Contemplating Kombucha

Brands of kombucha, a fermented, sweetened black or green tea, have been increasingly active as partners for collaboration, with a focus on limited-edition products, over the past three years. A pairing of the River Cottage cooking brand and Equinox Kombucha, announced in July, is one of the most recent examples. Alliances to date have featured a number of different types of properties and brands:

• Beer and alcohol. Beer brands, particularly regional craft brews, have been among the most common players in kombucha partnerships. Happy Mountain Kombucha teamed with Laurelwood Brewing for a limited Happy Mountain Saison that blends the two drinks, while Brew Dr.—one of the leading players in kombucha collaborations—worked with Rogue Ales on Kulture Clash Clear Mind, a kombucha-and-imperial-blonde-ale hybrid, in a second collaboration between the two companies.
• Sports and fitness properties. The Portland Trail Blazers signed Brew Dr. for a special-edition blend in 2017, representing one of the first partnerships in this category. And Tone it Up, the fitness lifestyle brand of influencers Katrina Scott and Karena Dawn, partnered with Health-Ade for the latter’s first co-branded kombucha in 2018.
• Causes. Brew Dr. has paired with the Trevor Project for the past two years to celebrate Pride and raise funds for LGBTQ+ suicide prevention and crisis intervention, most recently with a rainbow-wrapped edition of its Love Kombucha this past June. The product was part of a broader array of partnerships the Trevor Project put into place with brands in several categories.
• CBD. Brew Dr. and East Fork Cultivars worked together to create a CBD-infused kombucha, while Blue Ridge Hemp collaborated with Lenny Boy Brewing Co., a marketer of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, for a product called Happy Camper CBD Kombucha.
• Music. Reggae band Stick Figure united with Flying Embers for a limited-release, better-for-you hard kombucha. The partnership also included limited bundles of kombucha packed with custom co-branded products such as guitar picks, hats, flags, and bandanas, all with artwork by Stick Figure album-cover artist Juan Manuel.
• Restaurants. The above-mentioned River Cottage, a cooking franchise consisting of TV series, schools, restaurants, and books, headed by TV chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, and its agency The Point.1888 signed Equinox Kombucha for a River Cottage-branded line of organic kombucha drinks. And donut-and-coffee chain Dunkin joined forces with Southern Peak Brewery for a limited offering of Dunkin Espresso Kombucha.
• DIY. Many consumers make their own kombucha at home, and some partnerships hone in on this segment of the marketplace. Kilner, a U.K. brand specializing in jars and appliances with a focus on home preservation of foods and beverages, cooperated with Real Kombucha on home kombucha-brewing supplies. Soda Press Co. and SodaStream, meanwhile, combined for a line of flavored kombucha concentrates for use with SodaStream machines.

Kombucha and other fermented foods have been growing in popularity due to the fact that they contain probiotics, live bacteria that are good for the digestive system and billed as immunity-boosting and promoting general wellness. This is something that is likely to be attractive during and in the wake of COVID-19. It stands to reason that more co-branded ventures could be over the horizon in this category, especially involving properties associated with wellness. Many commercial kombucha varieties are infused with flavorings as well, creating opportunities for suitable food and beverage brands.