Willy’s, the gut health brand from Tyrrells founder Will Chase, is set to roll out its contribution to the virtuous booze trend: two fermented soft drinks.
Ginger Kombucha Beer and Hop & Hemp Kombucha Beer are about to land in Waitrose and other grocers in a can format, following a limited trial.
The probiotic drinks are 0% abv and low in sugar, with between 2.5g and 3.9g per 100ml. At no more than 60 calories per 330ml serving, they were a healthier substitute for the many “sugary and syrup-laced” options in the alcohol alternatives space, said Chase. “If you’re not drinking alcohol, you might as well drink something good for you.”
The duo contains no added sugar, while the Ginger variant is made with real ginger root, and the Hop & Hemp drink is made with hops and hemp grown on Chase’s farm in Ledbury on the Herefordshire/Gloucestershire border.
“It took a while to get a licence to grow hemp,” said Chase, who is attempting to grow his own ginger for future batches of his new beverages, which were trailed with the on-trade in regular-sized and mini casks, and in independent retailers.
Some format changes have been made as a result of the trial: a 500ml bottle has been replaced by a 330ml version, while a 250ml can has been dropped in favour of a 330ml version favoured by many beer brands (rsp: £3).
The drinks’ aim was to tap the “huge” and “fascinating” no-alcohol market, Chase added. They would also benefit from growing demand for kombucha drinks – which were “not going to be just a fad”.
They follow Willy’s launch earlier this year of Natural Energy ACV Apple Drink, a carbonated blend of kombucha and apple cider vinegar. It has since been renamed Kombucha & ACV, and now comprises three variants: Apple, Raspberry and Blackcurrant.
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