Exclusive: GTs Kombucha plans European expansion

Peter Groverman

Booch News is able to reveal that category leader GTs Kombucha will soon be available in Europe.

In an exclusive interview, Peter Groverman, CEO of international wellness-products distributor Grovara, detailed plans for GTs Kombucha to made available in Iceland, Britain and The Netherlands.

Iceland

Grovara have already stocked shelves in Iceland with GTs Kombucha. With a population of just 340,000, this country is nevertheless a mecca for tourism with over 2.5 million visitors. Iceland has a health conscious culture with disposable income for affordable luxuries like kombucha.

Britain

Plans call for British specialty shops Planet Organic and Wholefoods Markets to carry the drink in their London shops later this summer. Major retailers such as Tesco are closely monitoring the growth in ‘booch sales. Grovara own the exclusive rights to distribute the brand across the UK as demand grows.

Neilsen data for 2018 reports that kombucha sales in the UK were £1.2 to £2.1 million — a drop in the bucket compared to the hundreds of millions of dollars in sales across the USA.

The Netherlands

Given certain well-publicized developments in the UK, Grovara selected The Netherlands as a foothold in an EU member state that will be valid after October 31, 2019. They expect to then expand distribution into other EU countries.

Beachhead

Groverman recognizes GT Dave as the undisputed leader in the kombucha industry worldwide. From humble beginnings brewing booch in his mother’s kitchen at the age of 15, he was responsible for establishing the category. It’s no exaggeration to say that without his efforts, we would not be drinking kombucha today.

As was clear at the recent Kombucha Kon in Long Beach, California, other brands are grateful to GTs for opening up the market. Just as they share shelf space in the supermarket with GTs, so European brands should see new and greater opportunities emerge once Grovera’s marketing resources kick in.

Authenticity

The good news for European brewers is that GT Dave champions authentic kombucha. In backing standards of authenticity he is defending the drink against ersatz imitations who label what is often little more than flavored soda as kombucha. This is in line with those European brands that campaign to protect and respect the legacy and heritage of real kombucha.

Exclusive Interview

To hear the full story about the plans Grovara have to distribute GTs Kombucha in Europe, click on the podcast icon below.

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