World Kombucha Awards

On October 26, 2024, the Casino Theater in Caldes de Montbui, Barcelona, hosted the 2nd edition of the World Kombucha Awards, an event led by Jordi Canet, Director of the WKA. The ceremony included distinguished guests such as Kendra Sepulveda, President of Kombucha Brewers International (KBI), and Isidre Pineda, Mayor of Caldes de Montbui, along with award winners, sponsors, press, and investors, bringing together a total of 150 attendees.

The World Kombucha Awards were created to promote excellence in kombucha quality as well as its commercial potential.

A panel of 20 judges, composed of tasting experts, industry professionals, and experienced kombucha drinkers, evaluated 18 flavor categories and two new categories of fermented drinks: Kefir Water and Ginger Beer. This diverse panel allowed for a comprehensive and high-level evaluation in each category.

Award Categories

In marked contrast to previous KBI-sponsored Awards there were 250 entries from 29 countries. The six award categories from 2023 expanded to 28:

  • Overall – Best rookie,  best brewer, best kombucha, best organic kombucha
  • Original – Black, Green, Mixed teas
  • Fruit  – Single, Mixed, with Spices, with herbs, with flowers
  • Ginger
  • Spices
  • Hops
  • Coffee
  • Floral
  • Vegetables and Herbs
  • “Signature”
  • Hard
  • Jun
  • Water Kefir
  • Ginger Beer – Alcoholic, Non-Alcoholic
  • Design – Bottle, Can, Can Range, Glass Innovation

The winners

Overall – Best Kombucha

Fizzy Island Brewing Company, Taiwan – Roasted Oolong & Mulberries Kombucha. (They benefit from using Taiwanese teas, which have been noted as being among the world’s best. Each blend has a unique terroir.)

Overall – Best Organic Kombucha

Yo Booch Craft Kombucha, Germany – Mango Maracuja

Overall – Best Rookie

Yo Booch Craft Kombucha, Germany (Yo Booch was launched in February, 2022. They were awarded this prize because they earned the highest combined overall scores of any brewery formed since 2021. They took Gold in the Fruit and Fruit & Herbs Categories and Overall Best for Organic Kombucha.)

Overall – Best Brewer

Ayatana, Slovenia (In addition to producing their own brands, Ayatana is a co-packer with a modern production and filling line, that offers in-house product development, product testing and analysis. Their team of experts is led by Martin Turjak. He has a PhD in biology and is an expert in the field of fermentation. He began brewing kombucha over 30 years ago. After finishing a PhD in biology, he left academia and went to work in professional kitchens to better understand the F&B industry. Martin presented at the event on the conference Science Panel.)

Overall – Best Innovation

Ayatana, Slovenia

Original – Black

Gold – Brewery Lab Basho-An, Japan – Iga Kombucha Fruity  

Silver – Leave Your Sword, Netherlands – Earl Grey – Essential

Bronze – Leave Your Sword, Netherlands- Lapsang Souchong – Essential

Original – Green

Bronze – Benefi’k, Switzerland – Nature

Bronze – Yala Kombucha, UAE – Royal Velvet Ya Bao

Original – Mixed teas

Gold – Kombucha-Freunde UG, Germany –  Klassik    

Silver – BB Kombucha, France – Kombucha Original

Bronze – Tombuxa, Spain – Tombuxa Original

Fruit – Single

Gold – Fizzy Island Brewing Company, Taiwan – Roasted Oolong & Mulberries Kombucha

Silver – Fizzy Island Brewing Company, Taiwan – Passion Fruit & Lemongrass Kombucha

Bronze – Benefi’k, Switzerland – Aronia

Fruit –  Mixed

Gold – Yo Booch Craft Kombucha, Germany – Mango Maracuja

Silver – BB Kombucha, France – Kombucha Mangue Passion Curcuma

Bronze – Pinda Kombucha, Chile – Maqui Cacao

Fruit – with Spices

Gold – Cana Booch Kombucha, Thailand – Spicy Mango          

Silver – Ohakune, Finland – Blueberry Pie

Bronze – Pào Pào Kombucha, Italy – Yuzu E Rosmarino

Fruit –   with Herbs

Gold – Yo Booch Craft Kombucha, Germany – Strawberry Mint

Silver – Yugen, Belgium – Passion Fruit Elderflower

Bronze – Arbúcha, Armenia – Sea Buckthorn, Lemongrass, Ginger

Fruit – with Flowers

Gold – Ayatana, Slovenia – Fruits & Roots Kombucha

Silver – BB Kombucha, France – Kombucha Fraise Menthe Maté

Bronze – Arbucha, Armenia – Pomegranate and Rose

Ginger

Gold – Soul K, Spain – Super Roots

Silver – Ohakune, Finland – Kombucha Ginger

Bronze – Brewery Lab Basho-An, Japan – Iga Kombucha  Ginger

Spices

Gold – Kombuchala la Valiente, Spain – Kombucha De Ratafia

Silver – Maxa Kombucha, Chile – Levantamuertos

Bronze – Kompassion Kombucha, UK – Scotch Bonnet Chilli      

Hops

Gold – Brava Kombucha, Spain – Citra

Silver – Wild Boocha, Singapore – Citrus Sencha

Bronze – Loven Kombucha, France – Hoppy

Coffee

Gold – Ayatana, Slovenia – Cold Brew Kombucha

Silver – Mun Ferments, Spain – Gut Morning

Bronze – Folk Kombucha, Denmark – Organic Coffee

Floral

Gold – BB Kombucha, France – Kombucha Lavande Orange Sanguine

Silver – Local Kombucha, Poland – Pereat Umbra / Sambucus Nigra

Bronze – Källsjö Bryggeri, Sweden – Organic Robinia Cultured Tea

Vegetables and Herbs

Gold – Mun Ferments, Spain – Premium Green

Silver – Pào Pào Kombucha, Italy – Lemongrass & Ginger

Bronze – BB Kombucha, France – Menthe Citron Vert Poivre Vert                

“Signature”

Gold – Soul K, Spain – Green Bliss

Silver – La Kombuchería, Spain – Biokombucha Sol

Bronze – The Kefir & Kombucha Compagnie, France – Kombuch’adapt N°1

Hard

Gold – Ayatana, Slovenia – Scoby Bryant Kombucha Beer

Bronze – Mucha Kombucha, Spain – Vermucha

Jun

Gold – Qvillinge Ekologiska, Sweden – Jun Hallon

Bronze – Fizzicle , Singapore – Mango Bergamot With Multifloral              

Water Kefir

Gold – Ayatana, Slovenia – Reset Water Kefir

Silver – Les Brasseurs Parallèle, France – Passion

Bronze – Cervetrade, Spain – Estel Fugaç

Ginger Beer – Alcoholic

Gold – Bower Brewing Co, Australia – Spicy Ginger & Jalapenõ

Silver – Ayatana, Slovenia – Spicy Blow Ginger Beer     

Bronze – Bower Brewing Co, Australia – Ginger & Lemongrass

Ginger Beer – Non-Alcoholic

Gold – Coxala, Mexico – Organic Ginger Beer Premium Ambar

Silver – BB Kombucha, France – Ginger Beer

Bronze – Coxala, Mexico – Organic Ginger Beer Dorada Ámbar Turmeric             

Design – Individual Bottle

Gold –  Turbulente, France

Silver – Coxala, Mexico

Bronze – L’eau à la bouche Kombucha, France

Design – Bottle Range

Gold –  Turbulente, France

Silver – Yugen, Belgium

Bronze – Källsjö Bryggeri, Sweden

Bronze – Folk Kombucha, Denmark

Design – Can

Gold – Tombuxa, Spain

Silver – Drozli, Serbia

Bronze – Savg Lyf, Portugal

Design – Can Range

Gold – Angry Yogi Brewery, Belgium

Silver – Flying Eagle Kombucha, USA

Bronze – Brava Kombucha, Spain

Stats

These brands earned multiple awards:

Ayatana7
BB Kombucha6
Yo Booch Craft Kombucha4
Coxala3
Fizzy Island Brewing Company3
Arbucha2
Benefi’k2
Bower Brewing Co2
Brava Kombucha2
Brewery Lab Basho-An2
Folk Kombucha2
Källsjö Bryggeri Ab2
Leave Your Sword2
Ohakune2
Soul K2
Tombuxa2
Turbulente2
Yugen2

The awards earned by country:

France12
Spain12
Slovenia7
Germany5
Belgium3
Mexico3
Sweden3
Taiwan3
Armenia2
Australia2
Chile2
Denmark2
Finland2
Italy2
Japan2
Netherlands2
Singapore2
Switzerland2
Poland1
Portugal1
Serbia1
Thailand1
UAE1
UK1
USA1

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