Vive le Kombucha France!
KBI has been working since 2018 to establish a “Traditional Specialties Guaranty” (TSG) for Kombucha in Europe. We acknowledge and are grateful to Soul K (ESP), The Good Guys (FIN), Probio Drinks aka Casa de la Kombucha (ESP), Tea of Life (ESP) and Karma (FRA) as brands who did a lot of leg work to better understand the application process. They laid the foundation and provided insight and historical evidence that has paved a way forward.
The mantle has now been picked up by Lokki and several other French Kombucha producers and as a first step to accomplishing this goal, they have banded together with several other countryman to establish “Kombucha France” as an association. It is through this organization that KBI and Kombucha France will collaborate to establish a TSG to protect traditionally brewed Kombucha as a specialty process with protected status.
Qui est «Kombucha France»?
Un groupe de brasseurs français s’est fédéré autour de la création d’un label officiel « Spécialité traditionnelle garantie » à apposer sur le kombucha. Ce label, reconnu par Institut national de l’origine et de la qualité (l’INAO), correspond à un produit dont les qualités spécifiques sont liées à une composition, des méthodes de fabrication ou de transformation fondées sur une tradition. L’objectif est de donner la possibilité aux acheteurs et consommateurs de faire la différence entre un kombucha brassé traditionnellement et d’autres boissons produites différemment ou dérivées.
Il reste encore du chemin avant de voir apparaître les premières bouteilles labellisées, mais Kombucha France avance déjà à grands pas avec la création d’un cahier des charges inspiré du Kombucha Code of Practice rédigé par KBI. Un plan de contrôle est en cours de mise en place, pour déterminer les points qui seront à contrôler par les auditeurs externes. La suite ? Il reste à démontrer la viabilité technique et commerciale du projet à l’INAO et choisir l’organisme certificateur qui deviendra notre partenaire.
English Translation
A group of French brewers has united around the creation of an official label “Traditional Specialty Guaranteed” to be affixed to kombucha. This label, recognized by the National Institute of Origin and Quality (INAO), corresponds to a product whose specific qualities are linked to a composition, manufacturing or processing methods based on tradition. The objective is to give buyers and consumers the possibility of making the difference between a traditionally brewed kombucha and other drinks produced differently or derived from it.
There is still a long way to go before the first labeled bottles appear, but Kombucha France is already making great strides with the creation of specifications inspired by the Kombucha Code of Practice written by KBI. A control plan is being put in place to determine the points that will be checked by the external auditors. What’s the next steps? To demonstrate the technical and commercial viability of the project to the INAO and to choose the certification body that will become our partner.
Want to learn more about Kombucha France or to participate in the TSG process? Contact KBI’s International Board Member – Kendra Sepulveda.