Kombucha Is Booming. But Is It Still Kombucha?
Summary
Kombucha is a fermented tea drink valued for its live bacteria that support gut health. While the U.S. kombucha market is growing fast, some products are pasteurized, which kills these live cultures, whereas others, like the Portuguese brand Sõsu, keep the drink unpasteurized and refrigerated to maintain the live cultures.Key Facts
- Kombucha is made by fermenting sweetened tea with bacteria and yeast, producing natural carbonation and live cultures.
- The U.S. kombucha market was worth about $1.83 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow to $3.46 billion by 2030.
- Pasteurization is a heat process that kills the living microorganisms in kombucha, making it more stable but less "alive."
- Unpasteurized kombucha continues to ferment after bottling, which can change its taste, carbonation, acidity, and alcohol level.
- Sõsu Kombucha, founded in Portugal in 2025, produces unpasteurized kombucha and has grown from 50 liters to 3,000 liters per month.
- To keep the live cultures intact, Sõsu uses refrigerated storage and clear handling instructions for distribution.
- Consumers may not always know if kombucha they buy is pasteurized or unpasteurized because labels often do not make this clear.
- Maintaining live kombucha during commercial distribution requires a cold supply chain to preserve its characteristics.
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