Hopped Passion Fruit has LANDED…in Costco!
We are over the moon to begin our Costco journey! Our Hopped Passion Fruit 6 packs are now available at Florida Costco locations. (Cue screams of excitement). Last week, the Mother Kombucha team headed out across the state to spread the word in stores. We met loads of kombucha fans, the young and some young at heart. We had the honor of providing the first kombucha experience to kombucha newbies as well.
We’re sipping on, Fleur de Hops
Did you grab your 6 pack from Costco? Well then, add this sublimely crushable, herbal citrusy beverage to your zero proof elixir lineup
5 oz Hopped Passion Fruit kombucha
1 oz grapefruit juice
1/2 oz rosemary syrup
Add all ingredients over ice and stir
Garnish with a rosemary sprig and lemon wheel
Sip + Enjoy!
A Q&A with… Miss Crit
Can we take a moment to gander at the beauty of our Mothershship Mural? This masterpiece was concepted and painted by Laura Spencer, aka Miss Crit. We recently caught up with Miss Crit about life, art and inspiration. Here’s what she had to say.
1. How did you get involved with the mural for the Mother Kombucha warehouse?
This mural was created as part of the Lealman Mural Project – a collaboration between Creative Pinellas (a non-profit organization dedicated to the Arts) and the Lealman Community Redevelopment Area (CRA). The goal of this and the other on-going Lealman murals is to help beautify, revitalize, and redevelop this unincorporated community in Pinellas County. When I saw the Call the Artist by Creative Pinellas, I knew I had to apply! The Lealman area is particularly special to me – I was born and raised in the west side (mom still lives there!) and am now a homeowner here in East Lealman. There wasn’t a lot of (any) creative opportunities while growing up in this neighborhood, so it’s exciting to be a part of building and bringing beauty to my community. This was my largest mural project to date (over 1,700 sq ft) – it was as exciting as it was intimidating!
2. What was your inspiration for the flora and fauna design?
My mural is titled “Garden Variety”. The inspiration and intention was to celebrate our wild and wonderful native Florida landscape. By exploring the rich biodiversity of some of our most precious indigenous vegetation, I learned about a variety of edible and medicinal plants that can be grown or even foraged in your own back yard. Like a field guide with larger-than-life paintings of vibrant and colorful plants with a subtle educational aspect. As an illustrator, I love to use my creative skills to help inform, educate, and inspire.
3. How long did the mural take to complete?
Oh boy, this project was a doozy! I kept a meticulous record of all the hours spent working – I even brought in a few friends to help out along the process (shout out to my dear friends and fellow artists: Megan Kessler, James Hartzell, Aleisha Prather, Jayson Keller, Carla Kaufman, and my wonderful partner George Retkes – their hands helped make this whole project possible!) The project was particularly challenging because the metal walls are corrugated – it takes a lot of patience, precision, and time to ensure your lines and shapes stay crisp and consistent on the undulating surface.
Here’s the stats:
1,764 square feet
28 colors
46 days
602.25 human hours
4. How did you get your start as an artist?
As far back as I can remember! I started taking art classes when I was a little kid (around 5 years old) with my Aunt and Pinellas Park based artist Boo Ehrsam – every Saturday till I was about 14. I then applied to Pinellas County Center for the Arts (PCCA) at Gibbs High School, where I majored in Visual Arts. From there, I went on to study at Ringling College of Art + Design in Sarasota, where I majored in Illustration and graduated in 2007. During my time at Ringling, I was fortunate enough to study abroad in Antwerp, Belgium during the second semester of my junior year. Suffice it to say, I am overly educated in the Arts.
Since graduating college, I’ve consistently pursued a career in Art – from a sales associate at the legendary Central Art Supply Co. to working for Department Stores, Design Firms, and squeezing in freelance projects. Since August of 2021, I am now a full-time artist. It’s a HUSTLE but I couldn’t imagine life any other way.
5.What new project are you excited about?
Well I just finished a big mural project for the St. Pete Clearwater International Airport (also powered by Creative Pinellas) which was super exciting! I am currently working on two murals at once – one for Perkins Elementary and another for a private residence in St. Pete Heights. I’ve got some other B I G projects on the horizon for this year, but I can’t say anything yet! You’ll just have to stay tuned!
6. What is your favorite Mother Kombucha flavor 🙂
This is impossible!!! My favorite for a long time was always the Blue Rose, but now I gravitate to Turmeric Ginger Lemonade. While working on the mural project, the entire MK team kept me WELL hydrated – I even got to try the Arise flavor on tap! Oh – and I’m kind of obsessed with the Key Lime Agua Bucha (it perfectly pairs with a lil tequila too!)