What Is Kombucha?

What is Kombucha?

Kombucha is a naturally fizzy, fermented tea that has been enjoyed by various cultures for over two millennia. Although its roots trace back to ancient China, Japan, and Russia, it has recently gained widespread popularity for its unique taste and potential health benefits. But what exactly is kombucha, and why are so many people hooked on it?

At its core, kombucha is made from just a few simple ingredients:

1. Tea (usually black or green)

2. Water

3. Sugar

4. S.C.O.B.Y. (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast)

These ingredients combine to create a refreshing, tangy beverage that’s both energizing and nutritious. However, the real magic happens during the fermentation process.

How is Kombucha Made?

The process of making kombucha begins with brewing tea. Sugar is added, which may seem odd for a healthy drink, but it’s actually a crucial part of the fermentation process. The sugar isn’t for you — it’s food for the SCOBY. Once the sweet tea has cooled, the SCOBY is added, and the magic begins.

The SCOBY looks like a jelly-like disc, but don’t let its appearance fool you — it’s the powerhouse behind the fermentation. The bacteria and yeast in the SCOBY break down the sugar and convert it into alcohol, which is then transformed into organic acids. This process creates kombucha’s signature flavour - a mix that is a little sweet, with just the right amount of sour.

Typically made using green or black tea, black tea varieties have a deeper flavour, while green tea kombucha is more delicate and crisp. With its naturally sparkling and light, refreshing and acidic base flavour, it pairs exceptionally well with fruit and root flavours.

Different types of Kombucha available to consumers

As kombucha has hit the mainstream, lots of brands and manufacturers have entered the market and launched products to cater to varying consumer tastes, as well as developing new methods to mitigate the risks inherent in producing kombucha using traditional methods at commercial scale. ‘Traditional’ kombucha remains a favourite amongst large numbers of consumers however ‘craft-style’, ‘mainstream’ and ‘sugar-free’ have landed and grown quickly, encouraging more and more people to try kombucha and what it has to offer. Discover more about the different types of kombucha consumers are buying and enjoying here.

Kombucha and perceived health benefits

Fermented food and drinks can contain micro-organisms and other vitamins, minerals and micro-nutrients as a result of the fermentation process and ingredients used. Kombucha's perceived health benefits are thought to result from the blend of micro-organisms, amino acids, polyphenols from tea, organic acids, water-soluble vitamins and a variety of micro-nutrients produced during fermentation.

While these potential benefits are promising, it’s important to note that very little scientific research has been conducted as to the actual benefits to human health and more research is needed to fully understand kombucha’s long-term effects.

Why Drink Kombucha?

Kombucha offers a unique combination of refreshment and potential wellness in one drink. Its slight fizziness and tart taste make it a great alternative to sugary soft drinks or alcohol. Whether you’re looking to improve your wellbeing, cut back on sugar, or simply enjoy a new beverage with friends, kombucha is a great option.

The Rising Popularity of Kombucha

With global sales topping $3 billion (Source: Euromonitor - 52 w/e 30/12/2023) and predicted kombucha has become a staple to millions of consumers around the world and increasingly available in stores, cafes, restaurants and bars as it reaches mainstream consciousness. With this increasing availability, more and more people will be able to discover and try kombucha and it is expected that the category will continue its strong growth over the coming years.

The Bottom Line

Kombucha is more than just a health drink—it’s a delicious, naturally fermented tea that’s part of a centuries-old tradition. Whether you’re sipping for the potential health benefits or simply because you enjoy the taste, kombucha is a refreshing choice that fits well into a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

Interested in creating your own kombucha business or product range?

Wherever you are on your particular journey, Good Culture is here to support and guide you. At heart, we are passionate about drinks, quality, innovation and the creative pursuit of entrepreneurship. Our mission is to inspire, empower and support you to build thriving, profitable & sustainable businesses. We have built years of experience and expertise by helping companies all around the world create, develop, commercialise and grow their businesses with the supply of the highest quality fermented beverage ingredients, unparalleled commercial and technical support and access to our amazing network of co-packers and flavour developers.

So, are you interested in taking advantage of the opportunities functional beverages offers or have an existing brand and need help taking it to the next level? The amazing team at Good Culture can help with anything you need.

Want to hear how we can help you do kombucha better? Contact us today.

Liquid Death Kombucha

Could Liquid Death murder the kombucha market?

I can confidently say that Liquid Death is one of the most exciting & entertaining brands in the world right now, and not just in the beverage space. Their punk rock aesthetic and irreverent attitude is hugely resonating with consumers, making them a stand-out brand in the crowded beverage market.

But the question remains, could Liquid Death murder the kombucha market if they released a kombucha range?

First, let's talk about the kombucha market. It's a fast-growing industry that has seen a big surge in popularity in recent years. With the US kombucha market valued at $1.52 billion in 2020 it is expected to be at a staggering $7.05 billion by 2028. Up until now consumers have been drawn to the supposed health benefits of kombucha, including improved gut health and immune function. It is fair to say the word “kombucha” has a superfood type halo around it.

This kombucha halo has served the market leading kombucha brands like GT's and Health-Ade very well, often presenting clear brand archetypes of the nurturing caregiver, the cure all healer or the magical mystic which all fits in very well with their main consumers avatars of the yoga loving hippy.

However is it time for the kombucha market to be shaken up? Where are the truly exciting and inspiring brands in the kombucha space that have a Rebel, Outlaw or even court Jester type personality that really go against the grain of the traditional category characters, frankly they are nowhere to be seen.

mic check and enter stage left Liquid Death Kombucha!

I could talk endlessly for hours about why a brand of Liquid Death’s caliber should enter the kombucha market. There is so much room and frankly a real need in the kombucha market for a brand with this personality style. Liquid Death which already has a well-established punk rock image would easily stand way out a the sea of peace and love health only focused brands. (much respect to these other kombucha brands, many of them are our very valued Manna-K Kombucha Ingredients customers)

Mike Cessario, the founder of Liquid Death, has proven to be both successful and creatively talented in creating an iconic brand that has taken the beverage market by storm. Mike himself being call a marketing genius by Forbes Magazine. His unique vision for the brand's punk rock aesthetic and irreverent attitude has resonated with consumers, and his execution of the brand's marketing and advertising campaigns has been nothing short of brilliant. From partnering with unconventional influencers to creating hilarious & entertaining viral social media content, Cessario has demonstrated a keen understanding of what it takes to build a successful brand in today's competitive market. With his track record of success, it's no wonder that many are excited to see what Liquid Death will come up with next, whether it's a kombucha range or another exciting venture they could easily also play outside of the beverage space.

Now, let's talk about Liquid Death's potential for success in the kombucha market. One advantage they have is their existing fan base. Liquid Death has already built a strong following of consumers who love their brand, and many of these consumers I believe would be extremely interested in getting their hands on a Liquid Death Kombucha. Additionally, their punk rock aesthetic and irreverent attitude could be a refreshing change for consumers in the current kombucha landscape and appeal to a much broader audience.

If you were in Liquid Death's position what sort of product would you launch? Would a shelf-stable kombucha that delivers on a light and natural kombucha flavour appeal to a more mainstream audience? This might involve creating a product that is not too acidic, with a pleasant taste that is not too overpowering, bitter or funky. By making kombucha accessible to as wide a range of consumers as possible who may not have tried it before or have previously been put off by the intensity of some other kombucha brands in the market. A shelf-stable product for a brand like this would also be more convenient for retailers, making it easier to distribute and transport. By creating a kombucha product that appeals to a mainstream audience, Liquid Death could potentially capture a larger share of the market and continue to grow their brand.

So, how much of the market share could Liquid Death potentially take or even create?

The kombucha market is projected to continue growing at a rapid pace, with some estimates suggesting that it could reach $7.05 billion. If Liquid Death were to capture even 10% of this kombucha market, it could translate into a $700 million opportunity.

To ensure success in the kombucha market, Liquid Death would need to create a product that delivered on consumer expectations for taste and quality, of course that they already expect & know from Liquid Death current product range of mountain waters & ice teas. They could effectively & quickly achieve this kombucha kombucha production at scale by outsourcing their production to a US copacker and using a high quality pre-fermented kombucha ingredient like Manna-K Kombucha.

Liquid Death's unique and always entertaining marketing could be a game-changer in the kombucha market, wat if they created partnerships with conventional kombucha personality types like Gwyneth Paltrow, who could be transformed into an axe-wielding goth-inspired zombie figure to promote Liquid Death kombucha. The potential for Liquid Death in the kombucha market is enormous, and it could be very exciting to see what the brand comes up with next. Will they or others take up this opportunity?

Denis Kelleher - CEO @ Good Culture Kombucha

As a kombucha ingredients company, we love working with exciting innovative brands that are open to trying new products and creating new exciting opportunities. By supporting innovative and creative brands, we can help drive the kombucha market forward and encourage more brands to push the boundaries.

Many Thanks, Denis

For clarity, I have absolutely no knowledge of Liquid Death launching a kombucha and i am not aware of their product pipeline, this is just a fun article to write on some ideas i’ve had.