Conference Speakers

Gayatri Mehta is a Research Associate at VLB Berlin, focusing on fermenting beverages, particularly Kombucha, through groundbreaking research in the Department of Bioprocess Engineering and Applied Microbiology (BEAM). With early experience at the Barking Deer Brew Pub and Restaurant in Mumbai (2013-2014), Gayatri oversaw the entire production process, managing tasks like CIP, malt milling, and sensory evaluation. At the Research Institute of Beer and Beverage Analysis (FIBGA) at VLB Berlin (2018-2022), she contributed significantly to commercial turbidity analysis and research on shelf life and stability. Gayatri's expertise also extended to the Research Institute for Spirits, Analytical Technology, and Sensory Analysis (FISAS), where she led innovative projects, including a rapid forced aging test for beer. Holding a Master's degree in Biological Sciences from the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai (2010-2013), she became a certified Brewmaster from VLB Berlin in 2015.

Kendra Sepulveda is the Executive Director of Kombucha Brewers International (KBI). She came to the position with almost three decades of education and experience in nutrition, culinary arts, kombucha brewing, and entrepreneurship as well as a life-long passion for healthy living and culinary innovation. In her current position, she advances the mission and vision of KBI in fostering excellence and sustainability within the kombucha industry as it evolves to the needs of the market and its stewards.

Martin grew up around fermented food and beverages and started admiring traditional practices and processes early on in life. He started brewing kombucha over 30 years ago and developed a deep love for this culture and its diversity. After finishing his PhD in biology, he left academia and went to work in professional kitchens, to understand the food and beverage industry better. Since kombucha started becoming commercially interesting and entering breweries, Martin is spending most of his time in breweries, helping them to implement wild fermentation practices on a larger scale. His main interest is in developing kombucha flavors and oher kombucha based products.