Further Information

Let’s start with a short intro

Kombucha Iceland is the first and only Kombucha brewery in Iceland. We were driven by our curiosity and enthusiasm to start our business. We experimented a lot and made mistakes along the way. We learned a lot. We were able to develop 11 different flavors. We have earned the trust of many satisfied customers and retailers. And all of this happened using only 30 square meters of space. Doesn’t it sound unbelievable?

Now we are charged with even more enthusiasm … Because we want to grow and develop! To be able to expand our product line, offer even better-quality drinks, and improve the quality and efficiency of our services, we need more space. There we can place all our equipment and bring together all our operations.

The first step towards our dreamed bigger brewery is already made…we found the place. But to be able to make it suitable for our operations and to ensure the license from the health authorities, we need to make some important reconstructions. Here we count on your help to cover part of the costs of the reconstruction.

But what is Kombucha…

You may have seen Kombucha bottles in grocery stores or bars but don´t know what it is. Actually, the drink is older than you might think. This „elixir of life“ was first brewed in China about 2000 years ago. In the east of the world (Europe and America) the drink became popular only at the beginning of the 20th century but enjoys great success.

But what exactly is this drink? Kombucha is a naturally fizzy, sweat-sour drink made from tea, sugar, and a Symbiotic Colony of Bacteria and Yeast (or SCOBY for short). During fermentation, the SCOBY turns the tea into a complex and tasty drink, full of probiotics, acids, enzymes, and vitamins.

To make it even more healthy and tasty, we at Kombucha Iceland brew this elixir from pure Icelandic water, carefully selected organic tea and sugar, and add local ingredients such as berries, rhubarb, basil, and mint to offer different tastes of the product.

We are not only a team. We are family…

… And Kombucha Iceland is our youngest child. The brand was founded in 2017 by a husband and wife team, Manuel and Ragna. They combined their knowledge and curiosity as an engineerand chemist and anthropologists with their love of nature and natural products so Kombucha Iceland was born.

Manuel grew up in rural Cuba, where his parents fermented traditional beverages from local ingredients like rice and wild plums. This instilled in him a lifelong curiosity about how these mysterious tonics were created.

He moved to Iceland in 2006 to pursue a Doctor’s degree in Chemistry. When he began seeking a relaxing pastime away from his studies, home brewing felt like the obvious choice. Manuel found the complex processes involved in fermentation so fascinating that he threw out his recipe books and began experimenting with his own formulas. While searching for new ingredients to brew with, he came across the ancient practice of fermenting tea to make Kombucha.

Ragna is a native of Iceland. She grew up in Reykjavík but at heart, she is a nature and countryside child. She holds a Master’s in Anthropology and is a lover of culture and community. Ragna is an avid traveler and has lived in Ecuador and Spain.

Inspired by Manuel’s brewing experiments and getting familiar with the story and recipe of Kombucha, Manuel and Ragna knew that this drink was very special and unique. They wanted to put their own Icelandic touch into the drink and share it with as many as possible. That is how the first commercial Kombucha brewery in Iceland was born.

Where we are now

Unbelievably, yet true, since the very beginning of our Kombucha adventure, we produce it in a 30 square meters space where Manuel's unique organizational skills have come in handy as every square meter is well used. Then we rent another place for storage and a third place for refrigerated products. On top of that, our office is our living room at home. You can imagine how uncomfortable and time-consuming it is to “hop” from place to place instead of using that time for other useful or pleasant things.

But we keep going…because we have dreams…because we have a future…

Where we want to be in the future

We have already taken the first step toward our future – we are moving to a larger premise. This will enable us to bring all operations under one roof…and even have an office. Yet, many things need to be done to adapt the place for our work and cover the requirements of the health authorities. The main reconstructions that we must do include installing an electrical system, installing a ventilation system, putting dividing walls to separate the production area from the warehouse, and making drains. These are costly operations and here we need your help to cover part of the reconstruction on the floor.

But that is not all. With your support, we will have the opportunity to expand our production line. We will be able to delight you with new tastes. We will offer you a better service. We will be able to invite all Kombucha lovers to visit our dedicated brewery. Isn't that a wonderful future?

Why we believe in your support

Because we believe in dreams. Because we believe that you also have dreams, believe in them, and make them happen. Because we believe that you will allow us to also make our dream happen.

And last but not least…because you love parties, and you are invited from now to our opening party to celebrate the future together!

Good drink, good life, good future.
Skál