Joanna Cosgrove05.10.10
Black tea, green tea, red tea, white tea and chai. Over the years, teetotaling consumers have fervently embraced each incarnation as it’s been introduced them. The next big tea sensation is poised to be equally as successful, thanks to its rich history, inherent health benefits and unusually bracing taste and effervescence.
At first blush, the idea of drinking a beverage that’s been fermented from a pancake-like mat of yeasts and bacteria (zoogloea) into a liquid medium (tea kvass) is understandably daunting, but kombucha has been heartily consumed for more than 2000 years as a health tonic in Russia, the Himalayas and the Far East. Its naturally occurring probiotic organisms and acids have historically been associated with increased gastrointestinal health and enhanced vitality, among many other health claims.
Much like sourdough bread is borne out of a mother or starter, the kombucha zoogloea is made from a special live culture called a SCOBY (Symbiotic Colony of acidic acid Bacteria and Yeast) that has historically been passed from one family to another. The SCOBY is added to brewed teas—usually black tea but sometimes green tea has also been used. An intensive steeping, brewing and enzymatic process follows, which helps to develop the brew’s catchins, theaflavins and other antioxidant compounds.
A key component to kombucha’s longevity as a beverage has been its perceived effectiveness as a health product, according to The Kombucha Market, a report published by Sage Group, LLC of Denver, CO. “Even if many of its claims are unsubstantiated, many of the complex ingredients in kombucha tea have an established credibility—the immunity-boosting properties of black and green tea, acetic acid and probiotics similar to those in yogurt, for example,” the report stated.
Once limited to small scale, hand-crafted brewing, word-of-mouth about kombucha has caught the attention of larger beverage marketers who have endeavored to introduce the concoction to the mass market. “With sales barely reaching a few million dollars in 2001, the ready-to-drink (RTD) market for kombucha is rapidly approaching sales of $100 million on an annual basis,” commented Brian Keating, Sage Group’s publisher.
One of those mass market retailers is Honest Tea, which launched its Honest Kombucha line of certified organic and Fair Trade Certified Kombucha beverages earlier this year.
Seth Goldman, founder of Honest Tea, said his company’s foray into kombucha was both an opportunity and a challenge.“Honest Tea saw a category that was largely underrepresented and misrepresented, particularly in reference to health claims. With only one brand owning 90% of the market, we saw a chance to offer a different take on kombucha,” he said. “Honest kombucha is very unique and has a completely different taste than our other offerings…because it is a fermented tea, it is naturally effervescent. It is live, organic and raw and contains active probiotic cultures that are believed to aid in digestion and support a healthy G.I. tract. The resulting organic acids and polyphenols are believed to detoxify, energize and support overall immunity and well-being.”
In order to offer a fresh take on what can be a somewhat acquired taste, Honest Tea turned to a few new and interesting formulation components, one of which is the maqui berry. “We’ve continuously received consumer feedback that our Honest Kombucha offers a well-balanced taste that other brands don’t offer,” said Mr. Goldman. “BevNet.com reviewed the Lemon Ginger, ‘Overall, Honest’s Lemon Ginger Kombucha is the best tasting and one of the best looking entries we’ve seen in this category to date.’ Because it’s fizzy, some consumers have said that it’s a great, healthy alternative to soda since it gives that feeling of carbonation, but with lower sugar and health benefits of tea."
Honest Tea’s kombucha beverages come in five different varieties—Lemon Ginger, Peach Mango, Berry Hibiscus, Maqui Berry Grapefruit and Apple Jasmine. Each beverage has 7 grams of sugar and 35 calories per 8-oz. serving.
Last month Celestial Seasonings rolled out its own RTD take on kombucha. Each of the line’s five flavor varieties feature a “distinctive blend of fruits, herbs and botanicals and a light effervescence,” that “shatters Kombucha's perceived taste barrier.”
The product lineup includes Digestion: Meyer Lemon Ginger, which contains prebiotics and ginger to support digestive health and meyer lemon; Antioxidant: Superfruit, which contains vitamin C, acai, goji and pomegranate; Metabolism: Berry Guava, which contains green tea extract and B vitamins to support healthy metabolism plus huckleberry, blueberry and guava; Energy: Pomelo Citrus, which contains B vitamins and ginseng to maintain healthy energy levels; and Super Green: Tropical Blend, which contains spirulina for concentrated green food nutrients plus mango and other tropical flavors. Each 16-oz. bottle retails between $2.99 and $3.49.
“Kombucha has gained a small but loyal following thanks to its health- and wellness-supporting qualities,” commented Peter Burns, general manager of Celestial Seasonings, “but we’ve enhanced its palatability and appeal so that more people can enjoy its nutritional benefits.”
The "Kombucha Market" report noted that kombucha tea is a vibrant addition to an already flourishing market and should do especially well, given the consumer penchant for beverages with perceived wellness benefits. “The demographics and motivations of consumers attracted to functional products reflect population segments with strong health and wellness motivations, unrivaled peer support, and active social media participation,” the report said. “Both supply and demand is projected to expand in the coming years.”
