Matt Lancor launched Kombuchade out of his parents’ home in 2015. In the dozen years since then, it has grown into a strong regional brand marketed as a performance-focused kombucha crafted specifically for athletes and active individuals.
We’ve created a unique formula that blends traditional kombucha with essential electrolytes, probiotics, and performance-enhancing nutrients. Unlike traditional kombuchas, which solely focus on gut health, Kombuchade is designed specifically for active individuals. It supports not only digestive health but also aids in hydration and recovery, which are crucial for those who demand more from their bodies.
I found that athletes, or people who are active in particular, are generally more open to trying new things or are trying to in some ways improve the way that they feel or the way that they perform. And that’s where I come from. So I just knew those were the people that I could talk to.
Matt’s journey
Matt quit a six-figure engineering job in industrial automation after witnessing the horrors of processed food manufacturing plants. He discovered the power of probiotics for peak performance while playing in a national rugby championship.
I saw how a lot of different processed foods and things were made and started to connect some dots between pesticide use on foods and gut disruptions and how a lot of the products that are out there, especially in the sports arenas, are flavored with sweeteners that typically come from either corn or beets that are genetically modified to survive being sprayed with pesticides that will actually disrupt our gut microbiome.
His journey started as a hobby, when he decided to make kombucha for himself because he was buying five bottles a week. After rugby buddies bought $10,000 worth, he launched the business that is now within reach of a million dollar turnover, producing just over 1,000 gallons a month with plans to grow to 4,000 gallons a month.
Distribution
Kombuchade is available in over 140 Lifetime Fitness clubs around the country and in gyms and grocery stores and coffee shops a within a three-hour radius of Chicago. They also sell online and ship the product to the lower 48 States,
Kombuchade is available on draft in select locations.
The brand is the official hydration partner of the Chicago Hounds pro rugby team.
Flavors
There are three flavors in cans.
An an experimental blend with 11mg of caffeine is being developed.
In Spring and Summer seasonal brews with Michigan farm fruits are available on tap with flavors such as aronia berry and apple.
Interview
Listen to the podcast interview with Matt, where we discuss his journey and the story of Kombuchade.
The post Profile: Kombuchade, Chicago, Illinois appeared first on 'Booch News.
April 17, 202629 min
Profile: Lucas Montanari, Fermenta Com Ciência, Brazil
I first interviewed Lucas in 2021, when he shared his opinion on why kombucha has become so popular in Brazil and the rapid growth of the industry from 2019 to 2021.
He is the founder of Fermenta Com Ciência (Fermenting with Science), where he teaches courses, gives lectures, and provides consulting services. He is also the organizer of Conakom (Conferência Nacional de Produtores de Kombucha).
His central role in promoting kombucha in Brazil is evidenced by his social media presence: 277,000 follow him on Instagram, 55,000 on Facebook, and 153,000 on his YouTube channel, which has 279 instructional videos.
Fermenta Com Ciência’s Mission
To work on cultivating the culture of fermenting probiotic beverages and functional fermented foods—bridging ancestral knowledge with the most current scientific foundations—and to teach, in a clear and practical manner, how to prepare these items safely and healthily, catering both to those who wish to produce them artisanally at home and to those looking to scale up and commercialize their products.
History
Lucas Montanari is a biologist specializing in fermentation, holding a postgraduate degree in Nutrigenomics and Functional Foods. He is also an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach certified by the IIN (NY, USA) and a faculty member in the Functional Gastronomy postgraduate program at FAMESP.
In addition to Fermenta Com Ciência, and organizing Conakom, the Brazilian Kombucha Festival. He serves as the Technical Director of ABKOM (Brazilian Kombucha Association) and conducts research on the health benefits of kombucha and methods to optimize its large-scale production.
He first encountered kombucha in Australia in 2013; after refining his expertise, he began his work with kombucha in Brazil in 2015. Since then, he has trained thousands of “Kombucheiros” through in-person courses, online programs, and consulting services for commercial production. He has played a key role in the development of numerous nationally successful brands, including Tchá Kombucha, Puro Verde, Aviv Kombucha, Mr. Bolt Kombucha, Kombucha Libre, and Lich Kombucha. Furthermore, he has collaborated with leading companies to develop specialized fermenters, equipment, and raw materials specifically designed for kombucha production.
Consulting Services
Their consulting service is designed for those who wish to delve deeper into the science of kombucha fermentation to gain greater control over their production process, develop market-friendly flavors, achieve better product standardization, and ensure more consistent carbonation—all while confidently scaling up production. Students learn how to serve kombucha “On Tap,” thereby increasing cost efficiency and sustainability in their business. Discover the equipment and methods utilized in various industrial kombucha production facilities worldwide, and identify the next steps needed to turn dreams into reality!
The consultancy focuses on the production of kombucha for commercial sale—specifically:
How to manufacture a high-quality, stable product with low alcohol content.
Which equipment and techniques should be utilized to scale up and streamline commercial production.
Which machinery and equipment should you employ to optimize manufacturing processes and flavoring techniques to give your product a competitive edge in the market.
Recipes designed to maximize the efficient use of time, space, and investment.
Techniques for achieving optimal levels of density and acidity, including the proper use of measurement instruments.
How to serve kombucha on tap, including how to operate draft systems, kegs, post-mix units, CO2 cylinders, and other carbonation equipment.
Courses
Lucas teaches courses for both home brewers and commercial operations.
Home Brewing
This course is composed of seven modules:
The Universe of Kombucha: Discover what kombucha truly is, and also learn about its origins—from ancient legends to the first scientific records—tracing its entire history right up to the modern market
Transforming your Health: Learn how to take your health to the next level by optimizing the benefits of kombucha for your body. You will also learn how to consume the beverage correctly and discover an extensive collection of books to further specialize in kombucha and gut health.
Foundation: Learn—in detail—all the best ingredients to use in your production so that you never again have thin SCOBYs, mold, or other fermentation issues. I will also cover the essential utensils and ideal bottle types you need to make kombucha exactly the way you want it.
Preparation and Harvesting: Discover the secrets to preparing the specific tea infusion used to make kombucha, and how to reduce the entire preparation time to just a few minutes on a single day of the week. You will learn how to identify the optimal time to harvest your finished fermentation.
Flavoring and Carbonation: Master the art of naturally flavoring, infusing, and coloring your kombucha, and create endless recipes using the techniques in this module. You will also learn the principles of second fermentation to gain control over your beverage’s carbonation—even in glass bottles.
SCOBY Hotel and Vinegar: Learn how to properly care for your colonies and prepare your own functional kombucha vinegar for cooking, cosmetics, cleaning, and more.
Scaling up: Learn how to scale up your production—from 3-liter jars to fermenters of any volume you desire—using a simple method that can save you a significant amount of preparation time and help you achieve better standardization.
Additional resources include downloadable instruction booklets, group mentoring sessions with over 1,000 experienced brewers, and much more.
Commercial Brewing
This course comprises nine modules:
Professional Production Methods: Learn how to produce kombucha on a large scale with standardization and high quality. Also, learn the basics of the SAFE Method.
Entrepreneurship: Learn how to turn your kombucha business idea into reality, organize your operations, and transform your production into a profitable venture.
How to Register Your Kombucha Business with MAPA: Gain access to a detailed step-by-step guide on how to obtain your registration with MAPA and stand out from the majority of other brands.
Developing Successful Flavors: Learn how to develop kombuchas with a precise sensory profile, creating flavor, aroma, and color combinations that elevate the quality of your production.
Making Kombucha On Tap: Discover all the equipment and techniques you need to serve kombucha from draft systems, and sell it in restaurants and at events.
Choosing the Right Equipment: Learn how to select the ideal fermenters, bottling machines, and other equipment to scale your production safely, productively, and efficiently.
The Science of Fermentation: Explore in depth the microbiology behind kombucha and learn how to precisely control the results of your fermentation.
Alcohol Control and Stability: Master techniques such as cold crashing, forced carbonation, and filtration, and learn essential industrial processes to standardize your kombucha with consistent quality.
Aluminum Can Packaging: Discover the technologies and essential best practices for canning, guided by an expert who has mastered the process on a commercial scale.
Bonus material includes lifetime access to a video library, an Advanced Study Group on Telegram, home to a community of over 700 commercial kombucha producers, and a course on registering your kombucha brewery with MAPA, taught by Stela Patrocínio — one of the experts I interviewed for the initial posting in my series on kombucha in Brazil.
Networking
Lucas has connected with leading members of the worldwide kombucha community, including several prominent international figures in the field of fermentation, such as Sandor Katz, author of The Art of Fermentation, Sébastien Bureau, the founder of Mannanova, and Nick Robertson from Rare Combinations. He has attended kombucha conferences in the United States and Europe. He’s also been featured in past editions of SYMBIOSIS Magazine (which I edited). I was pleased to see him prominently display a copy of the magazine in one of his instructional videos.
Interview
Readers who want to go deeper can listen to the podcast interview with Lucas, where we discuss his courses, the challenges and opportunities for commercial production in Brazil, and the future of the industry.
Uma tradução da entrevista para o português está disponível para download.
The post Profile: Lucas Montanari, Fermenta Com Ciência, Brazil appeared first on 'Booch News.
April 14, 202625 min
Profile: LABKOM, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Thiago Cunha founded LABKOM in 2020, together with Ruan Gregório, after a technical support initiative during the COVID period helped regional beverage producers navigate process and regulatory challenges. Cunha is a chemical engineer, holds a master’s degree in biotechnology and a specialization in microbiology, and is currently a PhD candidate in chemistry at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). What began with support for a handful of kombucha brands in Minas Gerais evolved into a specialized consultancy focused on process consistency, quality control, shelf stability, and regulatory readiness. Today, LABKOM works with producers in Brazil and has also supported over 100 companies in markets across the United States, Chile, Argentina, Portugal, Spain, and Italy.
Their work typically begins before the factory visit, with online review and preparation. Then comes an in-person phase, often three to five days on site, focused on diagnosis, training, and implementation. After that, support continues remotely for weeks or months. The reason is simple: analysis alone does not solve process variation. Teams also need help deciding what to do with the numbers they collect and how to use them to influence harvest timing, blending, fermentation management, and product release.
LABKOM helps manufacturers structure their production, stabilization, shelf life, standardization, and real-world market quality without losing the most important thing: flavor, aroma, and character.
Standardization with SUPERKOM
LABKOM teaches a process for brewing kombucha in a sterile, clean-room environment without the need for a cellulose mat. They teach a volatile acid standardization method that starts with a super-fermented starter liquid to standardize the fermentation process.
Their SUPERKOM is a SCOBY liquid kombucha, a fermented base rich in organic acids, developed for industrial use by kombucha producers seeking greater batch consistency, process predictability, and analytical control. It is positioned not as a replacement for kombucha itself, but as a structured way to support a more technically controlled start to fermentation.
For example, if the standard calls for 2 grams of organic acids, the starter is fermented to a level of 4 grams of organic acids. A precise amount of starter is added to the infused tea equal to 2 grams. The same amount of organic acids between batches will produce the same taste. Likewise, they standardize the sugar and tea levels in each batch. After this mixture is created, they advise a short fermentation of approximately 72 hours in an anaerobic environment to avoid producing more acids, esters, and post-biotics, and to prevent a cellulose mat from forming.
LABKOM recommends secondary fermentation in bright tanks, rather than in the bottle. This delivers a higher degree of standardization and longer shelf-life. The time for secondary fermentation varies. It depends on the culture and flavors. Some flavors only require a day or two, others need five, seven, or ten days.
This method yields a kombucha with low alcohol content and high levels of organic acids.
They recommend that kombucha companies invest in simple lab equipment costing under 1,000 euros to measure the chemistry of the starter and the final product.
Beyond pH
Kombucha producers often talk about pH, but LABKOM argues that pH alone is insufficient to explain process development or sensory outcomes. It remains useful as one control parameter, but it does not tell a producer enough about the path a fermentation took or about the flavor profile that will emerge in the glass.
Rather than relying only on pH, LABKOM organizes acidity analysis into functional groups that help production teams understand flavor development and control fermentation behavior using accessible analytical routines. In the company’s view, this matters because producers need tools that are both technically meaningful and feasible to implement on a factory floor without resorting to highly specialized instrumentation for every batch.
Interview
Readers who want to go deeper can listen to the podcast interview about LABKOM, the growth of kombucha in Brazil, and their broader vision for the category’s future.
Uma tradução da entrevista para o português está disponível para download.
The post Profile: LABKOM, Belo Horizonte, Brazil appeared first on 'Booch News.
February 13, 20269 min
The Wellness Patio, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Four years ago I visited The Elixir Spot vegan cafe and kombucha brewery near the Pier in Puerto Vallarta. Then in 2024 I added an update reporting they had expanded to a second location in the 5th of December neighborhood.
This year I discovered that the 5th of December location had closed and, just three months ago, The Wellness Patio opened at 165 Francisca Rodríguez, a block away from the original Elixir Spot location.
This sister location is in a quieter, more relaxed place than by the busy pier where tourists congregate. Located in a pleasant courtyard, down a short flight of steps at the side of a pharmacy, The Wellness Patio is managed by Monica and Omar’s daughter, Georgette.
Delicious Menu
They offer a range of vegan foods and beverages from juices, waffles, and salads, to wellness shots, chia puddings, and, of course, the Reiki-energized kombucha from the original location.
Holistic Healing
True to the name, The Wellness Patio offers Reiki, breathwork, sound healing, ice bath sessions and healing ceremonies for groups and individuals in the patio. The space is also available for birthday and wedding celebrations.
Interview
Georgette shares the story of The Wellness Patio in this exclusive interview.
The post The Wellness Patio, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico appeared first on 'Booch News.
February 7, 202627 min
World Ferment Day – Debrief with Jo Webster
World Ferment Day took place on February 1st this year. Billed as a global celebration that turns theory into practice, people were invited to taste a ferment, make a ferment, share a ferment or host a ferment event. Organizer Jo Webster was supported by The Fermentation School, Wildbrine, and The Fermentation School en español.
Goodfellows Restaurant in Jo’s home town of Wells, Somerset, hosted two 15-person sold-out sittings of a ‘Cultured Lunch’ by chef Adam Fellows. Jo and her friend Caroline Gilmartin helped prepare the dishes.
The Cultured Lunch constituted two back to back sell-out sittings in Adam’s delightful restaurant. The aim was to showcase how ferments meld deliciously as part of tasty meals, bringing complexity and diversity to the table. Whether it was in the form of my fermentceutical crackers, loaded with labneh and Jerusalem artichoke ferment, or the Fennel Blush ferment and Cultjar‘s Cooks Kowl sauerkraut tucked under the duo of organic salmon, the results were extremely popular.
My Rosemary sourdough went down a storm and so did Caroline’s mango kefir ice cream, with Fermenti’s enlivening fermented fruit bites to augment it. Caroline showed attendees how to make milk kefir and explained how those first milk kefir grains were snaffled out of the Caucasus region by subterfuge for the benefit of so many nations thereafter.
I waxed lyrical about my beloved vegetable ferments and forgot to roll the sleeves of my white shirt up before grating the beetroot. People went home inspired, excited and satiated. My favourite feedback was from a gentleman who candidly said that his wife had twisted his arm to get him to attend with her. “I thought it was going to be shit”, he said. I assumed World Ferment Day was just aimed at making money rather than genuinely aiming to make lives better by encouraging more people to eat and drink more ferments. In fact, this has been an inspiring afternoon and I am so glad that I came”.
Challenges
Jo acknowledges that fermented foods and drinks are still a niche.
This is part of the challenge. While there’s more producers coming into the market, I still think it’s a pretty hard market to be in. For many, it has been a pretty lonely and isolating market to be in for quite a long time for quite a few people. And that is gradually changing for sure. And there’s definitely more players coming into the market. Some are ramping up production and it seems like something is shifting.
Statistics
17 countries
70+ events
400 people signed up to the ferment pledge
5000+ people viewing the global map
786 Instagram followers
This marked a sizable increase from the first World Ferment Day where there were only 10 events.
There was very little planning for 2025. I thought of the idea at the beginning of January and we held it at the beginning of February. It was very low key. This time we’ve had a year, but various things have happened to distract me. We had a good three month run up, but this time we’re going to have a full year run up.
Global Response
Tomorrow, some of us will step into a communal kitchen for a cooking session guided by Food Citizen’s regular volunteer and partner, Deepa. Among other foods, we’ll be making idli — a fermented dish common in many South Indian homes and available in Singapore at stalls and restaurants.
Food Citizen, Singapore
I created this ebook to celebrate World Ferment Day. Fermentation is an art, a way to connect with our ancestry and, at the same time, a contemporary path to create new possibilities in the kitchen. Inside this ebook, you will find 5 very special recipes, carefully tested and developed by me over the years.
Nomad Food Lab, São Bernardino, Portugal
Celebrating World Fermentation Day by making my granny’s favourite ferment: sauerkraut. My love of preserving stems from my granny, Ima Mae (in the photo, which lives in my kitchen) who always had homemade pickles (including kraut) on the table, all made with veg grown by my granddad.
Rachel de Thample, London, England
It’s @world.ferment.day!!! What are you doing to celebrate?! Today we’re going be doing a lot of fermentation processing and feeding a lot of cultures before we head to India this week on a fermentation journey with @rtb_kombucha.
Contraband Ferments, Atlanta, USA
World Ferment Day exists to honor one of the oldest human food practices — preservation through time, not technology. Fermentation isn’t fast. It isn’t flashy. It’s salt, patience, attention, and trust. That’s why it felt right to host my first workshop of the year on February 1.
Golden State Pickle Works, Santa Rosa, California, USA
Fermentation is a revolution. #doyouhavetheguts to say yes to living in collaboration with microbes and immigrants and residents from the air and soil? And say NO to fascism? Together as a community we can do this.
Cultures Group, New York, USA
Today, it’s worth taking a moment to recognise just how fundamental fermentation is to life itself and as the influential physicist, Richard Feynman put it – “All life is fermentation”. From the microbes that support our bodies to the recipes that have shaped food cultures across the world, fermentation has always been quietly at work. When it’s understood and given time, fermentation has the power to transform simple ingredients into something complex, nourishing and full of flavour. It’s how tea, sugar and SCOBY become kombucha and how entirely new taste experiences are created. Today we’re celebrating the magic behind fermentation and the incredible world of flavour it opens up when you let nature lead.
Momo Kombucha, London, England
Today is World Fermentation Day and it’s your chance to strike a blow for world gut health! Try something new – a new ferment you have not tried before and your body will love you for it! Give it a go! The fact is that by making fermented foods part of your daily routine you’ll be helping your gut diversity, improve nutrient availability, and build the resilience of your microbiome.
Fermentation Tasmania, Legana, Tasmania, Australia
Fermenting wasn’t just his gateway into the microbial world—soil, pets, cuddles—it also sparked his curiosity about new foods, to feed his microbial friends. Today, on the first ever #WorldFermentDay, I’m celebrating how fermented foods have the ability to spark curiosity, creativity, and connection—especially in young minds.
Flora Montgomery, Gutsy for Life, Tokyo, Japan
Potential
Jo is excited by the multi-cultural potential of World Ferment Day.
So I think the potential is very real in terms of more countries. What we want to show is different cultural approaches to this food technology, different products, that there’s something for everybody in terms of flavor profile, in terms of texture, in terms of curiosity and adventure. And the more the more we can represent ferment habits globally, the happier I will be, because at the moment, obviously, I’m a middle-class white person promoting it. And largely it’s been America, UK. It would be really great to get a truly representative global support and therefore representation of different ferment cultures and styles and methods and approaches.
What we’re also seeking is to get these foods and drinks embedded in the cultures in which they’re not familiar and re-celebrated in the cultures where Western food is becoming increasingly appealing and people are moving further away from these food, food technologies and foods and drinks.
Funding
The key thing is finding funding. In an ideal world, we would get a really solid funding to be able to properly take this forward. We’ve shown this year that there is real appetite for it, that thousands of people ate and drank ferments because of those 70 events. Our aim is that ferments are not just for World Ferment Day.
Interview
Jo discusses the achievements of the 2026 World Ferment Day and her hopes for the future in this exclusive interview.
The post World Ferment Day – Debrief with Jo Webster appeared first on 'Booch News.
February 3, 20268 min
Update: Kova Kombucha, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Last year, I met Gina Méndez, the founder of Kova Kombucha in Puerto Vallarta. At that time, I reported that she had been in business for a year, was operating out of her home, and producing 250-300 bottles per month. She planned to move to a larger space.
Twelve months later, I visited Gina at her larger space. She now produces twice the quantity in Puerto Vallarta and, together with her business partner, who operates a sister brewery in Zapotlanejo, near Guadalajara, sells Kova in five cities. Between the two facilities, they are selling 700 bottles a month.
The larger space means she can brew more kombucha, but she barely keeps up with demand. The 200-liter stainless steep primary fermentation tank and kettle have streamlined part of the production process. Her challenge is the labor-intensive manual work of sanitizing, filling, and capping the bottles. Nevertheless, she still performs multiple times a week as the lead singer in The Lovers, playing in clubs and bars around town.
She’s planning to relocate to a new facility closer to her home. I look forward to catching up next year to see how much further Kova Kombucha has come.
Interview
Listen to the podcast to hear Gina tell the story of her growing business.
The post Update: Kova Kombucha, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico appeared first on 'Booch News.
January 29, 202631 min
Grief and Growth: Exploring the Alchemy of Kombucha Leather
Shajia Meraj’s thesis at Karachi University, Pakistan, was a groundbreaking exploration of kombucha “leather” (dried cellulose SCOBYs) in the context of sustainable textile design. Rather than viewing this material merely as an industrial substitute for animal leather, Meraj’s research, conducted over 11 months in 2025, treats it as a living, time-based medium that responds to its environment and the care it receives. This project balances technical material experimentation and mastery with a profound conceptual inquiry into grief, memory, and circularity.
Sustainability
Shajia was first inspired by a TED Talk by prominent Italian fashion designer Marina Spadafora, which introduced her to the possibility of using kombucha leather for garments.
What drew her to the material was its accessibility; it can be grown using simple ingredients: water, sugar, tea, and starter. Choosing to work outside a traditional laboratory, she transformed a spare room into a domestic studio, using household fermentation tools and shallow trays to harvest the cellulose.
Navigating Challenges in Pakistan
Executing this project in Pakistan presented significant hurdles. Not only was kombucha unfamiliar to her academic advisors, but the local climate also posed constant threats to the material. During the monsoon season, high humidity caused mold growth, while drier months rendered the leather brittle and paper-like. Shajia spent eleven months in a trial-and-error process, eventually determining that a thickness of half an inch was ideal for drying without the material becoming too fragile. She was supported by Shahzaib Arif of ProB the only kombucha brand in Pakistan, which provided the starter necessary to maintain her continuous brewing process.
A Material Reflection on Grief
The heart of Shajia’s work lies in the parallels between kombucha leather and the experience of grief.
Kombucha leather grows slowly over time, and every sheet is unique, imperfect, and evolving. I think that mirrors how grief works. Grief does not happen all at once; it unfolds gradually, and the memories and emotions surface in cycles. Likewise, the circular nature of kombucha leather growth very much reflects the circular life cycle of grief and memory. These two things fit together very nicely, because both processes involve patience, layering, and ever-changing memory.
To ground this concept, she incorporated photographs taken by her late father, who passed away 16 years ago when she was a young girl, into her material outcomes.
Her artistic installations include:
The Memory-Twisting Lamp: A sculptural piece where light interacts with translucent leather and her father’s photographs to emphasize the fragility and impermanence of memory.
Every image is embedded and sandwiched between two layers of kombucha leather, holding the photograph in place like a preserved moment in time. These slides represent how memories exist as fragments, separate yet connected.
The Circular Installation: A gradient of 200 dyed circles moving from deep red to warm yellow, representing the evolution of grief from intense loss to a state of acceptance.
The circular forms reference the cyclical nature of grief, how it returns, overlaps, and continues rather than ending. Deeper reds at the center represent emotional intensity and loss, while the warmer ambers and yellows moving outward suggest memory, warmth, and moments of acceptance.
The Mosaic Portrait: A large-scale tribute composed of thousands of small photographs taken by her father, layered with organic kombucha squares to create a cohesive image that reflects how we perceive the essence of a person through fragments.
The kombucha leather adds an organic, textured quality that mirrors the slow, layered nature of memory, making the piece both a visual tribute and a reflection on how we perceive and preserve the essence of a person, through both the whole and the sum of its parts.
The Future of Bio-Textiles
Despite initial skepticism from her peers and faculty, Shajia successfully defended her thesis and earned an A-. While she also produced functional items, such as a hand-sewn cardholder, her primary focus remained on the material’s emotional potential. Now a graduate, she’s interested in collaborating with other researchers to push the boundaries of what sustainable textiles can represent. She can be reached at merajshajia56@gmail.com.
Source: NotebookLM
Interview
Shajia discusses her project in this exclusive interview.
The post Grief and Growth: Exploring the Alchemy of Kombucha Leather appeared first on 'Booch News.
December 26, 202523 min
Our Fermented Future, Episode 12: The World of 2100
Profile: Kombucha Na Dálaigh, Gortahork, Co. Donegal, Ireland
I recently talked with Marianne O’Donnell, the founder of Kombucha Na Dálaigh, based in Donegal in the north-west of Ireland. I began by wishing her a Happy Christmas in her native tongue, which is the limit of my Irish language skills. This was an appropriate greeting since Kombucha Na Dálaigh is located in a Gaeltacht region of the Republic, where Irish is the everyday language and a cornerstone of local culture, traditions, and identity.
Origins
Having taught Food and Nutrition and Communications for 24 years, and also being a Certified Nutrition Coach, Marianne has always had a curiosity for learning, wellness, and cooking. “I never set out to start a kombucha business, but sometimes the best things in life happen by accident.”
“It all started during COVID, when I was struggling with gut health issues. A friend gave me a SCOBY—this strange, alien-looking thing—and I started brewing kombucha in my kitchen in Gortahork.”
She felt immediate benefits, and friends encouraged her to sell commercially.
Marianne attended the International Kombucha summit in Berlin in November 2023, which reinforced her to look at flavor trends.
Production
After starting in her kitchen and moving to the home garage, Marianne has now outsourced production, bottling, and canning to another facility under her supervision. She concentrates on marketing and growing the business. Her kombucha uses 60% organic Sencha green tea and 40% Assam black tea.
Irish Identity
The brand uses Irish on its labels and website. This isn’t just a matter of translation; it’s a statement of identity. Marianne believes Irish belongs in the everyday, in our food culture, and in our future.
She benefits from government support through Údarás na Gaeltachta, the regional state agency responsible for the economic, social, and cultural development of Ireland’s Irish-speaking regions. Her company is listed in their directory, along with Ireland’s largest brand, Synerchi, also in Donegal, and Claregalway’s All About Kombucha.
Glacadh lenár ndúchas áitiúla Gaeltachta
Táimid lonnaithe i nGort a’Choirce agus táimid brodúil as a bheith ag déanamh beorach go háitiúil, ag cinntiú caighdeán d’ardcháiliócht. Mar sin de, cén fáth go mbeifeá sásta le deochanna boga atá déanta go saorga nuair a thig leat sásamh fionnuar a fháil as kombucha? Agus nuair nach bhfuil fonn ort beor, leann úll nó fíon a ól, is kombucha an deoch malartach is fearr.
Embracing Our Local Gaeltacht Roots
Based in Gortahork, we take pride in brewing locally, ensuring high-quality standards.So, why settle for artificially produced soft drinks when you can indulge in the refreshing satisfaction of kombucha? And for those times when you’re not in the mood for beer, cider, or wine, kombucha makes for the perfect alternative.
Awards
The company has been recognized multiple times at the annual Blas na hEireann (Taste of Ireland) awards, and this year was honored as the ‘Best Wellness Drink’ at the EVOKE Awards.
Growing awareness
Marianne is witnessing an increasing acceptance and awareness of kombucha in Ireland.
The popularity of kombucha in Ireland is catching up with places like California. There are some strong kombucha companies in Ireland. Sixty percent of shops will have kombucha now. And it’s growing. It is really, really growing. And the whole no and low alcohol movement, it’s really increasing. You know, kombucha is perfect for that. People who want that adult complex flavor without the booze.
There’s a real mixture of customers. Younger people have nearly all sampled kombucha before. Maybe older generations haven’t. But then once they taste it, they’re hooked. They love it. So lots of my local customers would be people in their 70s and 80s because they understand the health benefits. So, it’s a mixture of people that drink it in Ireland, but people are definitely more aware of kombucha and the benefits of fermented drinks.
Distribution
Kombucha Na Dálaigh is mainly sold through retail channels, with some direct-to-consumer online sales. Following her Blas na hEireann awards, premier retailer Avoca contacted her, and she’s now in their 13 stores across Ireland. She also sells in Ulster, where she has made personal contact with retail outlets.
Flavors
She sells both 750-milliliter bottles and slimline 250-milliliter cans.
Her three flavors have Irish language names.
Grá: (Love): Hibiscus, raspberry, rosehip, and herbal infusion.
Anam (Soul): Ginger juice, botanical infusion (including citrus peels, ginger, lemon myrtle, and spices), natural hops.
Sláinte (Health): Turmeric juice, ginger juice, herbal infusion (including apple, lemongrass, ginger, and botanical petals).
Marianne also produces limited editions, such as a carrageen moss and dulse seaweed mix named ‘Mara’ for the Ballymaloe House Cookery School in Cork.
In the summer, she also makes an elderflower and gooseberry brew.
Podcast
Click on the podcast to hear Marianne tell the story of Kombucha Na Dálaigh.
The post Profile: Kombucha Na Dálaigh, Gortahork, Co. Donegal, Ireland appeared first on 'Booch News.
December 19, 202535 min
Our Fermented Future, Episode 11: The Culture Wars—Battles Over Living Beverages
