Yorkshire Tea has collaborated with an award-winning kombucha brand to launch its very own take on the fermented drink.
Kombucha is a fermented drink made from tea, sugar, and a bacterial culture called a SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast).
Less than a decade ago, most people weren’t really that familiar with the phenomenon but today, a walk around any local supermarket or health food store sees shelves stacked full of the fizzy beverage.
While kombucha may only have recently made its way onto the popular drinks market, it’s actually been around for nearly 2,000 years.
It was first brewed in China and then spread to Japan and Russia, before becoming popular in some European countries in the early 20th century, and then seeing sales in the UK and the US skyrocket from late 2000s onwards due to its reputation as a wellness drink.
Kombucha is often mixed with natural sugars and spices to create countless different flavours, with many people praising it for its health benefits.
Given that kombucha could be considered one of the next big things on the UK drinks scene, Yorkshire Tea has decided to join forces with award-winning kombucha brand, HOLOS Komucha, to launch its very-own take on the fermented drink.
Coming in two different flavours, ‘Yorkshire Tea Kombucha’ is described as being a tangy and lightly-sparkling chilled drink with a gentle fermented kick.
HOLOS has used its traditional small-batch brewing methods and all-natural ingredients within the process to create the two limited-edition drinks – with the ‘Original’ flavour said to highlight the “depth, complexity, and orange notes” of the classic tea beverage known and loved by millions of Brits nationwide, and the ‘Ginger’ flavour delivering “extra warmth and spice”.
“Being passionate about a proper brew also means caring deeply about its long-term future and innovation in tea is central to this,” explained Ben Newbury – Head of Marketing at Yorkshire Tea.
Image: Unsplash
“We asked HOLOS to help us create something unique because they make some of the best kombucha around and because they share our values when it comes to trading responsibly, so we’re delighted with the resulting brew.
“We hope it goes down well with consumers looking for something new and different and with Yorkshire Tea fans alike.”
Despite looking set to be a popular addition to the market – or at least a talked-about addition, if nothing else – Yorkshire Tea Kombucha is only in the trial phase at this moment in time, and you won’t actually be able to get your hands on it from shops and supermarkets anytime soon.
Both flavours will only be available to try at the London Coffee Festival on Thursday 20 – Saturday 23 April.
Other locations are “soon to be announced”, according to Yorkshire Tea and HOLOS.
Manchester's favourite Mexican bar is about to become your newest nightlife destination in Leeds.
It's been a long time coming, but Salon Madre is officially ready to open in Leeds.
Although we may have to wait a little bit longer for Madre, the day-to-night eatery that has made waves over in Manchester and Liverpool, Salon Madre, its lively tequila bar and pool hall sibling, is officially opening on Friday 20 February.
Salon Madre, which will be located just around the corner from Madre at 114 Wellington Street, is where the party really gets started.
Image: The Manc Group
Expect tequila-fuelled nights, pool tables, lively DJs and Lucha Libre on the big screens.
There will also be plenty of tacos being flung out the kitchen to keep you going until the early hours.
If you’ve ever visited one of their venues in Manchester or Liverpool, you’ll know it’s an absolute riot and we can’t wait to welcome them to the city.
Images: The Manc Group
Co-founder Sam Grainger, inspired by countless trips to Mexico, says: “Mexico is alive with passionate artisans and cooks, mastering everything from street tacos to regional delicacies. It’s a world where traditions blend and evolve and we’ve built that ethos into the heart of both Madre and Salon Madre.”
Madre Leeds will open soon and you can even grab yourself a free margarita by signing up to their newsletter here.
We’ll keep you up to date with their opening times but for now, we'll see you at Salon Madre for a boogie, margarita and game of pool next week.
Award-winning Leeds restaurant announces shock closure just months after opening
Clementine Hall
Emba in Leeds will be closing its doors with the owner blaming rising costs and pressure on the hospitality sector.
Back in April last year, one of Leeds' top restaurants The Owl closed its doors.
Run by renowned Chef Liz Cottam, The Owl was reimagine into Emba - a trendy restaurant tat bridged 'the gap between cosy bar and vibrant dining room'.
To open Emba, Cottam opened a Crowdfunder where supporters would be awarded with prizes such as VIP dinners and merch depending on how much they donated.
But sadly just months after opening, Emba is to close permanently.
Cottam confirmed the sad news with a statement shared with customers over the weekend, saying she was completely "heartbroken".
She said: “This is no longer the right time to own independent restaurants like Emba,” she said. “Under the current conditions they cannot survive and the recent budget confirmed what so many of us already knew: no meaningful help is coming for hospitality.
"The experience of being here and the harsh financial reality of running a business here no longer stack up.
"Being award winning, popular, admired and loved no longer means profitable and as an industry if we’re honest most of us have not truly been okay since Covid."
She signed off the statement promising to return to the restaurant world, she said: “What I do know is this, I am not done. I will keep cooking, keep creating and keep finding ways to do the thing I love.”