Kate Gray, Author at ��ϴ��¼�

Why we don’t use artificial sweeteners

Kate Gray — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 17:38:00 +0000

Like all the good things in life, our kombucha is quite simple. We use a few carefully chosen organic ingredients combined with the knowledge of our craft brewers and the magic of fermentation, to make delicious, low-calorie drinks.

To create each ��ϴ��¼� Organic kombucha we start with just three things: filtered water, organic green tea and organic raw cane sugar. Each of the three is crucial to providing the perfect environment for our unique SCOBY to do its work transforming our sweetened tea brew into the living kombucha we’re so proud of.

In this blog we’ll be focusing on sugar and how we use it in our kombucha. We’ll take you behind the scenes at our Yorkshire brewery to learn how we balance the sweetness and other flavours in our booch. And we’ll lift the lid on sweeteners and why there will never be a place for them in our drinks.

Quality and low quantity

We choose cane sugar, rather than sugar beet, because it’s the only way we can source a truly organic, GMO-free sugar for our drinks.

It also tastes great. Raw cane sugar is an ancient ingredient that needs minimal processing. It has delicate molasses flavour that imparts depth and complexity to our kombucha.

Although we start with sugar in our recipe, our drinks contain less than 4g per 100ml. That’s less than many fizzy soft drinks, for example:

Coke has 10.6g per 100ml
San Pellegrino Classic Italian Taste Limonata has 7.97g per 100ml

That’s because the fermentation process uses the sugar up feeding the probiotic microbes and eventually turns it into the delicious antioxidant rich, slightly tangy kombucha we know and love.

Balancing the complex sweet, tart and fruity flavours of each ��ϴ��¼� Organic Kombucha is the job of our experienced team of craft brewers. Whether we’re adding the sharp zesty notes of citrus that give our Sicilian Lemon its zing, or the ripe fragrance of tropical fruits like our Organic Pineapple & Mango in cans, we always want the natural sweetness to shine through.

Tips from our brewing team

From sweet tooth to sweet enough already, our craft brewing team are here to help you find a kombucha you’ll love.

organic blood orange can

From £36.13 for 24 cans

Sweet enough already – try our Organic Blood Orange, the punchy citrus shines through

Organic white peach & Strawberry

From £24.65 for 12 bottles.

In search of sweet sunshine – you’ll love White Peach and Strawberry with its summery strawberry fragrance and sweet juiciness

Organic fiery ginger can

From £36.13 for 24 cans

In search of balance – our Organic Fiery Ginger pairs gentle sweetness with the heat of ginger root for a brilliant balance of flavours

The downside of sweeteners

We’re all aware of the harmful effects of too much sugar, but did you know that the artificial sweeteners in many soft drinks, including some kombuchas, may be free from calories but they do have consequences for your gut?

We’ve been told that artificial sweeteners are inert in the human body, but research is starting to show that many sweeteners can have an impact on our gut microbiome, damaging the balance of the important friendly bacteria that live there.

In short, our gut friendly bacteria don’t know how to process these chemicals, so they react unpredictably, potentially leading to metabolic and inflammatory changes that contribute to vascular dysfunction and cardiovascular disease and changes to blood sugar levels.

100% natural is the way to go

For us at ��ϴ��¼�, the priority has always been to keep things natural and simple. Our drinks are low in calories because they are made in a traditional way using just organic green tea, raw cane sugar and water as a base for our fermentation process, using our unique SCOBY*.

You will never find artificial sweeteners in our drinks, which means you can relax and enjoy an ��ϴ��¼� Organic kombucha swap whether you’re keen to limit the amount of sugar in your diet or to cut out ultra processed ingredients including sweeteners.

If you’re interested in some research about the effects of sweeteners on the delicate gut microbiota, you can find recent papers here:

*Symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts

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Growing a SCOBY

Kate Gray — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 08:35:08 +0000

Did you know you can grow your own SCOBY from our Original Kombucha. A SCOBY is the Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast that creates the fermentation process that turns simple green tea into gut-friendly kombucha.

Take a look inside ��ϴ��¼� HQ and see how a SCOBY grows in just a few days. It’s still magical to us after more than a decade!

classic bottles multi-pack

From £24.65 for 12 bottles. The Classic Bottles Multi-pack, includes our award-winning Original flavour

original

From £24.65 for 12 bottles. Our Original kombucha. Perfect for growing your own SCOBY

mixed bottles multi-pack

From £33.58 for 20 bottles A great introduction to our range of authentic organic kombucha flavours

Make your own kombucha

If you’re interested in the science of the SCOBY and making your own kombucha, check out this ��ǲ��

See the whole process

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Why I’m vegan: Aleksandra Wielgopolanin

Kate Gray — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 09:44:50 +0000

Our Technical and Quality Manager, Aleksandra Wielgopolanin loves a challenge. From reading a book a week for a year to training for an ultra-marathon, Aleks always has a goal to work towards. But underpinning all her efforts is her choice to follow a vegan diet.

Aleks’ veganism may have started as a post-COVID experiment she set herself as part of her ‘year of challenges’ in 2021. But it has become an important and enjoyable lifestyle choice that she sees as a fundamental part of her identity.

Embracing the challenge

“I love to challenge myself.” Aleks says.

“It’s not about judging my success, but having a goal helps to motivate me to make positive changes. I enjoy the journey and that was particularly true when it came to learning how to follow a healthy, vegan diet.

“Back in 2021, many of my friends were vegetarian or vegan and I wanted to see if I could follow a vegan diet myself. I had several motivations to cut out animal products from my diet; I was concerned about the dairy industry and wider animal welfare issues surrounding the production of meat and dairy, in addition, for me veganism is an important environmental choice. Once I made the switch to veganism I never lapsed, but I did learn some important lessons that made it much easier and more enjoyable!”

Try Aleks’ favourite kombuchas for yourself

Original kombucha

From £24.65 for 12 bottles.

Our Original will always be my Number 1. I’m fan of its pure flavour. Sometimes I brew my own kombucha, mixing different types of teas, and I think the love for the classic fermented flavour grew from that.

Sicilian orange & Yuzu Kombucha

From £24.65 for 12 bottle

Orange & Yuzu is my favourite of our fruity kombuchas. It reminds me of Fanta, which is a taste of my childhood. Now I have a healthy version which is even better!

Ginger kombucha

From £24.65 for 12 bottles

Ginger is great when I need a pick-me-up, either in the morning to start the day better, or when I need a little bit of a vitamin kick because I’m not feeling great – it’s the best option.

Find the life in your food

Aleks says that she found the transition to veganism gave her the chance to see food in a completely new way. It was exciting to experiment with food and find new ways to make familiar ingredients the star of her meals.

She says: “I tried a few meat substitutes but quickly realised that they weren’t for me. I didn’t use recipes, I just focused on the ingredients I loved and experimented with how to prepare the dishes I enjoy using just vegan-friendly ingredients.

“There’s lots of life in my food. My cooking skills have improved, and I love to cook for friends and surprise them with the flavour and excitement you can have in vegan dishes.”

Do your homework

If you’re considering adopting a vegan diet for Veganuary, or as a long-term choice, Aleks has some tips:

It’s important to do your homework. I would recommend researching the iron content of different foods to ensure you’re getting enough. Anaemia is a common problem, particularly for women, and it’s simple to top up your iron with a supplement. Make sure you pair it with Vitamin C to aid absorption.
I take vitamin B12 supplements as this can be difficult to find in a plant-based diet. There’s plenty of useful information on the and the is a rich source of tips, recipes and information.
There’s no need to start all at once – why not start with one or two vegan days a week and build up?
Herbs and spices are your friends – even the most humble vegetable can be made into something delicious and satisfying with a little care and creativity.

And one final piece of advice from Aleks…Have fun with your food.

Aleks says: “I think my challenge has been easier to stick to because I didn’t get too hung up on making perfect meals. Sometimes my creativity led to brilliant discoveries, other times I made things I will never repeat!”

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Have a holly jolly boochmas with ��ϴ��¼� – order by 19 December

Kate Gray — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 12:09:00 +0000

We’ll be shipping orders placed up to the 19th of December with delivery before Christmas Day.

There’s still plenty of time to stock up on your favourites from our range. Whether you’re looking for some thoughtful gifts, a treat for yourself or a great alcohol free option for festive refreshment, add kombucha to your list now and we reckon you’ll be giving yourself a pat on the back come tinsel time.

Three great reasons to add kombucha to your Christmas List

Good-for-you gifts

If you’ve enjoyed the benefits of a regular kombucha fix this year, why not share your discovery? Our bottle multi-packs make great gifts for healthy friends, foodies and non-drinkers.

Stock up for the non-drinkers

Ask anyone who prefers a non-alcoholic drink, and they’ll tell you it can be difficult to find a tasty grown-up option. We’d like to suggest a stock of lightly sparkling and delicious kombucha will mean you’re prepared for the drivers and no/low alcohol guests with a thoughtful alternative.

Treat yourself

Make sure you’ve got a stock of your favourite flavours as a little treat to yourself. What could be better than a daily kombucha to help boost energy levels, aid good digestion and improve your overall mood throughout the festivities?

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Why are we organic?

Kate Gray — Tue, 03 Sep 2024 09:10:27 +0000

��ϴ��¼� Organic kombucha is a Soil Association certified product. This means all our drinks are made with carefully sourced organic ingredients and our production methods have been certified too.

Each year, the ��ϴ��¼� Organic brewery is audited to ensure that everything we do complies with the standards set out by the Soil Association. This covers ingredients, of course, but also all the processes and materials we use, right down to the cleaning products we choose to keep the brewery sparkling clean.

Everything we put into our drinks has been grown or made using methods that benefit our whole food system, from people to planet. We choose to be organic for a few great reasons:

You can taste the difference

We believe that to make great kombucha you need great ingredients. We take time to brew our kombucha in the authentic way using simple, natural ingredients: water, organic Chun Mee green tea and organic raw cane sugar.

Our Organic Sicilian Lemon kombucha is a great example, the delicious Siracuse lemon juice we select comes from an organic family farm in Sicily where they have grown citrus fruits for generations using traditional farming techniques.

It’s better for the planet

Organic farming is designed to respect nature and enhance the health of soils, water and air. Organic farming creates healthy living soils which can store more carbon and have higher levels of soil microorganisms. The Soil Association has plenty of information about the sustainability of organic production you can explore.

It’s great for people

By choosing to be organic we can support a way of farming that works for people in the long run – that includes our customers, our team and the people who grow our ingredients

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Meet our award-winning Organic Blood Orange kombucha

Kate Gray — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 19:51:10 +0000

Have you tried our award-winning organic Blood Orange Kombucha in a can yet?

The judges of this year’s Great Taste Awards loved it and awarded it a coveted 1-star Gold Award.

As one of our newest flavours, Blood Orange could be our favourite child right now. We love how it captures the essence of these beautiful fruits with their deep ruby-coloured flesh. So, we were delighted with the judges’ comments:

“A deep salmon-pink drink with a gentle effervescence and a citrus aroma. There is good intensity of orange on initial tasting, with a balanced sweetness and freshness.”

“This is all about the clean, simple, true flavour of blood oranges – a well made, very refreshing drink.”

Blood oranges are in season for just a few weeks in January and February, but you can enjoy a fix of their complex citrus flavour and fruity floral fragrance every time you open a can of our Organic Blood Orange kombucha.

This refreshing coral-coloured booch showcases the distinctive, sweetly floral flavour of Sicilian blood oranges, which are less tangy than navel oranges. Our Head Brewer Rupert says that this ��ϴ��¼� Organic flavour works so well because the natural tang of our authentic kombucha brings an extra edge to the deep sweetness of blood orange. He recommends serving over ice to enjoy its lovely colour and gentle fizz.

If you’re after a simple cocktail idea, try serving ��ϴ��¼� Organic Blood Orange kombucha paired with vodka garnished with a sprig rosemary or thyme. Bruise the herbs to release their aromatics which will intensify the orange flavour.

Blood Orange also pairs brilliantly with dark chocolate, rhubarb, berries and lemon making it a good choice to serve alongside fruity desserts.

��ϴ��¼� Organic Blood Orange kombucha is featured in our mixed pack of four cans and is also available as a single flavour pack. This flavour is also currently available in Co-Op stores nationwide as part of the food-to-go meal deal.

As with all our kombucha in cans, ��ϴ��¼� Organic Blood Orange best served chilled but can be stored at room temperature. It’s low in calories, 100% natural, organic, vegan and gluten-free.

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Kombucha can help you feel like an Olympic medal winner inside

Kate Gray — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 08:14:06 +0000

We chat to Team GB Olympic Gold medalist, Hannah Scott, and Ollie Wynne-Griffith, who won Silver in Paris, about why they like to include kombucha in their diet.

Have you been inspired by the awesome commitment and resilience of the athletes at the Olympic Games? Have you ever wondered how gut health and nutrition play a role in the training of elite athletes?

We’re proud to supply kombucha to Team GB Olympic Rowers and and it’s great to know that the Gold and Silver medal-winning duo relied on our booch right the way through training.

Here at ��ϴ��¼� Organic we’ve always believed in the power of kombucha to help you feel your best. For most of us our diet is something we think about with general health and wellbeing in mind, but for elite athletes it’s a crucial part of their training and preparation

Before they headed to Paris we spoke to Hannah and Ollie to find out about their training and why they include our organic kombucha in their daily diet.

EK – What does a typical day’s diet look like for you during training?

OWG – We consume between 5,000 and 6,000 calories per day when we’re training, which means we have 5 meals per day. It’s a real challenge to get enough fuel to support our training regime of three two-hour sessions each day. We have a team nutritionist who works closely with the chef who prepares breakfast and lunch for us – we also have a first breakfast at home before training and an evening meal and snacks that we prepare for ourselves.

EK – How do live cultures feature in your nutrition?

HS – Our nutritionist is a strong advocate of including probiotics and live cultures in our diet and she helps us to balance the need to consume so many calories with the nutritional make up and diversity of our food and drink. The importance of probiotics and live cultures has become a real focus for our sport in the past two or three years because we know that the cumulative effect of all the small positive things we do makes a big difference to our results.

EK – What benefit do you experience from drinking kombucha and including other gut-friendly foods in your diet?

HS – For me the benefits of drinking kombucha are really tangible. When I first started training at this level, I struggled to take on enough calories – it was just physically uncomfortable and took a toll on my digestion. Drinking kombucha and eating plenty of fibre have really helped me to have an efficient and healthy digestive system.

OWG – We can’t afford to have time out from training. It’s so easy to pick up bugs when travelling and competing in close proximity with rowers from all over the world so it’s crucial to support our immune systems with live cultures and pro-biotics. I have used pro-biotic supplements in the past, but I much prefer the reassurance of getting them from a natural organic product.

HS – For both of us, our regular kombucha feels like a treat rather than a chore. It’s a great alternative to a fizzy sugary drink and we look forward to enjoying our kombucha.

EK – Do you think a happy gut gives you psychological benefits?

HS – I really notice the difference in my mood and resilience when my gut health is good. The gut-brain axis means that supporting your gut health is a wise move if you want to be able to cope well with stress and maintain focus.

OWG – Our training is all about the cumulative result of many marginal gains. It just makes sense that anything we can do to help stay fit, focussed and strong is a good idea – especially when it’s something we enjoy!

Of course, a daily kombucha boost isn’t just for rowing superstars, we can all benefit from improved digestion, better mood and strengthened immunity – even if the only medal we’re likely to win this summer is for the egg and spoon race at the school sports day.

There’s lots more information about and in their British Rowing profiles.

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B Corp Month – using business as a force for good for all

Kate Gray — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 15:11:21 +0000

March is B Corp Month. This year’s campaign champions the B Corp community and the way they view their businesses as a perpetual work in progress, asking them to share how they plan to keep growing their impact in the future. We asked our MD, Ian, to share his thoughts about what B Corp means for our customers and products.

Ian says: “I genuinely believe that business can be a force for good. The ethos and practices embodied by the B Corp guidelines are things we would strive towards as a responsible employer and producer, even if B Corp didn’t exist. But the rigorous processes and careful thinking we must evidence in order to be certified are a brilliant structure we can use to guide us.”

What does B Corp mean for ��ϴ��¼� Organic booch drinkers

��ϴ��¼� Organic has recently embarked on its fourth year as a B Corp – a certification we are very proud to have achieved. Being a B Corp is all about using business as a force for good for all – something that really resonates for our business.

Renewable energy – as part of our B Corp certification, we are committed to using 100% renewable energy. Producing great, authentic kombucha uses quite a lot of energy, so it’s important that we choose our power responsibly from renewable sources.

Plastic packaging – throughout our operation we seek to minimize the use of plastics. This can lead to big decisions, for example, we have discarded a number of new product development ideas simply because the would require plastic packaging. Our efforts to continually reduce plastic use are ongoing and I’m delighted that our new cans, which will launch in a few months’ time, will remove one of the last plastic elements from our packaging

Organic – as a business we try to look at our impact holistically. We believe gut health goes hand in hand with soil health and so we choose to make our products using high-quality, totally organic ingredients.

People – to make a great product you need great people. Our people are the magic ingredient that makes our kombucha stand out from the crowd. Their knowledge and dedication are unrivalled and we’re committed to their continuous development through our ��ϴ��¼� Leadership Labs which are designed to promote the quality culture within our organization.

If you’re interested to find out more about ��ϴ��¼� Organic’s B Corp commitments, there’s an t compiled by our brilliant Sustainability Lead, Genevieve, who works closely with the whole team at ��ϴ��¼� HQ.

You can also find your local B Corp businesses on this

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Meet the women who help keep ��ϴ��¼� Organic kombucha flowing

Kate Gray — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 10:04:58 +0000

This International Women’s Day we’re celebrating two members of the ��ϴ��¼� family who have joined our team this year. ��ϴ��¼� has always had a strong group of female employees who have steered our growth and been responsible for many of the decisions that make us the B Corp business we are today.

Rachel, our Production Manager and our Customer Service Coordinator, Sarah are continuing this great tradition with their work ensuring that our products and service are as good as they can be.

Rachel’s advice: Ask rather than tell

As Production Manager, Rachel is responsible for ensuring all departments here at ��ϴ��¼� HQ work together seamlessly to produce the best booch we can. Her role requires brilliant communication skills, sharp attention to detail and knowledge of all aspects of the business.

Rachel’s motto is ‘ask rather than tell’ – she says it’s the best way she knows to get people working with her towards a common goal.

Rachel started her manufacturing career about 25 years ago in welding and engineering where she says she was a rarity as a female working in a male-dominated environment. She believes that it has become easier for women to work in manufacturing in recent years and she no longer feels like she stands out.

Sarah’s advice: stress less

If you’ve contacted us recently with a query or a problem, the chances are you’ve already met Sarah. She’s the person who looks after all our customer service queries from questions about ingredients and subscriptions to arranging deliveries for our retailers, Sarah has many plates to keep spinning.

Her advice to anyone in a busy role is to stress less – she says it doesn’t get you anywhere. Instead, take a step back, look at the bigger picture and find a solution.

Sarah says her most important qualities are a great memory, loads of energy and excellent organizational skills. Her experience as a busy mum and Scout leader turned out to be great training for her coordinator role at ��ϴ��¼�. She says that keeping tabs on a group of 15 year-old Scouts makes any organisational challenge seem manageable.

Sarah’s favourite booch – Raspberry & Elderflower because it’s delicately fruity and never too sweet

Rachel’s favourite booch – Blood Orange it’s a great flavour and the cans are really convenient

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Kate Gray, Author at ���ϴ��¼�