If past editions of Natural Products Expo West highlighted the potential for kombucha to become a mainstream beverage category, this year’s show seemed to confirm that its moment has arrived. Kombucha brands at Expo West 2019 showed a growing willingness to explore different formats and flavors that can help them introduce the drinking experience to new consumers and into new use occasions. Meanwhile, though the category is still trailing kombucha in terms of household penetration, drinking vinegar brands have also pursued a similar growth strategy by leveraging the increasing popularity of gut health-focused drinks and functional beverages in general.
In this slideshow gallery, we highlight some of the notable new kombucha and drinking vinegar products and brand redesigns as seen at Expo West 2019, including shelf-stable cans from Revive, a new look for Better Booch, and Odwalla’s hybrid “Smoobucha.”
Revive
Revive introduced a new line of pasteurized, shelf-stable "sparkling kombuchas" in cans at Expo West. Designed as a lighter, lower calorie complement to its raw kombucha line, the new product was sampled in four flavors: Cherry Hibiscus, Citrus Ginger, Mango Orange and Strawberry Lemon.
Rowdy Mermaid
Along with the release of a new flavor -- the decaffeinated, nootropic-powered Lion’s Root -- Colorado-based Rowdy Mermaid unveiled new 12 oz. can packaging for select varieties of kombucha that will appear on store shelves this summer.
Better Booch
Los Angeles-based craft kombucha brewery Better Booch shared a look at its new branding and updated design across its glass bottle and canned products.
Brew Dr. Kombucha
The Portland, Ore.-based kombucha maker unveiled its newest seasonal release, Power Flower, which is flavored with orange and hibiscus. The product will be available this summer in 14 oz. glass bottles.
KeVita
Launching this April at Whole Foods stores, KeVita's new Exotic Greens flavor contains spirulina, kale and spinach along with starfruit and yumberry. The product will retail for a suggest price of $3.29.
Clearly Kombucha
California-based Clearly Kombucha, which was acquired by beer conglomerate Molson-Coors last June, brought its rebranded and redesigned line of kombucha in 14 oz. glass bottles to Expo West.
Odwalla
Dubbed “Smoobucha,” Odwalla’s newest product combines pasteurized kombucha with fruit juices and purees from concentrate. Each flavor -- Citrus & Guava, Berry & Ginger and Apple & Greens -- contains 140 calories per 15.2 oz. bottle. The line is available now across major retailers including Kroger.
Health-Ade
Positioning the brand to make inroads with mainstream consumers, Health-Ade debuted six new flavors and new 4-packs of 8 oz. glass bottles at this year’s show.
Wedderspoon
Leveraging its expertise in formulating products with manuka honey, Wedderspoon used Expo West 2019 to unveil its new line of apple cider vinegar concentrates and drinking vinegars (pictured).
FlyingEmbers
Created by KeVita co-founder Bill Moses, Flying Embers is a recently launched hard kombucha (4.5 percent ABV) sold in 16 oz. cans and available in three flavors: ancient berry, ginger & oak, and lemon orchard.
North Coast Organic
California-based North Coast Organic, which markets a range of apple-based foods and drinks, shared samples of its new drinking apple cider vinegar SKUs, including an apple-pomegranate flavor, an apple-ginger flavor with added probiotics and an unflavored offering with probiotics.
The Maple Guild
As part of its efforts to showcase its organic maple syrup and maple vinegar as versatile beverage ingredients, Vermont-based The Maple Guild shared samples of its new kombucha, water kefir and switchel products in 16 oz. glass bottles.
Wild Tonic
Jun kombucha maker Wild Tonic showcased the latest addition to its seasonal flavor line of alcoholic (5.6 percent alcohol by volume) kombuchas: Strawberry Blood Orange.