Grace Chang: Chang’s Corner

It's 2024, and I can't tell you about how many things I've had to care about in the name of "New Year, New Me." It has been interesting, as I've put myself in spaces I was never in, and I've actually enjoyed it.

One of the things I've cared about since the start of the year is my gut health, especially since that suspicious bloat started showing up! Apparently, your gut is a microbiome linked to everything you can think of, from energy to illness to mood. That's because your stomach is pretty much your core center, controlling the rest of your system. Healthy belly equals happy mood. From bouncing energy to crushing illnesses, even your mood! Think of it like your body's command center, quietly whispering (or maybe shouting!) to your brain, heart, and beyond. Your gut is responsible for your everyday well-being.

Which leads me to the new habit I started this year and actually liked it. You guessed it, kombucha! Its entire purpose is to serve your gut and keep it happy. So what exactly is it anyway? It’s a fermented tea sensation, starts with a simple base: brewed black, green, or herbal tea, kissed with sugar. Then, the magic happens! A SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast), a friendly colony of microorganisms, gets introduced. This SCOBY throws a tiny party in your jar, munching on the sugar and creating delightful acids and fizz. But the fun doesn't stop there! This process also conjures up beneficial probiotics and other interesting compounds that tantalize your taste buds and potentially do wonders for your health. After a few days (or weeks, depending on your desired tang), the result is a vibrant, bubbly beverage. From sweet to tart, the flavor possibilities are endless, influenced by the base tea and any added fruits, herbs, or spices you choose.

So remember I already mentioned that this is really good for the gut… or so I’ve read. The probiotics in kombucha might act like tiny cheerleaders for your gut, potentially improving digestion and immunity. Its also packed with antioxidants, and some people report feeling more energized after enjoying kombucha, possibly due to improved gut health and B vitamins produced during fermentation.

But who exactly is making it? What's their story? I personally don't have the answers, but I did have the privilege of having an Unscripted conversation with Chang's Corner, a local small-batch producer in Dubai.

Chang’s Corner is a very interesting name, can you tell us about the inception of this name?

It started as a joke between my husband and I. Over the past few years, we have moved apartments and each time I would find [in terms of sunlight/heat] the best corner of the house to ferment my Kombucha. And with our last name being Chang he would joke, 'Where is Chang’s Corner going this time? So when I was thinking of a name, ‘Changs Corner’ felt perfect

We have tried your kombucha before, and we have to say, the flavours are so interesting and innovative. Do you recall the first time you had that aha moment with a flavour?

I continuously have this feeling and don’t think it will stop. Only last week I mixed cranberry and rosemary and was expecting quite a mild flavour so when it came back extremely fruity and powerful it surprised me. With kombucha, the fermentation can bring out certain flavours so when you also pair different flavours it can be amazing and exciting to see how they work together.

As a brewer, how much of your process is guided by intuition, and how do you balance it with scientific precision?

I would say it’s a mix. To make kombucha there are certain variables which have to be adhered to such as sugar content to volume of starter but then when mastered this step of the fermentation and the elements that can influence it such as heat and types of tea I was then guided by intuition in terms of how much tea is needed to influence the flavour and the mixing of fruits and herbs.

Can you share a challenging moment in your brewing journey and how it ultimately contributed to the refinement of your process?

I think the biggest challenge was keeping it consistent. Fermenting, as you said is a science so there are elements you can try to control but when I was making it just for friends and family, I knew how to get a good flavour but it’s when I started to sell that I had to keep it consistent to ensure each bottle of passionfruit is the same for each order. So this is where I learnt to document each variable from the grams of tea leaves used, the air temperature, timing of fermentation to the quantity of fruit for each bottle.

What inspired you to transition from enjoying kombucha as a consumer to starting your own?

I have been making Kombucha for years but had many challenges when I was still a consumer myself such as: • It was never easy to find as not each store had it • It was expensive • The flavours were very generic and never had the umph I wanted • If I liked the flavours it was typically because it was unhealthy due to added sugar and/or addictive's Thus when I started to make it for friends and they enjoyed the flavours it led me to start to want to sell a healthier version which is more accessible with a diverse array of flavours and not just Ginger flavour.

Having moved to Dubai, and navigating the f&b space, what unexpected lessons have you learned along the way?

I think it’s more the legal side that has been new. I have always been on the side of making and creating so when I started to look into the process of wanting to sell it was very new to me but an exciting learning curve.

If Chang’s Corner hosted a community event, what would it look like, and what activities would be involved?

It would be wild and wonderful – like an adult carnival. The colours scheme would be bright and bold, walking fruit mascots such as mangos and strawberries and acrobatics and magicians with an array of eye catching decorations. There would be games reminiscent of my childhood such as ring toss, duck pond and whack-a-mole where there would be many fun prizes and lots of free flowing kombucha of all our flavours with workshops on areas such as fermentation and tasting sessions to explain in depth the benefits and flavour combinations. Our aim at Chang Corner is happiness and would want an event to portray just this.

How do you incorporate sustainability into the core of your business?

I started out making Kombucha in Taiwan using tea leaves from local farmers and I have continued this in Dubai as I believe this brings economic growth to the communities and ensures fair compensation for their hard work along with preserving traditional farming methods which leads to better taste. We also ensure that we have a ‘no plastic’ policy so all our kombucha is bottled with recyclable glass.

How do you strike a balance between pursuing your passion for kombucha and ensuring the financial sustainability of your business?

We strive to have initiatives within the Chang’s Corner Community on sustainability such as ‘recycle 5 bottles get one Kombucha free’ to ensure people are mindfully recycling the glass bottles. We know we could find cheaper tea, use plastic bottles or reduce the quantity of fruits or herbs added in the fermentation but these elements are non-negotiable. For us as it’s what believe: -Being sustainable through recyclable materials -Having flavours which are bold and vibrant to the pallete and not reduced due to cost saving -Supporting local economies Therefore we have to find other ways to ensure financial sustainability such as cutting costs on large scale advertising and marketing to ensure nothing else is compromised.

We always believe that people who work creatively, and production companies as well work with a process, what does this look like for you, and why is it important?

The creativity of our flavours is from inspiration all around us. Sometimes I can go into a supermarket and see some fruit which looks delicious so will think of what other ingredients will complement it. Sometimes it’s hearing a friend say how much they enjoyed a sweet or drink and thinking how this can be replicated. Other times it’s through traveling. When we travel we see so many different ingredients. For instance we have just returned from Taiwan whereby they use a lot of goji berries and red dates in their cuisine and drinks so we came back to Dubai on a mission to create something with these which is how we managed to finalize the ‘goji, date and longan’ flavour. In UAE dates are everywhere so we have been trial and testing what fruits, nuts and herbs can be used to enhance.

We have also just started a new series of ‘global kombucha’ whereby we are aiming to create a flavour that represents each country. This has been exciting in researching and working with flavours that we don’t usually use. There’s Inspiration all around us which is never ending

What is a flavour that currently interests you?

Ah, this is a hard one! I recently made a date and pistachio which shocked me as the flavours blended to almost be like caramel. I’ve also been trying vanilla pods and found with strawberries the flavour is divine with it being reminiscent of ice cream so watch this space .

In Unscripted fashion, if we had 5 bottles of kombucha from different brewers, would we know which one is yours?

Absolutely! We've dedicated much effort to ensuring our kombucha stands out through its distinctive taste and quality. Our unique brewing process, choice of high-quality ingredients, and the special blend of teas and infusions we use are carefully selected to create a signature flavour profile that we believe is not just unique but also memorable. While each brewer brings their own special touch to kombucha, we're confident that the nuances of our brew would be recognizable to those familiar with our brand. It's all about the passion and precision we pour into every bottle.

Want to get in touch with Chang’s Corner?