October was a super eventful month for us at LFC. We collaborated with ALL sorts of people:
- meditation mavens,
- coffee connoisseurs, and
- crypto bros and sistahs (among many others)
Because that's the sort of company we are at LFC. We have a drink for every reason, and every season.
Coffee "Cocktails" at Maverick & Farmer
We started off the month with the International Coffee Day on October 1. If we're being honest.. everyday is coffee day at our brewery. But hey - we're always up for a chance to celebrate coffee! So we partnered with our friends over at Maverick & Farmer, Ulsoor, who were celebrating with "coffee cocktails".
Essentially, you could build your own customized coffee - with a Maverick & Farmer signature coffee as a base, and our yummy fizzy beverages as a mixer. You can try to whip up your own version of the signature Maverick Mazagran (lemon coffee) at home by combining some fresh espresso and a lemon/orange along our fizzy Ginger Ale. But we have to tell you - the Maverick Mazagran is best enjoyed over at their beautiful café - overlooking a grassy football turf!
Klub D2C Get Together
We'll shout it from the rooftops - we are BIG fans of Klub. We love how fast and efficient their due diligence process is, and how it's a great alternative to diluting your capital table.
Recently, Headstart Network Foundation, India's largest network for start ups and ecosystem enablers, held a D2C get together along with Klub. As we are a portfolio company of Klub, we got invited as well! We loved interacting with other D2C founders and it was great swapping experiences and tips about fundraising in the current market.
Do let us know if you're a founder looking to raise revenue-based financing for your start-up. We would be happy to share our experience and learnings.
Luxe Soiree
Our co-founder, Noopur Porwal, was invited to be a panelist at the 4th edition of the Luxe Soiree, by The Social Order - a forum for women entrepreneurs. She spoke alongside Nidhi Siddaraj and Surbhi Bhatia on how to crack the e-commerce code and scale a successful e-commerce business. It was lovely networking with other ambitious women at the WeWork HQ in Bangalore.
To keep the caliber of these discussions high - these events are invite-only. If you are a women entrepreneur and would like to get a referral, please write to us and we would be happy to refer you :)
Pump It with CaliOG
Lately, our co-founder Noopur has been switching up her fitness routine and working out at CaliOG, Bangalore's first street gym. This Kormangala based gym puts the FUN in functional fitness and you can learn calisthenics, parkour and rock climbing.
We were thrilled to know that the trainers at CaliOG loved to rehydrate and replenish with our gut-friendly Kombucha post an intense workout session. So when they put up a stall at Blend Bazaar, a fun festival at Bhartiya Mall, we collaborated with them as beverage partners for the day and co-branded our booch bottles!
Winner, Winner and Chicken Dinner
But hey, Noopur's not the only fitness buff on the LFC team. When our head chef Ishan Ghoshal is not coming with the BEST GODDAMN beverages and sandwiches in our kitchen, he spends his time as a personal trainer and certified nutritionist.
So it's no wonder that he swept up all the prizes at the football match organized by The Warehouse. Not only did his team win - but he won the best player! Woop-woop!
Pizza Party at Pizza 4P's
After opening in Vietnam and Cambodia, Pizza 4P's CEO's moved to India to set up the newest branch on Indiranagar's 12th Main. After being invited to stock our Shrub Sodas at their newest outlet, the CEOs graciously invited our team to sample their menu and give our feedback.
We can't wait for you to try their excellent pizza! Our favourites? You have to try the Fruit Burrata Salad and the Hiroshima Yaki Pizza. Such unique flavors, you've got to try it when the menu's live. Big, big shout out to their team for hosting us!
Your Home is Your Canvas
With Diwali approaching, we're also thrilled to collaborate with Home Canvas, an interior décor store in Indiranagar, for their Diwali Pop-Up. In this month long affair, you can find stunning additions to your home from linens to exquisite tableware. In a world where everyone's home décor looks cookie-cutter and identical, you can find elegance and craftsmanship at Home Canvas' store. It is also the perfect place to head if you are looking to pick up Diwali party gifts to give your hosts.
We also recommend picking up a crate of our Shrub Sodas. Not only do they make great gifts, but they make excellent mixers for cocktails and standalone drinks for teetotalers.
Mindfulness Mornings
In the middle of the month, we set reset with the first edition of Mindfulness Mornings with our good friend, eternal cheerleader and mindfulness coach - Ankit Vengurlekar. Our hustling and bustling microbrewery was transformed with white linen sheets, meditation mats and plenty of flora into a peaceful haven. Against the otherwise dull droll of our machines brewing booch in the background, we learnt how to calm the constant whirring of our minds.
Post an educative 1 hour session, we nourished our bodies with Smoothie Bowls and Mushroom & Marinara Tartines. Participants also got to network with like-minded folks over flutes of sparkling Kombucha and Jun.
We were grateful to start our morning on this note because that weekend was one of the busiest we've ever seen - with 4 back-to-back events!
LFC Recommends: Namu Recommends
Right after we finished our mindful morning, we made our way to Namu Recommends' Vegan Market at the regal Chamara Vajra in Jayamahal Grounds. It is incredible to see how Namu went from being a social media influencer on Instagram, to curating these amazing events with over 120+ brands from all over India. It is also extremely heartening to see more people embrace a plant based lifestyle.
As usual, our Vegan Meatball Sub (made with quinoa and couscous) and our gluten-free, vegan Soft-Shell Tacos were a hit with the vegetarians and vegans alike, along with our Kombuchas, Ginger Ales and Shrub Sodas. The best part of our day was that the event was pet-friendly - so we said hello to our furry friends before heading to our next event - the Night Souk at Uru Brewpark!
Night Souk in the URU
We started the weekend with Mindfulness Mornings and wrapped it up with the Night Souk at URU Brewpark. Before the rain put a rain check on our night, we served up some juicy BEST GODDAMN Hamburgers along with our Shrub Sodas. Meanwhile, our founders were at the Founder MidLife Crisis hangout. Before you think that they were both at Bob's nursing a drink and commiserating - let us clarify...
Founder Midlife Crisis Hangout
The Founder Midlife Crisis was organized by Shashank Kumar, Founder of PushOwl. Over a casual BBQ that our co-founder Noopur helped us prep, our founders networked with others in the same shoes as them. Because, lets face it, being a founder is hard. From the small things to the big things - at the end of the day it all comes down to you.
Despite the hardships, you have to keep a strong face on in front of your employees to keep the team morale and still be relentlessly optimistic. Which is why it's a pretty big deal that...
We Celebrated Noopur's 3 Year Anniversary at LFC!
On October 17, we celebrated Noopur's 3 year anniversary as co-founder. When Akash started bottling Kombucha from the confines of his house, it resembled a Jackson Pollock painting. And when Noopur joined him on his journey as a COO - as a fresh graduate from Le Cordon Bleu and with 9+ years of work experience in start-up - she was able to strategically connect the dots and scale LFC. We wouldn't be where we are today without Noopur's vision and drive.
Pump-tober with 824.Fund
We concluded the month with one of the most happening (and personally most anticipated) events that we've ever conducted in our brewery. We tied up with 824.Fund, a parallel club for web3 founders and builders and Lore.
Coolest part? We also minted a new-fashioned, LFC themed collectible (which got sold out in a minute, thank you very much!), while we served some off-the-menu items specially curated for the great folks of 824 Club.
But enough of us talking, here is what attendees of the event had to say:
🍻 Just had an EPIC @824club curated! 🔥 Huge shoutout to @localfermentco for being an amazing co-hosts and out-of-this-world menu 🍔🥂
— 0xdosa.eth (@theborklar) October 30, 2023
Big thanks to our friends at @loredotxyz for making it happen! 🙌 Let's keep the good times rolling - more meetups, please! 🥳 pic.twitter.com/ZZHf6fsSwr
Just casual @theborklar sharing the 824 origin story with some super cool people inside a brewery with a garage startup setup while serving some darn good kombuchas is the most bangalore startup sub cultural plot for me this month.
— Paul Finney🦇🔊 (@paulfinneyx) October 28, 2023
We’ll revisit this in 2 years, lessgo 824. pic.twitter.com/gjkrR6R7Uo
signing up as the official hype-girl for everything @theborklar does, but esp his knack for curating the best experiences
— kaav (@kaavyya) October 29, 2023
from the @824club event last evening 💙most fun i’ve had in a while pic.twitter.com/Yw6xczedzj
So that's a wrap on our October. Phewh!
We're super chuffed for November because its Diwali season. If you're looking for the perfect gift hamper for your friends, family, business partners, and employees - look no further. As always, we're curating customized gift hampers at Local Ferment Co.
With over a decade of experience in personalized gifting, no two gift hampers have ever been the same - and each is curated according to your budget and personal taste. As season's specials, we offer a gourmet take on traditional Indian desserts such as Ricotta Barfi, Sourdough Shahi Tukda, and Motichoor Butter. Check out our Diwali catalogue here.
Remember, a touch of twine and a little handwritten note goes a long way in making someone's day. Come, experience the LFC touch.
