Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Best Selling Drink at Wholefoods


What costs $2.99 and sells better than most, if not all drinks at Whole Foods? You got it! Kombucha! Synergy! Kombucha Synergy - the amazingly 'buzz-powerful' concoction made of fermented tea (very little to no alcohol) which helps with a whole litany of physical and mental attributes: From memory to skin and digestion, this is apparently a wonder drink that actually works, er, sells.

Yesterday at Whole Foods, the gentleman ahead of me was purchasing about 12 of these drinks. At $3 a pop, you have to wonder why. In asking a few stockers at this Bellevue, WA location, they said Synergie's Kombucha sells about as well as any drink at Whole Foods, including the $0.49 Whole Foods label canned sodas, which are actually quite excellent.

Why do they sell so well? I don't know. But I can give you my opinion: it's actually good! You can actually feel the difference. Their packaging is amazing - REJUVENATE (who doesn't need to rejuvenate?) - restore, revitalize, replenish and regenerate. They use all "r's" which makes it so easy, like Apple and Google.

http://www.gtskombucha.com/
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/kombucha-tea/AN01658

Beyond that it's unique. Try one. It's fizzy. It cuts through the fat. For someone who doesn't drink alcohol, this is a great after dinner drink, unlike any other drink you've had.


I've run into more bubbly, brimming enthusiasts of this drink who swear by it's health benefits. At this weekend's Vegefest in Seattle, WA, I talked with a very bubbly, smart and enthusiastic "jammer" of a woman named (I forget) who swore by the benefits of Kombucha - she's 72, acts 40 and, looks 65 and says that ever since she started drinking Kombucha daily, her memory test scores have increased. She's actually part of a controlled study on aging and dementia, and she credits her memory increase exclusively to Kombucha, as her mental prowess and 'engagement' remained fixed previous to drinking it daily. I wish I had a picture, or better yet, a video. Next time!

It takes a little getting used to in terms of taste. It's definitely bubbly. A bottle can last someone a few 'sittings', or if your like me, one. It's a great appertif - poured into a wine glass or cocktail glass, to sip on during parties, etc. I just happen to not drink, and this happens to be one of the only, if not the only drink I have found in this category of a nice drink to sip on during the 'party season'. "Talking Rain" & "Dry Soda" come a close second.

The thing Kombucha has got going for it, much like 'organic' and 'local', is the "STORY". It rejuvenates. It's organic. It's been around for hundreds of years. It restores and its health benefits have been studied. And with each sip, the fizz and bite remind you of this story. It's a great story, one I'm willing to participate in - a grand, perhaps factual placebo - and perhaps its all very scientific. I just know that it tastes good and like so many other things at Whole Foods - it just makes me feel good for being a part of it, ingesting it, eating it, breathing it. What's the alternative?

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I tried this stuff recently because of your blog. It has a vinegar-y taste but I will admit to feeling 'rejuvenated' after feeling a bit under the weather prior to consumption.