We have had the pleasure of working with a wide range of companies in the kombucha industry, including many of the worlds leading Kombucha brands. Through our experiences, we have seen significant benefits and ease of growth for kombucha brands that have decided to work with Kombucha copackers over trying to build their own factory. Copackers are an essential part of the beverage supply chain, and optimizing your kombucha recipe formulation before you start working with a copacker can really decrease any issues and seriously increase your chances of success. This also has the added benefit of expanding the range of copacker that will work with you and also really optimise your costs & efficiencies from day one.
Kombucha is a unique and complex beverage that requires a delicate balance of ingredients to achieve the desired taste and health benefits. Getting the recipe formulation right is crucial for any brand, but it becomes even more critical when working with copackers.
Copackers are responsible for manufacturing and packaging Kombucha on behalf of brands, and they have their own set of processes, equipment, and quality control standards that need to be followed. Therefore, it's essential for Kombucha brands to develop beverage recipe formulations that are compatible with copackers' processes and equipment.
From our experience to optimize your kombucha recipe formulation for copacking, there are several key factors that Kombucha brands should consider:
Consistency in Ingredient Sourcing
One of the most important things to consider when optimizing beverage recipe formulations is the consistency in ingredient sourcing. Copackers require that the ingredients used in the Kombucha recipe are sourced from reliable and reputable suppliers to ensure consistency in taste and quality. Brands must ensure that they source ingredients that meet the copacker's quality standards (BRC, SQF, GFSI, IFF, Organic, Bio, Kosher, Halal) and are readily available all throughout the whole year. Some ingredients like fresh fruit juices and purees can cause issues here. Also fresh ginger can be very sessional and and quiet a difference in quality through out the year, for this reason it is better to source for a large supplier who can guarantee supply year round.
Simplify the Recipe
A complicated recipe formulation may be perfect for a small batch artisanal Kombucha producer, but it can be problematic when working with copackers. A complicated recipe can make it more challenging for copackers to achieve consistency and cost control in the final product. Simplifying the recipe can help eliminate any potential issues that may arise during the manufacturing process. Most copacker want to find the most efficient and cost effective way to blend ingredients and will not be very happy if you want them to custom infuse 20 different ingredients. As a general rule, just keep it simply.
Stability of Ingredients
The stability & consistency of the ingredients used in the Kombucha recipe is another important factor to consider when optimizing the recipe for copacking. Ingredients that are unstable or contaminated will have a very short shelf life can create challenges for copackers during the manufacturing & cleaning process and storage of ingredients. Brands must consider using ingredients that are stable and have a longer shelf life to make it easier for copackers to work with. For example using frozen juices can be a good options to maintain the shelf life and consistency of your ingredients without compromising on flavour & colour quality.
Consistent Flavour Profile
The flavours of wild home brew style Kombucha can vary significantly from batch to batch, making it difficult to achieve a consistent flavour profile. To optimize the recipe for copacking, Kombucha brands should aim to use a consistent kombucha base that copackers can replicate high quality results from batch after batch. Copackers will generally not want to brew kombucha onsite and for this reason we recommend using a high quality kombucha ingredient like Manna-K Kombucha.
Ease of Scale-up
Finally, it's important to consider the ease of scale-up when optimizing the recipe for copacking. As ambitious Kombucha brands grow and scale up production, copackers will need to produce larger quantities of Kombucha on short notice. Brands must ensure that their recipe formulations can be scaled up easily without compromising on taste, quality, or consistency.
In conclusion, optimizing the beverage recipe formulation can make it much easier for Kombucha brands to work with copackers. By considering the factors listed above, brands can create a recipe that is compatible with copackers' processes and equipment, making it easier to achieve consistency in taste, quality, and packaging. Developing a recipe that is optimized for copacking can help Kombucha brands to scale up production, increase efficiency, and reduce costs while maintaining the integrity of their brand.
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