Beer giant buys into health buzz

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

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

Rory Glass, Lion NZ’s managing director, 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 by Alex’s grandmother in the 1970s, while Alex runs the business with skills gained from the US military and a software career in Silicon Valley.

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 recognition ‘‘that a drink once thought of simply as a health tonic is now ready for the mainstream’’.