My wife and I started making kombucha at home and quickly fell in love with it. I already brew beer and bake sourdough, so adding something else to the counter was a natural next step. We get to experiment and test out different flavours, ginger and blueberry vanilla are our top choices. But somewhere along the way I started seeing a brand.

The name comes from our initials H and B, and the pellicle, the blob that forms across the top of the container during fermentation. If you've never seen one, think thick fried egg, chewy candy texture. You can actually eat it. Yes, I’ve tried it. No, I didn’t love it. Moving on.

Beyond the personal connection, there was a strategic reason to build this out. Founders tend to feel more confident hiring a designer who's worked in their category before. Brewery owners want to see beer brands. CPG founders want to see packaging that matches their world. Happyblob gave me the chance to design a playful, modern kombucha brand from scratch. The kind of work that speaks directly to a founder who's building something in the better-for-you beverage space.