Meet the Thunder Bay woman behind a growing fermentation empire

Roughly three years ago, self-described serial entrepreneur Nadia Kukkee turned an interest and passion for wild fermentedfoods into a business she callsa passion project.

"Fermented foods is a way of storing foods," she explained. "If you think back to when wenever had a refrigerator, this is how food was stored."

"Technological advances have caused us to sort of lose the probiotics, the good bacteria in our food supply. So fermenting is a way to sort of bring those back into our gut flora."

Narrow Gate Foods is Kukkee'ssmall-batch fermenteryin Thunder Bay Ont., that produces products such as kimchi, kombucha and sauerkraut. She also recently purchased another fermented food business, Kumbaya Kombucha now known as a Kumbaya Foods that produces kombucha, fruit leather and candies.

Tap to hear more about Kukkee's burgeoning fermentation empire.

Up North8:06Northern Nosh: Narrow Gate Foods

Jonathan spoke with Nadia Kukkee, the owner of a burgeoning fermented food empire in Thunder Bay.

"Northern Nosh" is a new weekly feature onUp North,CBC Radio One's regional afternoon show for northern Ontario. If you know of a restaurant, bakery or farm you think would make a great story, get in touch!

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