Building the Synergy Between Health and Kombucha
CSN has been sharing the dynamic growth of Kombucha and the factors driving demand. Here GT Dave, founder and CEO of GT’s Living Foods pulls back the curtain on best merchandising practices and how-to bring attention to the category in stores.
Q: The demand for Kombucha is evident from sales trends. How can C-stores build visibility of the products in stores?
A: In over 28-plus years of crafting raw Kombucha, I’ve seen it grow from a niche product that was only found in natural food stores to one of the largest categories within the functional beverage space. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, this momentum accelerated, and Kombucha is now outpacing Conventional Beverages growth by 8.1%. To build visibility, I encourage C-stores to embrace the “Better-for-You” movement by becoming early adopters of dedicated Health and Wellness beverage sections.
Q: How many brands and flavors should C-stores carry to prove they are serious about the business?
A: There’s only one Kombucha leading the category, and that has always been SYNERGY. Sales trends dictate that the Health and Wellness category is deserving of more representation in C-stores, and we recommend carrying the most popular and most widely recognized Kombucha brand in the U.S. Our newest SYNERGY 10oz. bottles were created in our four most popular flavors — designed with C-stores in mind.
Q: Where in the beverage department is the best location for presenting Kombucha?
A: As a leading beverage in the Health and Wellness category, we recommend positioning SYNERGY with other functional beverages like tea, cold-pressed juices, and ready-to-drink coffees. Creating an exclusive “Better-for-You” section meets the needs of current customers while highlighting your selection.
Q: What is GT Living Foods doing to market its brand and drive consumers to C-stores?
A: When I first started GT’s Living Foods back in 1995, at 15 years old, I was the first person to bottle raw Kombucha. Today, we remain the category and market leader in Kombucha and Functional Beverages. Innovation is key to our growth and the launch of SYNERGY 10oz. bottles
show that. This new offering provides consumers with an on-the-go option that meets their immediate consumption needs while still providing them with the GT’s quality they know and love!
Q: What other categories are typically purchased with Kombucha? Is there synergy with foodservice?
A: Our consumers are passionate about their health and wellness, and we’ve seen the most affinity among other items in the same category. We expect to see SYNERGY purchased with fruit, nuts, and other “Better-for-You” selections available at C-stores.
Q: Are any new flavors in the works for 2023?
A: Our extensive portfolio provided several options for our SYNERGY-10oz. lineup, but we decided to focus on our best-selling fruit-forward flavors in this package size due to their mainstream appeal. We always have new flavors in the works, so there will be many delicious options on the horizon.