Global Kombucha Market: Insights into Kombucha's Growing Legacy The stumbling soda sales have cleared the way for a variety of functional beverages, including kombucha. According to Inkwood Research, the global kombucha market, set to reach a revenue of $13898.60 million by 2032, is expected to record a CAGR of 14.91% during the forecast period, 2023-2032. Kombucha is a tea beverage fermented with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). The steady kombucha sales are attributed to its purported health benefits, growing health consciousness, and the resulting demand for functional beverages.
Kombucha's march to Fame & Functionality According to World Kombucha Day, the kombucha origin claims start in China around 221 BCE. Thereon, the kombucha fever, after serving a couple of dynasties, spread to Europe in the early 20 th century, notably in Germany and Russia, attributed to trade route expansions. After a dip in international popularity during the second world war due to the shortage of sugar and tea supplies, it regained popularity post a 1960s study in Switzerland. The study compared its health benefits to those of yogurt. Furthermore, kombucha gained popularity in the United States during the HIV epidemic in the late 1980s and early 1990s as it was touted to support compromised immune systems and increase T-cell counts. However, it lost favor following a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report in 1995 that linked the beverage to two severe cases of metabolic acidosis. Nevertheless, it resurged as a health product in the early 21st century, facilitated by awareness about the possible health benefits of fermented foods and probiotics. Initially, kombucha was distributed at grassroots levels in the United States, with enthusiasts sharing SCOBYs (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast disc) to homebrew the tea. With kombucha going