What Is Kombucha And Why Is It The New Drink Craze?
Kombucha. Have you heard the name before? Previously only found in hipster cafes, the newly popular drink is starting to hit the shelves of our local supermarkets and is topping the list of drink trends for 2019. In fact, sales of Kombucha, and beverages of a similar nature, surged by 37.4% ($556m) in 2017! But what exactly is it, and why the sudden love?
What Is Kombucha?
Kombucha is a naturally fizzy drink, made primarily from a tea base. This is then combined with a white sugar which has been fermented with acetic acid bacteria and yeast (a type of tea fungus) known as SCOBY. The bacteria and yeasts convert the sugar into ethanol and acetic acid which is what gives Kombucha its sour taste. Essentially, Kombucha is made up of live bacteria which, along with the fermentation process, is what sets it apart from other drinks.
Why Is Kombucha The New Drinks Craze?
We know what you’re thinking - that doesn’t sound particularly appealing, why would anyone drink that? Well, not only are consumers always on the lookout for something new and alternative, Kombucha has surged in popularity for its healthy reputation too. Boosting the immune system, improving gut health, reducing your odds of diabetes and tackling cancer, arthritis and even depression are all claimed health benefits from the drink.
Although not scientifically proven, Kombucha continues to catch the interest of health conscious consumers who are looking for an alternative to processed fizzy drinks. It has hit the drinks community by storm in recent months and is now becoming the must-try beverage. With a plethora of consumers having heard of it, but not yet tried it, sales are only looking to increase in the future.
The Future Of Kombucha
Consumers are always on the prowl for the latest drink trends, and from mushroom coffee to coffee with CBD shots, there’s certainly a lot of weird and wonderful brews out there! But what does this mean for Kombucha? With the soft drinks market rising by 1.2% last year, compared to natural and organic beverages like Kombucha which rose by 10.8% - the market is definitely growing. In fact, the Kombucha market size is predicted to be worth around a whopping $6.2 billion by 2026, so it won’t be long until major drink companies are jumping on the fermented tea bandwagon! The question is - would you give it a try?
Discover more about the future of the drink industry and what new trends are set to take the market by storm by coming along to the Coffee Shop Innovation Expo - Europe’s leading event for coffee shop owners.
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