Beer giant buys into kombucha buzz

Brewery giant Lion New Zealand is veering into the health market, by buying a quarter stake in Tauranga kombucha maker GoodBuzz Beverage Co.

Kombucha, a non-alcoholic type of fermented sweetened tea, is famed for its as yet-unproven health benefits.

Rory Glass, Lion NZ’s managing director, said the company was attracted to GoodBuzz Beverage Co as ‘‘a little Kiwi company with some big dreams, and our partnership will help them scale up to the next level’’.

Glass said kombucha had seen massive growth worldwide and was poised to take off here too.

‘‘We surveyed the market and Good Buzz kombucha was the standout offering. We were looking for a naturally fermented probiotic product, but just as importantly it had to taste great too.’’

GoodBuzz founders Alex and Amber Campbell established the company three years ago in Wellington, following 14 years living in the United States.

Bottled in Tauranga, the brand has seven flavours and more than 600 stockists nationwide.

Chief ‘‘boochmaster’’ Amber uses a culture first brewed with by Alex’s grandmother in Kaikohe in the 1970s, while Alex manages the business with skills gained from tours with the US military and a software career in Silicon Valley.

In 2016, investors Richard and Wendy Gatward added their entrepreneurial experience to the business.

As part of the deal, Lion business development director Scott Wright will join GoodBuzz’s board.

Alex Campbell said he had been ‘‘blown away’’ by Lion’s interest, and also its recognition ‘‘that a drink once thought of simply as a health tonic is now ready for the mainstream’’.