partnership and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership all worked to secure the project for Virginia. Governor Terry McAuliffe approved a $150,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist Roanoke with the project.

“Roanoke is honored to be the East Coast location of Humm Kombucha, ” said Roanoke Mayor Sherman Lea. “I want to express my appreciation to the company for bringing its operation to Roanoke.”

Humm Kombucha is now eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. Funding and services to support the company’s employee training activities will be provided through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.

“Through its friendship with Deschutes Brewery, Humm saw that the Roanoke region was a good fit from both business and cultural perspectives,” said Beth Doughty, executive director of the Roanoke Regional Partnership. “Being the East Coast home of Humm Kombucha just adds energy to what is going on here.”

The company said construction will begin in early January and they expect to be in operation in 2019.

About Humm Kombucha: Humm was founded by friends Mitchell and Danek in 2009 with the belief that the healthy, delightfully effervescent beverage could reach a broad audience. In the years since, the company has gone from delivering kombucha door to door in gallon jugs to employing 100 people in Bend. Today, Humm Kombucha is available in all 50 states, as well as Sweden, Guam and retailers such as Target, Safeway, Wal-Mart, Costco and Publix.

About Kombucha: Kombucha is one of the fastest-growing segments in the beverage market. The fermented tea is made by combining sweet tea with a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), which yields a sparkling beverage with a slightly sweet, slightly tangy taste. Kombucha is known as a source of natural energy and for being full of vitamins and probiotics.