All About Kombucha

All About Kombucha

FOOD AWARD

BY CLIODHNA PRENDERGAST

Established in 2017 by two young entrepreneurs from Galway, All About Kombucha brews freshly fermented sparkling tea from organic ingredients. After graduating from business degrees at NUI Galway, Emmett Kerrigan and Keith Loftus emigrated to Vancouver, which is where they tried kombucha for the first time. When they returned to Ireland they struggled to find a worthy successor to their newfound favourite brew and All About Kombucha was born.

It was an immediate success and has grown into a hugely successful business: they just expanded into their third premises, in Claregalway, in January 2022. There each bottle of All About Kombucha is hand-brewed and bottled from the organic ingredients of tea, sugar and water. A Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast (SCOBY), which contains naturally occurring healthy acids, enzymes and probiotics, is used to ferment the tea mixture, ultimately creating a healthy beverage that is alive. A refreshing, sparkling drink, there is nothing quite like kombucha for quenching your thirst - its reported benefits for gut health is a bonus too.

All About Kombucha is currently available in three core flavours: raspberry, ginger & lemon and carrot & turmeric, which can be found in over 250 stockists across the country and also purchased online. Emmett and Keith frequently work with chefs and restaurateurs to create new limited-edition variations. The most recent collaboration with fellow Galwegians The Dough Bros was a brilliantly successful strawberry, basil and black pepper ‘bouch.

THIS AWARD SHOWS WHERE OUR BUSINESS HAS COME FROM – AND WHERE IT’S GOING.

The success of All About Kombucha lies in the ethos and commitment of the founders. Emmett and Keith have a deep commitment to the value of their product, their community and the environment. Their sustainable brewing and transparent practises are rooted in five core company values: be sound, cause minimal harm, work hard, uncap creativity, and practice self-actualisation.

They are a proud 1% for the Planet member and actively engage with two chosen local charities - HomeTree Charity and Burrenbeo Trust. Currently, 10% of All About’s net profits are donated locally and internationally to teams combating climate change and supporting the growth of regenerative agriculture. The team is all about trying to connect their community of customers with the land, with the product, and with the cause. Another way they strive to do this is through their ‘Booch Bar’ - a zero waste, portable drinks bar with kombucha on tap - which has featured at food festivals and live music venues across Ireland.

All About Kombucha’s thirst-quenching drinks and sound business sense surpasses all the eco credentials you could ever hope to see a young company embody while producing a product that is consistent and delicious.

allaboutkombucha.ie

Raspberry kombucha granita with live yoghurt and raspberries

Recipe by Cliodhna Prendergast

This is the simplest of recipes for a light, gut boosting dessert. Any of the All About Kombucha flavours would be perfect for granita. I paired the delicate raspberry flavour with a live yoghurt and fresh raspberries which makes a delicious, digestion-friendly dessert. The All About Kombucha is very low in sugar so I sweetened the yoghurt a little but this can be done entirely to taste. A rather lively dessert.

SERVES 2

1 x 330ml bottle of All About Kombucha raspberry kombucha

1 tsp caster sugar

4 tbsp thick live natural yoghurt, chilled

2 tbsp. fresh raspberries Pour the kombucha into a shallow freezer proof dish, roughly 15x20x4cm. Place in the freezer for about 1 hour or longer until frozen.

Add the sugar to the yoghurt and mix through, then divide between two ramekins, or small glasses, suitable for serving. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.

Just before serving, remove the kombucha from the freezer and allow to sit for 2-3 minutes at room temperature.

Place the raspberries on top of the chilled yoghurt in each glass. Scrape the kombucha with a fork to make granita and share, fluffed up, between the two glasses, piling it gently on top of the raspberries.