A couple days ago, BevNET broke the news of the first lemonade and coconut water blends to hit the market. Today, it’s lemonade and… wait for it… kombucha!
Well, sort of.
B&R Liquid Adventure, LLC, which markets búcha, a line of certified organic sparkling kombucha drinks, has introduced a new variety infused with yuzu lemon, a citrus fruit is indigenous to East Asia and known for its aromatic fragrance and zesty flavor. The company will debut the new product at next week’s 2014 Natural Products Expo West show.
Also known as “Japanese grapefruit,” yuzu is often sought after for use in high-end cuisine, and, in recent years, yuzu has been hailed as a “superfruit” that has been added to a variety of packaged foods and beverages. Yuzu has even found its way into craft beer with New Belgium Brewing Co. launching a limited-edition Yuzu Berlinerweiss last year.
“Lemonade is such a popular beverage, but this búcha blend just takes it over the top,” Ron Lloyd, CEO, B&R Liquid Adventure, LLC said in a statement. “By pairing the benefits of the in-vogue yuzu super fruit with the delicious and ‘cleansing’ aspects of fermented kombucha tea, it’s something special for springtime rejuvenation and summertime sipping.”
Búcha Yuzu Lemon Kombucha is made with the company’s organic live kombucha (purified water, organic evaporated cane juice, organic black tea, kombucha culture), organic lemon juice concentrate, natural lemon flavor, natural yuzu flavor, organic turmeric color and added probiotics. Búcha brewmaster Frank Commanday hails the new variety as one that adds to the brand’s reputation as one that offers a better-tasting kombucha than its competitors.
“Our goal is to find unique new flavor pairings that will be interesting to kombucha loyalists and to those new to the category seeking a drink that will dazzle, without the familiar harsh vinegar backlash,” Commanday said in a statement. “We pair ingredients such as this organic lemon kombucha tea with tangy yuzu flavor to deliver a rare, first-of-its-kind offering which exhibits one of our strengths – exceptional, unexpected flavors.”
Packaged in a 16 oz. glass bottle, the new product contains 47 calories and 12 grams of sugar per 8 oz. serving. As with the rest of búcha’s line, the product will be distributed in natural specialty stores across the U.S. and sold with a suggested retail price of $3.49 per bottle.