COKE BREWS A SWEET DEAL FOR KOMBUCHA

EIGHT years after selling their homemade fermented juice at farmer’s markets, a South Australian couple have sold their brand to drinks giant Coca-Cola.

The Coca-Cola Company has acquired Organic & Raw Trading Co and its Mojo Kombucha, an organic drink made with tea, bacteria and yeast and brewed with fruit for flavour.

It is Coca-Cola’s first foray into kombucha, with the USbased company banking on the brew’s low-sugar content to help hit an industry-wide 20 per cent sugar reduction target across its beverages by 2025.

The terms of the deal have not been released.

Coca-Cola Australia president Vamsi Mohan says the trend among Australian consumers is for low-sugar drinks with additional benefits, such as gut health. Consumers also support sustainable packaging options, he says, adding Mojo used clear glass bottles that will help Coca-Cola meet its sustainability commitments. Mojo’s most popular kombucha is currently sold in 4000 stores nationally, including major supermarkets and local health food stores. It’s understood an agreement is pending for Coca-Cola’s Australian licensee, Coca-Cola Amatil, to take over Mojo’s distribution, giving it access to more than 115,000 sales outlets nationwide. Anthony Crabb, who cofounded Organic and Raw with wife Sara, will remain at the company in his role of chief executive. When the couple started out, they couldn’t have imagined the “incredible” growth and consumer demand for the drink, Mr Crabb said. But to take their business further they needed the right strategic partner. “Coca-Cola enables us to expand our reach while keeping our heart and soul,” he said.