The kombucha market has been growing steadily in popularity in recent years and has witnessed remarkable growth. The fermented tea beverage originally found its place in the wellness culture thanks to its refreshing taste and gut-friendly benefits, but it has since evolved from a niche health product to a mainstream beverage.
While the market has exploded globally thanks to growing consumer awareness, here at home, two young entrepreneurs and friends, Keith Loftus and Emmet Kerrigan, have been making their own mark with their product – ‘All About Kombucha’ – which won the prestigious 2022 Irish Drink Award.
All About Kombucha
After completing business degrees at the University of Galway, friends Keith and Emmet decided to move to Vancouver, Canada to work and explore a new lifestyle – it was here they tried kombucha for the first time and loved its complex taste.
“Nearly as soon as we moved, we noticed people were following a lifestyle that was more focused on wellness and physical activity,” explains Keith. “Activities such as meditation, yoga and breathwork were staples in people’s lives, and we were inspired by this new way of life.”
However, they were also interested in its origins and production, and after some time they moved back to Ireland. “We thought, why not bring one of our favourite Canadian things back home and make a business out of it?”
All about Kombucha. \ Claire Nash
The process
Hand-bottled and brewed in Galway since 2017, Keith and Emmet’s kombucha is made out of four simple ingredients – tea, water, sugar and culture.
“The key ingredient in kombucha is the SCOBY, which is the symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast,” Keith explains. This culture – which, admittedly, looks like a less-than-appetising jellyfish, is added to a blend of tea and sugar. “The SCOBY is then left in this sweet tea for a period of time, where it converts the sugars into alcohol, which is then turned into healthy acids - and then kombucha is created.”
Keith and Emmet brew their kombucha from 21 to 30 days and from there infuse it with organic roots, fruits and herbs to create their different flavours.
Health benefits
Keith explains that there are a number of health benefits associated with drinking kombucha.
“Nowadays, so many people seem to have certain food intolerances and recently there seems to be a lot more focus on how food makes you feel as opposed to just using it as a food source,” he says. “Our kombucha also has a very clean ingredient list, and we only use premium and organic products. It is unpasteurised and we never compromise on ingredients, so each can remains high in probiotics, antioxidants and vitamins to help boost gut health.” Both Keith and Emmet strive to make a difference by supporting Irish and making sustainable choices during the production process.
Adapting to circumstances
The duo brewed their first batch of kombucha in 2017, with production taking place in Emmet’s shed in Galway. From such humble beginnings, they have since built their brand extensively; expanding across coffee shops, restaurants and in retail outlets and moving production from Emmet’s shed and into a specialised facility.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, things became difficult as Keith explains how hospitality closures during the associated lockdowns had a huge effect on their business. “It went from customers walking into shops and restaurants and seeing the drink - or reading it on the menu - and selecting their drinks to being fully online,” he recalls. “We have found people usually see and buy with their eyes due to our bright and fun packaging, so we had to start selling our product a little bit differently.”
Keith and Emmet started collaborating with other food businesses – or with chefs they admired – leaning on their expertise and infusing it into their own work.
Working with the Simply Better
This January, All About Kombucha were excited to launch three new products with the Dunnes Stores Simply Better range.
“The talks started with the Simply Better team two years ago – just before we moved into our new brewery,” Keith explains, “and it has been really beneficial for us to speak to one of Ireland’s main retailers.
“They have helped us map out our journey to get to the level we wanted to get to.
“Our aim is to be Ireland’s best Kombucha brand, so having that support from the Simply Better team has been amazing – they’ve helped us a lot with things like standards, procedures and of course, technical support.”
Combining their own high standards with the high standards of the Simple Better range have been equally beneficial – in Keith’s words, “nothing is missed and everything is done to a really high standard.”
Keith Loftus and Emmet Kerrigan. \ Claire Nash
Favourite flavours
While in talks regarding which products to supply to the Simply Better range, Keith says that they took a close look at which of their products have been most well-received to date.
“In the end we chose our Cucumber and Lemon, Passion Fruit and Mint, and Rose and Apple flavours,” he explains.
“Personally, I don’t like cucumbers as a food – but [in kombucha], I think it’s one of the most refreshing drinks you can have.”
While All About Kombucha have enjoyed a high level of success so far; at the heart of everything is their genuine passion for the drink, which Keith says is both guilt-free and a bite-sized probiotic. It will quench your thirst while providing gut-friendly benefits.
With this in mind, Keith and Emmet are excited about the new opportunities that their new product launch with the team at Simply Better will bring.
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The kombucha market has been growing steadily in popularity in recent years and has witnessed remarkable growth. The fermented tea beverage originally found its place in the wellness culture thanks to its refreshing taste and gut-friendly benefits, but it has since evolved from a niche health product to a mainstream beverage.
While the market has exploded globally thanks to growing consumer awareness, here at home, two young entrepreneurs and friends, Keith Loftus and Emmet Kerrigan, have been making their own mark with their product – ‘All About Kombucha’ – which won the prestigious 2022 Irish Drink Award.
All About Kombucha
After completing business degrees at the University of Galway, friends Keith and Emmet decided to move to Vancouver, Canada to work and explore a new lifestyle – it was here they tried kombucha for the first time and loved its complex taste.
“Nearly as soon as we moved, we noticed people were following a lifestyle that was more focused on wellness and physical activity,” explains Keith. “Activities such as meditation, yoga and breathwork were staples in people’s lives, and we were inspired by this new way of life.”
However, they were also interested in its origins and production, and after some time they moved back to Ireland. “We thought, why not bring one of our favourite Canadian things back home and make a business out of it?”
All about Kombucha. \ Claire Nash
The process
Hand-bottled and brewed in Galway since 2017, Keith and Emmet’s kombucha is made out of four simple ingredients – tea, water, sugar and culture.
“The key ingredient in kombucha is the SCOBY, which is the symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast,” Keith explains. This culture – which, admittedly, looks like a less-than-appetising jellyfish, is added to a blend of tea and sugar. “The SCOBY is then left in this sweet tea for a period of time, where it converts the sugars into alcohol, which is then turned into healthy acids - and then kombucha is created.”
Keith and Emmet brew their kombucha from 21 to 30 days and from there infuse it with organic roots, fruits and herbs to create their different flavours.
Health benefits
Keith explains that there are a number of health benefits associated with drinking kombucha.
“Nowadays, so many people seem to have certain food intolerances and recently there seems to be a lot more focus on how food makes you feel as opposed to just using it as a food source,” he says. “Our kombucha also has a very clean ingredient list, and we only use premium and organic products. It is unpasteurised and we never compromise on ingredients, so each can remains high in probiotics, antioxidants and vitamins to help boost gut health.” Both Keith and Emmet strive to make a difference by supporting Irish and making sustainable choices during the production process.
Adapting to circumstances
The duo brewed their first batch of kombucha in 2017, with production taking place in Emmet’s shed in Galway. From such humble beginnings, they have since built their brand extensively; expanding across coffee shops, restaurants and in retail outlets and moving production from Emmet’s shed and into a specialised facility.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, things became difficult as Keith explains how hospitality closures during the associated lockdowns had a huge effect on their business. “It went from customers walking into shops and restaurants and seeing the drink - or reading it on the menu - and selecting their drinks to being fully online,” he recalls. “We have found people usually see and buy with their eyes due to our bright and fun packaging, so we had to start selling our product a little bit differently.”
Keith and Emmet started collaborating with other food businesses – or with chefs they admired – leaning on their expertise and infusing it into their own work.
Working with the Simply Better
This January, All About Kombucha were excited to launch three new products with the Dunnes Stores Simply Better range.
“The talks started with the Simply Better team two years ago – just before we moved into our new brewery,” Keith explains, “and it has been really beneficial for us to speak to one of Ireland’s main retailers.
“They have helped us map out our journey to get to the level we wanted to get to.
“Our aim is to be Ireland’s best Kombucha brand, so having that support from the Simply Better team has been amazing – they’ve helped us a lot with things like standards, procedures and of course, technical support.”
Combining their own high standards with the high standards of the Simple Better range have been equally beneficial – in Keith’s words, “nothing is missed and everything is done to a really high standard.”
Keith Loftus and Emmet Kerrigan. \ Claire Nash
Favourite flavours
While in talks regarding which products to supply to the Simply Better range, Keith says that they took a close look at which of their products have been most well-received to date.
“In the end we chose our Cucumber and Lemon, Passion Fruit and Mint, and Rose and Apple flavours,” he explains.
“Personally, I don’t like cucumbers as a food – but [in kombucha], I think it’s one of the most refreshing drinks you can have.”
While All About Kombucha have enjoyed a high level of success so far; at the heart of everything is their genuine passion for the drink, which Keith says is both guilt-free and a bite-sized probiotic. It will quench your thirst while providing gut-friendly benefits.
With this in mind, Keith and Emmet are excited about the new opportunities that their new product launch with the team at Simply Better will bring.
Read more
Meet the Maker: Niamh McCarthy from Niamh Designs Embroidery
Cavan farm with a bit of everything
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