House Kombucha Has Arrived in San Leandro

When visiting one of the Safeway stores in San Leandro, one will likely see House Kombucha‘s drinks on the shelves.  An ancient Asian tradition, kombucha beverages have enjoyed a renaissance in the U.S. during recent years, and San Leandro is fortunate to have become the new home to Bay Area brewer House Kombucha.

Six and a half years ago, Rana Lehmer-Chang (left) founded House Kombucha in San Francisco. Having enjoyed this distinctive brew from an early age, Rana discovered a niche market and saw a unique opportunity to foster the tradition and turn it into a business.  The company moved its operations to Oakland in 2012, establishing a presence in 35 Bay Area Whole Foods locations, Safeway stores, and about a hundred restaurants and cafes.  The growing production rate resulted in the need to relocate once more, and in October of last year, House Kombucha opened in its current San Leandro location on Teagarden Street.

Kombucha is a fermented tea-based beverage with significant probiotic and antioxidant benefits. House Kombucha’s customers have found the product to be a healthier, more refreshing alternative to the mainstream, sweet soft drinks. It is low-calorie, at 10-20 calories per eight ounce serving and, thanks to the fermentation process, a lower caffeine content than regular teas.  By using less sugar during the fermentation process than competing brands, House Kombucha produces not only the lowest calorie kombucha on the market, but also maintains the alcohol content below 0.5%. Fermentation also provides mild natural carbonation, resulting in a refreshing fizz to accompany the innovative flavors.

Currently, House Kombucha produces approximately 45,000 bottles per month, but also distributes its teas in kegs.  While other kombucha brewers arrive at their flavors from a master blend of white, green, and black teas, House Kombucha creates each flavor from distinctive leaf brews, resulting in unique flavors and colors.  To date, House Kombucha produces seven flavors, from the refreshing Sun Blossom — which according to COO Aaron Lehmer-Chang is a good place to start for the kombucha novice — to the more daring Ginger Fire.

House Kombucha also prides itself on giving back to the community by sponsoring community events and donating 5% of their kombucha to local organizations whose missions focus on sustainability, healthy living, and assisting the unemployed to re-entering the workforce.

House Kombucha is very happy to have landed in San Leandro and looks forward to many years of successful business here.   On the consumer end, San Leandrans may want take a closer look at House Kombucha upon the next visit to the grocery store and sample another exciting product made right here in San Leandro.