Who is GoodyGut?

Hi! My name is Andrea and I am not quite sure how I ended up being so intimately connected to water kefir?   Did I discover water kefir or did it actually find me?  I was struggling with my health as many of these stories start and some kind soul introduced me to water kefir, I fell madly in love and the rest as they say, is history. 

I have spent the last eight years meticulously nurturing and feeding my water kefir SCOBY’s  EVERY 48 hours, (someone want to do the math on that) and even after all this time I am  even more passionate and full of conviction that fermentation, especially water kefir, is truly a gift from the earth and is a powerful and necessary tool in our health regime.  I love fermentation and even though I believe that gut health is dependent on a variety of ferments, I have chosen to solely ferment and perfect water kefir.  Leave it to the other artists to ferment the other foods.  This focus has allowed me to delve into the science of water kefir and time to experiment with other foods and herbs to add to the drinks in order to deliver a very specific and powerful fermented health drink. It has also allowed me space to collaborate with gut health industry experts, fermentation innovators and other skilled and passionate fermenters in my community.  I really love these collaborations. 

I do not have a business background what I mean to say is that I had zero business sense and experience before GoodyGut … honestly, I was so caught up in making the drinks I only realized what it really meant to run a small health drink company  when I was well out at sea.    But I have had many generous wise teachers and mentors along the way that took pity on me watching me row my babies out to sea in an inflatable row boat.  They taught me well.  Of course, the trials and tribulations of promoting GoodyGut, also taught me well.  It was a massive learning curve that was exasperated by COVID.  But with time, some fantastic new partners and a whole lot of magic I was able to take GoodyGut into full production. I am grateful and humble for this opportunity.

GoodyGut has also taught me a lot about our local food chain.  About the importance of local and small businesses. From the integrity and wisdom of our local health food grocery stores, to the passion, creativity and perseverance of our food producers and farmers.  I learnt a lot about the chain of how we get your food and all the people working hard behind it.  Diet is directly linked to reducing disease and cognitive decline. What we put into your body matters.  So, to be part of that food chain, delivering quality and healthy food, feels good. 

As a small business owner, I would love to sit down with everyone and just list the millions of decisions I have had to make to be here today.   To tell you how I am constantly trying to manoeuverer with yours, the communities and the Earths health in mind.  Instead, I guess I will have to pick several I am proud of …..

I am proud of the quality of organic ginger, celery , apple  blueberry and turmeric juice that goes into  our drinks and that it is juiced with a Green Star cold press juicer ensuring to create a juice with maximum nutritional quality.  

I am proud that all GoodyGut drinks start with a base of locally sourced Ontario spring water, organic and fair-trade sugars and dried fruit.

I am very proud of the recipes I have tailored over the past 8 years, fermenting every 48 hours. My first ferment recipes are created around this number one objective, delivering the most therapeutic numbers of probiotics to your gut. 

I am also very proud of the tailored second ferment  formula, from the superfood therapeutic addition and the chosen herbs , I am proud of the additional health benefits each formula provides

I am proud of our production lines commitment to minimizing our environmental foot print.  including not using any chemicals in our lab.  We have invested in a sanitization system used in neonatal hospital wards, again another product that harnesses natures power backed by scientific research, hypochlorous acid supplied by Clean Smart.   It is a bit more of a financial investment but truly the best thing that has happened to our sanitization regime.

My commitment is to continue to approach every GoodyGut water kefir ferment with love and scientific care so as to harness the raw ingredients and magic of nature with the quality assurance of science.   I am committed to connecting and to being of service to my community and to respect and protect our collective mother, Earth.  And of course, have a little fun along the way. 

In return I am  hoping when  you drink a GoodyGut….you can see and feel the difference.