FedUp Foods

FedUp Foods is a North Carolina-based private label beverage manufacturer recognized as the largest fermented functional beverage manufacturing platform in North America. Founded in 2008 by co-founders Sarah Mullins and Jeannine Buscher under the original brand Buchi, the company began as a small-batch kombucha operation in Asheville, NC, and has since grown into a full-scale, turnkey private label partner serving top global retailers. In 2020, the business formally transitioned to FedUp Foods P.B.C., a Public Benefit Corporation, reflecting its commitment to operating at the intersection of commerce and social impact.

The company operates two facilities totaling nearly 60,000 square feet — one in Wilmington, North Carolina and one in Erwin, Tennessee — supported by strategic long-term global partnerships. Combined, these facilities house 32,000 square feet of cold storage and 24,000 square feet of dry storage, enabling significant scale for retail and foodservice clients.

FedUp Foods specializes in ready-to-drink (RTD) organic functional beverages, with a core focus on fermented categories. Its product portfolio includes authentic kombucha, kombucha spritzers, prebiotic sodas, functional energy drinks, water kefir sodas, tepache, and cold brew coffee, with tea products in development. The company serves retail clients seeking turnkey private label programs with end-to-end support — from product ideation and formulation through production, testing, packaging, and logistics.

A key proprietary differentiator is the company's Scalable Craft Brew Method™, which combines traditional fermentation techniques with advanced scientific controls to deliver 100% alcohol-compliant kombucha at scale. FedUp Foods is one of the only traditional kombucha brewers capable of consistently delivering an alcohol-compliant product, making it a trusted partner for major retailers subject to compliance requirements.

Production capabilities include canning and bottling lines supporting multiple formats: 8oz sleek cans, 12oz standard and sleek cans, 16oz standard cans, 12oz and 16oz glass bottles, and 48oz PCR plastic bottles. The company also offers can mixed cases, case and tray formats, and pressure-sensitive labeling. Its in-house lab conducts qPCR testing, alcohol compliance testing, pH testing, and titratable acidity testing to ensure product consistency and regulatory adherence.

Beyond manufacturing, FedUp Foods provides a comprehensive suite of ancillary services including an in-house design team, marketing support, product development, and a dedicated customer service team. A full freight and logistics team manages FTL and LTL shipping. The company's category management expertise and data-driven market research allow it to proactively guide clients toward consumer-relevant product innovations.

FedUp Foods sources regenerative ingredients and sustainable materials, partnering with suppliers, farmers, and producers who share its values around mindful growing and harvesting practices. The company is a certified Benefit Corporation and actively donates a percentage of sales to reforestation efforts in the Appalachian bioregion through One Tree Planted. Its FUF Summit is an invitation-only gathering of supply chain thought leaders exploring what a truly regenerative food product looks like in practice.