Written by Richard Forzley, Kitsbeach Magazine
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Kirk Buxton’s story is a testament to the redemptive power of the human spirit. While he was in recovery for substance abuse and battling his personal demons, he turned his life around by overcoming his addiction and developing a successful business.
His story begins in 2017. After years of intense struggle with drug abuse, Kirk was determined to end his life. While driving on the Sea to Sky highway, he took off his seatbelt and drove into a rock wall. Despite his attempt to end it all, he survived. “At that moment, I decided I was going to change my life.”
Kirk went on to enter a recovery program and eventually became the chef at the treatment centre. After breaking free from the powerful grip of dependency, he was finally drug free.
But he continued to battle issues such as bloating, low energy and mood swings after meals. “I was always bloated no matter what I did,” including trying probiotic pills that didn’t give him the relief he needed. In one of those magical moments of coincidence, the mother of his recovery roommate had made a drink from fermenting kefir grains. His personal belief that food is medicine told him to trust his gut.
Probiotics are live microbes that can only be seen with a microscope and reputedly have many benefits which can improve the health of the digestive system and reduce the frequency of discomfort. Probiotics work by stimulating the body’s intestinal and immune system and by displacing harmful bacteria that might otherwise cause disease.
Kirk says his body’s reaction was spectacular and his gut issues were gone within the first day. His focus turned to the development of his own version of the probiotic-rich drink, initially experimenting with dairy kefir. After doing his own research into the science behind probiotics, he learned about non-dairy alternatives.
Water kefir, a plant-based option, seemed a better fit for his lifestyle and he began to experiment in his own home, using the warm environment of his laundry room as a fermentation station.
Reputedly, water kefir has many health benefits although more evidence is needed to backup some of these claims. But it can be an excellent addition to a balanced diet and may, in fact, help manage blood sugar, cholesterol and digestive health, among other benefits.
Unlike dairy kefir, water kefir combines sugar water with water kefir grains — a type of grain-like culture of bacteria and yeast and then fermented for 48 hours. One of the most significant benefits of water kefir is its probiotic content, a type of bacteria found in your gut that plays an integral role in almost every aspect of health, from disease prevention to immune function.
After integrating water kefir into his daily life, Kirk quickly found relief from bloating and post-meal lethargy as well as a lift in his overall mood. He offered the beverage to his friends in the neighborhood, many of whom were in recovery themselves. The reaction was swift. They described many positive improvements in their overall health and asked to buy it from him. He started selling two-litre growlers, and the demand grew from there.
“The community really got behind it. Then I realized how many people were suffering from gut-related issues. I had no idea. At some point I decided that this looks like a business.”
Production of his kefir sodas started out of a commissary kitchen in 2020, then moved to a kombucha-making facility. In October 2022, Kirk’s Probiotic Soda moved to its own dedicated production site in North Vancouver, where Kirk grew up.
Today Kirk’s Kefir is a success story. The company expects to ship 450,000 bottles of probiotic soda and hit one million dollars in sales over the next year.
Sold under the trade name Kirk’s Probiotic Soda, the probiotic-rich drink is designed to hydrate and nourish your gut. The process starts with water kefir grains, also known as tibicos, which are fermented in purified water, along with organic cane sugar during the first fermentation stage.
In the second stage, flavours using organic fruit juices are added, resulting in a tantalizing taste experience. Committed to sustainability and health, Kirk's Probiotic Soda is vegan-friendly, dairy-free and made with organic ingredients.
Each bottle contains billions of live probiotics that support digestion and promote overall wellness with every sip. On the side of the 330-millilitre bottles are the words “trust your gut” in bold lettering.
The brand has also stayed connected to the local community, participating in recovery based events, sponsoring Altitude Football Club and doing events for organizations like North Shore Winter Club.
Kirk underscores that he didn’t do this alone. “This story isn’t about me. My brother was there, my family was there, the Last Door Treatment centre was there.”
He wants his success to give hope to others struggling with substance use.
“If people want to reach out and say, ‘Hey, I got someone in trouble. What can I do?’ We’ve got a whole network of people that are living and enjoying life without the use of drugs. The story is about hope – that’s the most important part.”