Kombucha is a fermented tea that emerged from antiquity to achieve a billion-dollar status globally as a gut-healthy drink. Brewers now face a crossroads as brands decide whether to offer high alcohol content “booch”.
Leading US brand GT Dave’s Kombucha earned $257 million in the mass market in 2019, demonstrating that kombucha has transitioned from health food store obscurity to mainstream visibility. The category is valued at $600 million in the US, and GT’s, which essentially resurrected the segment in 1994, retains 60% market share, down from more than a 90% share in 2010.
The attention has raised questions about claims that the sweetened, sour-tasting acidic fizzy brew reduces blood pressure, detoxifies the body, strengthens the immune system, eases rheumatism, shrinks hemorrhoids, combats gout, improves liver function, and fights cancer.
An October 2019 article in the New York Times advises that while kombucha has a 2000-year history of consumption without documented harm, drinking kombucha as a cure-all is questionable. “Given the uncertainty over kombucha’s therapeutic effects,” Dr. David Ludwig, professor of nutrition and pediatrics at Harvard University, said, “tea drinkers should pause if it’s not a flavor they like.”
The tea itself is high in polyphenols and antioxidants. Animal research indicates tea may have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, according to Rahaf Al Bochi, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
However, the bacteria in kombucha have not been proven to be probiotic, and several brands pasteurize bottled kombucha, killing active yeast and bacteria. Pasteurization also stops the production of ethanol, a by-product of fermentation that can exceed federal regulations governing retail sales.
At its inception in health food stores, including Whole Foods Markets, GT’s Kombucha, and Coca-Cola owned Honest Tea Kombucha printed questionable claims about health benefits. These led to a class-action lawsuit accusing the brands of making unsubstantiated health claims. The two firms settled, and Coca-Cola later abandoned the category.
As a result, kombucha today is generally marketed as a refreshment beverage and has avoided FDA warnings like those recently directed at beverages containing CBD (cannabidiol). Brands with 6-10% ABV contain a volume of alcohol that rivals beer. While sales of hard kombucha grew 247% last year, it won’t be effortless to convince consumers that a sweetened high-alcohol beverage improves their health.