The founders of the company, Laura, Tiago, Greg, Chris, Marlon and Jon, started to work on their project in 2020 and had their “first soft launch in 2021 with the proper launch in 2022.”

During their research works, to make a unique drink, the founder realised that “Kombucha is loved by health-conscious people.” Jon told The Portugal News, the group “found that by doing a second fermentation we could create a hard (6% alcohol) version that would be the perfect alternative for people who love to live an active life and not be slowed down the next morning.”

The main goal was to create a soft alcoholic drink, filled with flavours made with the greatest ingredients, “without compromising on taste or experience.” Ūmmi is made in Portugal, being organically certified, gluten-free, “and 100% naturally fermented to 6% alcohol with nothing else added.” Jon adds that the uniqueness of the innovative drink is its base, as Ūmmi base is the “organic green tea sourced from the Chá Gorreana tea farm in the Azores.”

What to expect?

Jon said that people who try Ūmmi “have to erase everything” they know about Kombucha, as his drink is a bit different. All the benefits of Kombucha are in the drink, however after going through two fermentations, “the flavour is a bit drier and slightly sweet, similar to a natural wine or spritzer.”

At the moment, there are different flavours, such as Hibiscus Berry, “slightly sweet, fruity and finishes crisp”; the Ginger Lemon, “which is a classic flavour that’s slightly tart with a hint of spice” and the most recent flavour Elderflower Pear, “which has the aroma of elderflower matched with the subtle sweetness of pear and finishes with a touch of white grapefruit for a smooth, full-bodied taste.” According to Jon, all the flavours are perfect to enjoy during the summertime.


The future of the brand

To grow the brand, Jon mentioned that there are “two things in the regard, growing the brand but also growing the category and so a lot of the work we’re doing is building the awareness that hard kombucha exists.”

All the founders come from different backgrounds, enhancing the creativity of the brand, as well as working as “business leaders, professional athletes.” Therefore, the brand created “a co-ownership structure consisting of professional athletes and creatives”, with personalities such as the surfer Mikey February and Marlon Lipke, the Jiu Jitsu world champion Roger Gracie, the artist Nina Brooke, the Portuguese singer, and actress Mia Rose, among others.

According to Jon, dealing with these personalities offers the company “a great opportunity to tell their story and also show why they believe so much in Ūmmi as well as the better-for-you alcohol movement that we’re building together.”

In the future, Jon mentioned that hopes to see Ūmmi “Likely as a pan-European alternative alcohol leader in the space, exporting from Portugal to the rest of Europe and the UK”, within five or ten years. The main goal is to give people the ability to make healthy choices, not only when it comes to what they eat, “but also the alcohol they drink.” Thus, “creating a premium drink and building an entirely new category requires a lot of investment”, mentioning that the alcoholic drinks industry needs to change and create better options for those who consume it.

To find out more about Ūmmi, people may find them on Instagram at @ummi_kombucha.

Author

Deeply in love with music and with a guilty pleasure in criminal cases, Bruno G. Santos decided to study Journalism and Communication, hoping to combine both passions into writing. The journalist is also a passionate traveller who likes to write about other cultures and discover the various hidden gems from Portugal and the world. Press card: 8463. 

Bruno G. Santos