KrafTea Kombucha Plans Café In Worcester

WORCESTER, MA — Worcester's only local kombucha brewer is planning a move to a new space in south Worcester that will feature a café and room for live entertainment.

KrafTea Kombucha founder Matt Glidden said Monday he's planning to move the company's full production line to a new spot at 3 Brussels St., which is in a complex of buildings off Southbridge Street that houses Rothman's, an Acoustic Java café and other local businesses.

The new café will have room for about 20 people, plus space for events like poetry readings, acoustic music and comedy, Glidden said.

"The primary purpose is to be a kombucha bar with a comfortable, creative atmosphere," Glidden said.

This will be the third expansion for KrafTea. Glidden originally started brewing his kombucha at 3cross Fermentation Cooperative before moving to the Sprinkler Factory along Harlow Street in 2018 to keep up with demand. KrafTea is now on sale in bottles and on tap at dozens of spots in the Worcester and Boston areas.

Glidden will go before the Worcester License Commission on Thursday to secure a victualler license, a live entertainment permit and a transfer of his farmer brewery license.