Rise Kombucha rides functional beverage growth with US expansion 

18 Sep 2018 --- Rise Kombucha, the first Canadian kombucha company, is expanding beyond its Montreal roots and venturing into the US. Rise Kombucha crafts an “authentic, raw and unpasteurized” kombucha using high-quality ingredients. The Canadian company's first American distribution points are to be Vermont and New York City.

According to the company, Rise Kombucha was inspired by a gap in the market in 2009 for healthier beverage alternatives. At the forefront of the better-for-you movement in Canada, Rise is said to have kickstarted the kombucha industry by introducing the fermented drink known for its unique health benefits.

Fueled by the recent investment and support of Lyra Growth Partners, the Vancouver-based fund of Vega's founders, and armed with the new production facility, Rise hopes to be primed for the US.

“I am beyond excited to introduce Rise Kombucha to American palates. More than ever, we're noticing that consumers are swapping sugary drinks for natural beverages that not only taste good but are good for them. We, at Rise Kombucha, have crafted an optimized kombucha that is authentic, raw, unpasteurized and oddly delicious. We're continuously researching and testing our kombucha to ensure an evolving mastery of this amazing beverage and are excited to continue our mission to democratize authentic kombucha south of the border,” says Julian Giacomelli, President, and Co-founder of Rise Kombucha.

The opportunity for kombucha
Innova Market Insights data notes that rising consumer interest in functional beverages and fermented products has moved out of the specialty sector and into the mainstream. Fermented, lightly effervescent black or green tea drinks, such as Kombucha, contain multiple species of yeast and bacteria along with organic acids, active enzymes, amino acids and polyphenols produced by these microbes. They is positioned as a sustainable, well-being boosting alternative to artificial soft drinks.

Over eight percent of global iced tea launches in the 12 months to the end of June 2017 featured kombucha in a rising range of flavors and formats, up from just over five percent in the 12 months to the end of June 2016 and less than one percent five years previously. Numbers rose nearly 60 percent in the 12 months to the end of June 2017, although still from a relatively small base.

The healthy positioning of green tea and kombuchas is vital for growth. Nearly 96 percent of global launches in the 12 months to the end of June 2017 were positioned on a health platform of some kind, with clean labeling and digestive health key areas of interest.

Rise's current flavor portfolio includes Ginger, Hibiscus & Rose Hips, Blueberry & Maple, Lemongrass, Mint & Chlorophyll and Rose & Schizandra. 

NutritionInsight has previously investigated the rise of functional drinks, including kombucha and matcha, which you can read here.