One year later, last summer’s withdrawal proves more hiccup than handicap. For a nascent beverage category like Kombucha, there’s not a much bigger crisis than having all major brands disappear from store shelves, just as growth appeared headed for warp speed. Everything was lining up in favor of the category. With a clear market leader in GT’s Kombucha and Synergy, a number of creative brands and established beverage companies crafting their own offerings, swelling grassroots support for healthier beverage choices, including a strong home-brewing community, and a massive distribution pipeline via Whole Foods and UNFI, Kombucha seemed on the verge of a breakout.