How do I find a kombucha business for sale?

Kombucha makers vary a great deal. Some brew in a back room and sell through a café or taproom. Others have a grocery-store brand made by a co-packer, with no brewing space of their own. Knowing which you want makes the search much shorter, because the two kinds are listed and discussed in different places.

Where these businesses get listed

Check the main business-for-sale sites under food and beverage, small manufacturing, beverage brand and e-commerce. Owners also write “kombucha”, “fermented tea”, “craft soda” or “functional drink”. Set alerts for each. For a brand that sells online, our guide to buying a food and beverage direct-to-consumer brand explains how those are usually offered.

Approaching small brewers directly

Talk to café owners who stock the product, farmers’ market organizers, bottle and keg suppliers, and co-packers. Be clear about what you want and keep the first contact short and respectful. If the owner is open to talking, agree on confidentiality before you ask for any numbers.

First questions for any listing

Ask who brews the product and where, whether the culture and recipes are written down, and whether the owner would stay for a handover. Ask which accounts buy regularly and whether any are under written agreements. Then ask what is included: equipment, brand, customer lists, the lease. Your lawyer and accountant can tell you what each answer means for the deal.

• Is production in-house, at a shared kitchen or with a co-packer?
• Are the recipes and the culture documented?
• Which retail and café accounts are regular?
• What happens to the brand name and social accounts on sale?