MARQUETTE — Superior Culture, a locally owned company that produces kombucha — fermented and lightly sweetened black or green tea beverages often associated with health benefits — is looking to expand its product in the near future.

According to notes on the city of Marquette’s website, the city recently received a request from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission for a new liquor license for Alex Rowland, the owner of Superior Culture.

Rowland is applying for a license for a microbrewery, a small wine maker and a winery tasting room at Superior Culture’s 717 N. Third St. location.

The Marquette City Commission unanimously approved the request at its regular meeting Monday evening during a public hearing.

Mayor Dave Campana commended Rowland for starting a new business in Marquette.

“It’s always refreshing to see that,” he said.

Rowland first initiated Superior Culture in 2016 in the old Cruise N’ Coffee building along Wright Street in Marquette Township, Rowland told the commission. The product is fermented in small batches using glass and oak barrels.

Rowland said the alcohol license will help Superior Culture expand its horizons.

“What I’m looking to as I go forward is to not be bound by that half percent alcohol mark, when it comes to my ferment, (and) kind of expand beyond the general beer and wine that we have been (used to) since … way back,” Rowland said — adding that he hopes to explore “slightly more alcoholic probiotic beverages” as well as ginger beers and wild fermented fruit wines.

Since Third Street is one of the busier streets in Marquette, Commissioner Jenna Smith asked Rowland how deliveries would pan out.

“Will the delivery drivers actually be parking in the driveway or will they be in the street? … It may not matter in the winter or early in the morning but in the summer with Frosty Treats right there (and) kids running around, big trucks can just be a little more dangerous so it was just a concern that I thought should be brought up,” Smith said.

Rowland replied that deliveries are handled on a “case-to-case basis” and that while some trucks may not be able to navigate the driveway in the winter, the summer wouldn’t be an issue.

“Other than that, I don’t really have big deliveries — it’s glass, is what it is,” Rowland said. “All of my produce is coming from organic farms around the area and most of the stuff I’m picking up myself.”

To reassure that delivery trucks wouldn’t be parking on Third Street, Rowland said he would make sure items were stocked so there wouldn’t be any loading and unloading issues.

Commissioners applauded Rowland on his business.

“It looks like it’s a good local business trying to grow and we should support it,” said Mayor Pro Tem Frederick Stonehouse.

Superior Culture’s beverages can be currently found at The Flying Moose, Northern Michigan University, Babycakes Muffin Co., Contrast Coffee, Blackrocks Brewery, Barrel and Beam, Tulivesi Yoga and MQT Nutrition in Marquette.

“We’re so grateful for all of the support that we have received from the city of Marquette,” Rowland told The Mining Journal today. “We are excited for the future and look forward to brewing a variety of wild fermented products for you without being bound by an alcohol limit. We will continue to produce our low-(alcohol by volume) kombucha with the same attention to detail as we always have.”

For more information about Superior Culture, visit www.superiorculturemqt. com/ or its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ superiorculturemqt/.