NewAge Inc (fka NBEVQ) (NBEVQ)

[alanthill]

I think that those who criticize Bucha kombucha as being overly sweet and not appealing to the mainstream kombucha drinkers have a valid point. In reviewing the many taste tests that have been conducted (just Google to review) of Kombucha. Bucha has not fared very well. Most often it was not even included in the tests and when it was it received comments about being overly sweet. I recently conducted my own (very non-scientific) taste test of the product. I gathered six serious kombucha lovers (my daughter and friends,all California liberals and serious kombucha users together) for the tasting. It was significant, I thought, that not a single one had ever heard of Bucha before this although all claimed to spend $60-$70 a month on various kombucha products. Without exception they all rejected Bucha as being overly sweet with no "tang" and to them, at least, no true kombucha flavor. The results seemed to track with the more sophisticated taste tests that have been conducted elsewhere. As a non-kombucha user myself I found the several I have tried to be refreshing and not unlike a high quality carbonated fruit flavored drink . My concern is that few are going to pay between $3-$4 for fruit flavored sodas, when equally good ones can be had for under a dollar. To me, at least, the premise that current serious kombucha users are going to migrate to Bucha because of it's improved taste is a non-starter and whether the broader market will be willing to pay $3.50 for something that tastes like fruity soda water is questionable. I hope I'm wrong, but that's my opinion for the moment.