Kombuchery receives seven-figure investment

Investors from various European countries participated in the financing round. The Kombucha producer now wants to expand internationally.

The Berlin-based start-up Kombuchery has landed seven-figure investments in a financing round. The money came from 15 investors and business angels from different countries, including those from the food and beverage (F&B), eFood and direct sales scenes. They were joined by Caesar Business Angels, DTC Ventures and Impact Bakery. The company plans to use the money to expand its team and introduce new product categories.

After the funding round, Kombuchery now considers itself the most valuable producer of the fermented beverage kombucha in Germany. The founders are looking across the Atlantic with hope: there, the sale of Kombucha is already a billion-dollar market. So the company reckons it has great potential and believes it can make kombucha a better-known product in Europe too. Founder Maximilian Seedorf says: "For the first time we now have an international round of investors and at the same time an investment sum that will enable us to make the upcoming big leaps into further European markets."

A first step towards expansion, he says, is now the opening of an additional warehouse location in Austria. This is due in the first quarter of 2022, he said. He also hints at "cooperation with a well-known, pan-European fresh food distributor". Christian Behrens of investor Impact Bakery even sees Kombuchery as "the next logical evolution in healthy and sustainable consumerism."

Kombuchery actually entered the market at the worst possible time: just a few days before the pandemic brought massive losses to the beverage industry. However, with a combination of direct sales and a subscription model, Kombuchery was able to capitalize on the pandemic. From July to September 2021, the company's sales doubled. In addition to direct sales, customers can purchase the Kombuchery brand at more than 300 retail outlets in 14 countries. These include well-known retailers such as Edeka, Rewe, Beets & Roots and Foodpanda. The drink is also sold in Berlin's cult department store KaDeWe.