Kombucha tea is a beverage with historical longevity and tradition, originating from China but now a worldwide alternative medicinal choice. As we know, it is believed that Asian cultures have been preparing this fermented tea from the beginning of times, and it has been a secret to long and healthy lives. In fact, it is one of the most popular beverages and fastest growing in the functional beverages industry, as recent statistics show.
According to ResearchAndMarkets.com, in its Global Kombucha Market 2019-2028 report, the global kombucha market is likely to progress at a CAGR of 22.21 percent during the projected period of 2019-2028. Per the research firm, the trend of health drinks and healthy hydration, paired with the demand for flavored kombucha drinks, is motivating the growth of the kombucha market globally.
From a Made-in-the-Home Beverage to a Fancy Top-Shelf Drink
Once an exclusively homemade drink, today’s kombucha tea market offers a variety of flavors and intensities. The drink was first introduced in the United States in 1995, and it continues to become popular as a commercially made beverage, in addition to continuing as a homemade drink.
For those in the tea industry who still haven’t tried it (and we're sure there may be a few), kombucha has a sweet, flavored taste. And because it’s also a carbonated drink, it has slowly started to steal popularity from the soda market. Not only is it a good replacement taste-wise, but it also seems to be more profitable, as it requires just a few ingredients and the process of making it is fairly easy.
The Science Behind Kombucha, The Healing Proprieties
As some might say, kombucha tea is a miracle drink that has demonstrated positive wellness results – not only with minor afflictions and immunity, but also with serious diseases. In fact, displaying healing and cleansing proprieties, kombucha continues to receive more and more attention, especially from the scientific field – where tests have brought to light interesting compounds and active ingredients that have raised the drinks popularity.
Overall, the most well-known benefits of kombucha are antioxidant and antibacterial, in addition to the probiotic nature of kombucha, due to the fermentation process. What makes it so beneficial in cleansing and regulating toxicity? It's none other than the tea-involved proprieties. In general, kombucha provides significant good bacteria and builds immunity. Thus, consumers are showing more interest in the drink as a tasty alternative. Even hard kombucha is becoming a sought-after libation.
Hard Kombucha as a Popular Substitute for Beer
Trending: Many consumers are replacing their beer with hard kombucha for all of the probiotic and prebiotic wellness benefits, making it a better alcoholic beverage option. As a result, many restaurants, foodservice establishments and other businesses are offering it on tap.
The low amount of alcohol found in hard kombucha tea makes it an ideal replacement for low-alcohol drinks or soft drinks, such as beer. On average, the amount of alcohol in hard kombucha varies between four and seven percent.
Kombucha Helps with Weight Loss, It’s a Good Friend to Athletes
Consumers have begun enjoying kombucha beverages as a post-workout drink, as it helps burn fat, control blood sugar and regulate cholesterol levels. Many athletes have also started using kombucha as a energy booster or faster-healing remedy, balancing intestinal flora and supporting the detoxification process. In the future, we’ll see more athletes promoting kombucha or praising its benefits.
While kombucha is not a new trend or new to the tea industry, it’s still trending and consumption is still on the rise, as more consumers discover its wellness benefits and healing proprieties. Thus, we expect it to remain one of the most popular and most important drinks next to traditional tea.
Jared and Deanne Gustafson are a couple of kombucha enthusiasts and the owners of Kombucha on Tap, a kombucha and cold brew coffee distributor based in San Diego, Calif. Ever since the company was founded in 2014, Kombucha on Tap has supplied the healthy drink to hundreds of businesses in the Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County and Riverside County areas of California. To learn more, visit KombuchaOnTap.net.