Case Study: Blue Ridge Bucha achieves sustainable growth and stronger cash flow with SCORE Mentors Berks and Schuylkill Cty

SCORE Helps Beverage Entrepreneurs Make an Environmental Impact

Blue Ridge Bucha, a Virginia-based kombucha maker founded by Ethan and Kate Zuckerman, was growing quickly but ran into cash flow and distribution challenges as it expanded from refillable bottles to kegs and wider retail distribution. To get help, the co-founders turned to SCORE Mentors Berks and Schuylkill Cty for guidance and mentorship.

SCORE Mentors Berks and Schuylkill Cty, through mentor Steve Cooper, helped Blue Ridge Bucha build a spreadsheet with real numbers and sales forecasts to better understand and manage the business. The result was stronger decision-making and growth: Kate said sales and team size doubled after working with SCORE, and the company expanded to more than 80 locations while saving 750,000 bottles, with one million bottles saved in sight.

Blue Ridge Bucha

Kate Zuckerman

Co-Founder