Angie Heyming, co-owner of Blue Ridge Bucha.

                             ---------- Originally Aired on the Good Foods Podcast ----------

One of our local vendors joins me on the podcast this week, Angie Heyming, co-founder of Blue Ridge Bucha, which you can find in many stores along the East Coast.

Founded in 2010 as Barefoot Bucha and rebranded in 2017, Blue Ridge Bucha has been owned by the Heyming Family since 2020, when they acquired the kombucha company from the original owners. 

Everyone in the family is involved in the business, with her husband Hank overseeing operations in Waynesboro and the kids jumping in for in-store demos and festivals. Angie has become the face of the business, managing marketing and sales from their Richmond home.   

A UVA grad (CLAS ’97), Angie met Hank at Vanderbilt Law School. They moved to Richmond in 2005.  Some Richmonders may recall their days owning These Four Walls in Shockoe Slip (2005-2012). 

With 3 kids, 4 dogs, and some chickens and ducks, life for Angie and Hank is busy and full. Angie and Hank jumped at the opportunity to own Blue Ridge Bucha.  Already well-known for its crisp, clean taste; smooth, refreshingly delicious finish; and mission of sustainability, the couple saw tremendous growth potential by simply introducing it to new customer segments. 

It was the perfect time, too, for Covid caused a heightened focus on health – particularly the overall effects of gut health on the entire body as well as ways to boost immunity. Packed with live probiotics and naturally occurring digestive enzymes, “functional beverages” like kombucha were thrust into the limelight.  With its superior taste and all-natural ingredients, Blue Ridge Bucha stood out as an easy way to incorporate kombucha into one’s daily routine. 

This has continued to be the case since Covid, with the brand gaining new customers with each sip.  (A team of brand ambassadors host in-store demo tables throughout the region on a regular basis.)  

Angie admits that her parents and many of her friends were kombucha naysayers before she owned Blue Ridge Bucha.  It is the experience of introducing these folks to BRB that has brought the most enlightenment and joy. 

Of course, accolades are always nice to hear, but it is especially great to hear stories of how the drink has helped them with health issues. Angie’s mom, for example, has struggled with hereditary high cholesterol her entire life, with her numbers never dropping to safe levels despite the medicines. 

Never, that is, until Blue Ridge Bucha entered her life.  Her cholesterol is now at a near-normal level, with the only thing changing in the last few years being the addition of the bucha.  

For Angie, the business allows her to tap into her creative side while letting her continue her healthy, active lifestyle.  Whether it’s going on long distance runs, playing tennis, or walking her beloved dogs, Angie rarely sits still and loves to be outside – all while fueled with energizing Blue Ridge Bucha. 

Website ➡️ www.BlueRidgeBucha.com

Facebook ➡️ https://www.facebook.com/blueridgebucha

IG ➡️ https://www.instagram.com/blueridgebucha/

The Good Foods podcast is hosted by Shardan Sandoval and it’s possible that you've heard my voice on a commercial here and there, particularly since I'm currently one of the many talented National Creative Production Designers for iHeartMedia and to date, I voiced and produced commercials that have aired from Hartford to Hawaii.

I created this podcast for Good Foods Grocery in March of 2023 and it is a