In The Limelight: 3LECHE

We recently spent a day visiting with our friends at the FOOD BUILDING to learn about what they do and the importance of local food production. We left feeling enlightened, inspired, and motivated. Read on to discover a little bit about the (food) magic happening right here in Northeast.

3LECHE, pronounced “Tres Leches” is, in the words of Marco Zappia, “a collective cooperative of rad people doing rad stuff”. 3LECHE makes fermented botanical beverages in a renovated storage closet in the FOOD BUILDING. The fact that the minds behind 3LECHE had the insight to use a storage closet as their production space is just a taste of the innovation present in their organization. 3LECHE is comprised of Marco Zappia, Dustin Nguyen, and Adam Witherspoon at the helm of a small group of collaborators who all bring unique qualities to make 3LECHE what it is. Zappia, Nguyen and Witherspoon were drawn to headquarter in the FOOD BUILDING because of the environment of creativity and innovation that flows through the space. Zappia describes the FOOD BUILDING as a “magical little fortress of fermented creativity” (we agree 100%!). 3LECHE got their start upcycling byproducts like citrus rinds from bars and restaurants to make fermented beverages among other products. Their main product offering now is a line of fermented botanical beverages, which are similar to kombucha, but with more depth and nuance.  In the past 3LECHE has used botanicals sourced outside of the Midwest in some of their other products but are now moving their sourcing inward and working towards using botanical natives and perennials native to Minnesota in their ferments. At the time of publishing, 3LECHE’s botanical ferments are available at bars and restaurants across the Twin Cities, and in Kieran’s Kitchen & Market inside the FOOD BUILDING. Keep your eyes peeled for these beverages in other locations across the metro soon!