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:
Ayatana | 7 |
BB Kombucha | 6 |
Yo Booch Craft Kombucha | 4 |
Coxala | 3 |
Fizzy Island Brewing Company | 3 |
Arbucha | 2 |
Benefi’k | 2 |
Bower Brewing Co | 2 |
Brava Kombucha | 2 |
Brewery Lab Basho-An | 2 |
Folk Kombucha | 2 |
Källsjö Bryggeri Ab | 2 |
Leave Your Sword | 2 |
Ohakune | 2 |
Soul K | 2 |
Tombuxa | 2 |
Turbulente | 2 |
Yugen | 2 |
The awards earned by country:
France | 12 |
Spain | 12 |
Slovenia | 7 |
Germany | 5 |
Belgium | 3 |
Mexico | 3 |
Sweden | 3 |
Taiwan | 3 |
Armenia | 2 |
Australia | 2 |
Chile | 2 |
Denmark | 2 |
Finland | 2 |
Italy | 2 |
Japan | 2 |
Netherlands | 2 |
Singapore | 2 |
Switzerland | 2 |
Poland | 1 |
Portugal | 1 |
Serbia | 1 |
Thailand | 1 |
UAE | 1 |
UK | 1 |
USA | 1 |