Vibranz Beverages© Returns Popular Kombucha Tea to Stores Following Nationwide Recall

HEALDSBURG, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sonoma County, California-based Vibranz Beverages©, makers of Vibranz Kombucha Teas, a line of USDA organically certified kombucha tea beverages, today announced that it is the first brand of the popular probiotic beverage to return to store shelves after successfully reformulating its product line to meet FDA guidelines for alcohol content.

“Kombucha tea has quickly become one of our top selling products”

Vibranz is the first among its competitors to meet the FDA’s recommended alcohol content level of 0.5 percent following a voluntary industry recall of all kombucha tea products by top suppliers that began on June 17^th. The brand is also the first to receive approval from Whole Foods Market® (NASDAQ:WFMI) to resume sales at select supermarkets throughout the US following the popular organic grocer’s decision to pull the top-selling beverage from its stores nationwide. Cities where Vibranz Kombucha Teas are currently available include: New York, NY; Brooklyn, NY; Los Angeles, CA; San Francisco, CA; Berkeley, CA; Eureka, CA; San Jose, CA; Sacramento, CA; San Diego, CA; Santa Rosa, CA; Santa Barbara, CA; Arcata, CA; Denver, CO; Phoenix, AZ; Tucson, AZ; Albuquerque, NM; Santa Fe, NM; Boise, ID; Coeur d'Alene, ID; Spokane, WA; Seattle, WA; Cincinnati, OH; Columbus, OH; Dayton, OH; Ann Arbor, MI; Traverse City, MI; Louisville, KY; Portland, OR; Eugene, OR; Ashland, OR; and cities throughout Hawaii.

“Our expert team succeeded in using their prior knowledge of winemaking to achieve a very low alcohol content while maintaining our position as a great-tasting, unpasteurized probiotic beverage,” said Vibranz President and Co-Founder Kathy Taylor.

Prior to last month’s recall, kombucha tea was experiencing unprecedented popularity among organic beverage enthusiasts. According to market researcher SPINS, Inc., sales of kombucha and other “functional” juices in the U.S. topped $295 million last year, up 25 percent over a two-year period. Originating in East Asia, kombucha tea is believed to aid in digestion by restoring healthy bacteria in the stomach. Kombucha has also been credited with the ability to increase energy levels and immunity and improve liver function.

“Kombucha tea has quickly become one of our top selling products,” said Phil Cassise, Category Buyer for Dairy, Plum Markets, located in Ann Arbor, MI. “Vibranz has made major strides on behalf of our customers and the entire functional beverages category by creating the first safe and healthy kombucha tea.”

Vibranz Kombucha Teas retail between $4.69 and $3.89 and are available in eight distinctive flavors including Original, Blood Orange, Chai, Ginger, Lemon-Ginger, Peach-Passionfruit, Pomegranate and Raspberry. Please visit www.Vibranzbev.com for a list of retailers nationwide.

About Vibranz Beverages

Healdsburg, California-based Vibranz Beverages, producers of USDA organically certified Vibranz Kombucha Teas, was co-founded by Kathy Taylor and David Cordtz in 2009. A yoga devotee and kombucha zealot, Taylor brought her passion for kombucha to market with the help of Cordtz, an internationally renowned California winemaker with nearly 20 years of commercial winemaking experience. Locally owned and operated, Vibranz is committed to sustainability, using only 100 percent recyclable and biodegradable packaging and shipping materials. Vibranz is also committed to supporting green and fair trade partners and their local community, with 95 percent of its staff living within five miles of its headquarters. Vibranz Kombucha Tea retails between $4.69 and $3.89 and is available in eight distinctive flavors including Original, Blood Orange, Chai, Ginger, Lemon-Ginger, Peach-Passionfruit, Pomegranate and Raspberry. For additional information and a list of retailers nationwide, please visit www.Vibranzbev.com.