Sustainable lifestyle advocate and healthy eating campaigner Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has joined forces with a team of expert alchemists at Equinox to create four exciting new flavours of authentic, raw, organic Kombucha, which has just launched in stores.
The collaboration with UK drinks brand Equinox is the first of its kind for a Kombucha product in the European marketplace. The inspiration comes from Hugh’s enthusiasm for (and the nation’s growing aspirations towards) home-grown fruit and veg and foraged wild ingredients.
The four new flavours – all sold in 275ml glass bottles at an RRP of £2.20 a bottle – include Garden; Hedge; Meadow; and Orchard.
Garden is a light organic Camomile Tea based Kombucha with Rhubarb and a hint of Lovage; Hedge is a deep Organic Green Tea based Kombucha with Rosehip, Sloe and Juniper; Meadow is a vibrant brew of Organic Green Tea based Kombucha fermented with Dandelion and Nettle with a hint of Meadowsweet; and Orchard combines Organic Green Tea based Kombucha with Plum, Apple & Quince.
The well-timed launch meets an ever-growing demand for Kombucha here in the UK as consumers become increasingly conscious about their health and immunity, with the kombucha market expected to upsurge with a CAGR of 20.64% to 2027.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall said:
“I’ve been making my own kombucha and buying it too sometimes for a couple of years. As a very low sugar drink that is live and fermented it provides a natural pro-biotic boost for the gut biome, and I’m confident I’ve been feeling the benefits. And it’s great for nights off from drinking beer and cider – which I’m trying to do more often!
The River Cottage range of kombuchas reflects my enthusiasm for this lovely fermented drink, and of course I wanted to use natural flavours both from the garden and the wild. The pandemic has given many of us time to reconnect with nature and to think about ways to improve our health and make positive choices with our food and drink. I hope our kombuchas can play a small part in helping people to do just that.”
Daniel Spayne, Managing Director at Equinox, said: “The last few months have given people the time and space to start reconnecting with nature and their health. We’re cooking more from scratch, spending more time in the garden and we wanted to reflect that in our products.
“Kombucha is attracting an ever-growing number of fans, as more and more consumers begin to realise the numerous health benefits of fermented drinks, not least improved digestion.
“With this in mind, we’ve worked with Hugh to develop four entirely unique flavour combinations – all inspired by the quintessential British countryside and garden and made with the finest organic ingredients.”
“Not only do they make a great contribution to a healthy holistic diet and lifestyle but our unique craft process – developed with our team of expert Kombucha alchemists – means they taste delicious too.”
The launch is supported by a fully integrated communications campaign centred around Hugh’s ongoing mission to bring better produce, health and wellbeing to the nation.
The Equinox brand is based in the quirky hill town of Hebden Bridge. It launched in 2012 when its founders first brewed the drink whist backpacking around Asia, soon becoming advocates of its many qualities. Fast-forward to 2020 and Equinox is currently one of the UK market leaders for sustainable, ethical Kombucha distribution.
River Cottage Kombucha by Equinox will launch Friday 28 September in Waitrose & Partners and Abel & Cole. The range will also be available online at www.equinoxkombucha.com
