Kombucha already has a hill to climb in winning over the tastebuds of many adult consumers – why make things any harder by targeting kids?
Ask Tim Tam Tummy. The new brand, which is owned by Vermont-based AquaViTea Kombucha, officially launched today as “the first and only” take on the traditional functional beverage aimed at the pint-sized consumer group.
“When it comes to better-for-you beverages, the kids’ aisle has been largely left behind,” said Mary Alice Greco, chief marketing officer at Tim Tam Tummy. “It’s a joy to launch Tim Tam Tummy, filling the gap with a product that addresses parents’ and kids’ top priorities – digestive health, immune function, convenience, and fun.”
The low-ingredient brews come in four flavors – Apple Happy Dance, Grape Day to Shine, Mango For It! and Pineapple Party – in 222 mL short cans. Each SKU contains 3 billion live probiotics, 70% of the recommended Daily Value (DV) of Vitamin C (derived from Acerola Berry Powder), and between 3 to 4 grams of sugar, depending on the flavor. Tim Tam Tummy claims that sugar content is 1 ⁄ 3 of the amount typically found in “even the healthiest” kids’ juice box.
The product marks another expansion of Aqua ViTea’s growing fermented beverage platform, which also includes an adult-positioned line of probiotic seltzers. Greco said Tim Tam Tummy is “unique” from those liquids, highlighting that, in addition to the kombucha cultures and “fruit forward flavors,” the liquid also does not contain any alternative sweeteners such as stevia which are common in many prebiotic and probiotic sodas.
“Positioning Tim Tam Tummy as a Kids Kombucha, rather than a probiotic juice, allows us to speak to the craft process, to engage millennial parents who have kombucha as part of their own daily routine, and to create a stepping stone for kids who will grow up to make kombucha part of their own healthy habits,” Greco explained.
Though traditional kombucha contains small volumes of alcohol due to the fermentation process, parents don’t have to worry about potentially getting their kids a bit buzzed; Tim Tam Tummy uses the same certified alcohol extraction process as Aqua ViTea’s other products since 2015.
The shelf-stable, “gently carbonated” product line has already secured placement in the kids’ drink set at select retailers including Hannaford, Fresh Thyme, and select North Atlantic Whole Foods Markets and will also be sold online via the brand’s direct-to-consumer store as well as on Thrive Market beginning in August.
Though kombucha for kids is rather novel, drinkable yogurts have for decades been one of the most popular and accessible probiotic beverages for children. Within that space, kombucha may be positioned as an appealing better-for-you alternative to juice or soda, not to mention products from brands like Olipop and Poppi that are already a hit with parents.
“Ultimately, we want Tim Tam Tummy to be everywhere, replacing outdated kids drinks that are high in sugar and artificial ingredients in order to make a healthy alternative accessible to as many parents as possible,” said Greco. “We’ve started in the national natural channel – both brick-and-mortar stores and online – as well as conventional in our Northeast backyard, and are garnering endorsements from parents and experts alike as we expand.”