Sarasota kombucha company partners with national grocery chain

A Sarasota-based kombucha company is launching a product line inside a major grocery store chain. 221 B.C. Kombucha, headquartered off U.S. 301 in north Sarasota, will launch its line of herbal drinks at Harris Teeter.

Harris Teeter has 260 stores in seven states plus Washington, D.C. It has one store in Florida — in Fernandina Beach, in the northeastern part of the state — and operates in Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia as well.

221 B.C. Kombucha will sell these flavors of its herbal drinks at Harris Teeter starting June 19, according to a statement: Berry Hibiscus, Rosé Lemonade, Mango Dandelion, Passion Fruit Red Clover and Lavender Moringa.

Image via Kombucha221BC / Instagram

"Joining forces with Harris Teeter allows us to bring our beloved kombucha to a wider audience while maintaining our core values of natural food, quality and sustainability," Aneta Lundquist, founder of 221 B.C. Kombucha, says in a statement. "We believe that all people deserve real and healthy foods, and through this partnership, we're thrilled to offer a range of kombucha flavors brewed with medicinal herbs, embodying the philosophy of 'food as medicine.’”

Kombucha is a fermented drink made of tea, sugar, yeast and bacteria. It is lightly carbonated and contains a small amount of alcohol from the fermentation process. While research is limited, it does contain probiotics, which can help maintain gut health, and it may offer additional health benefits. Its first documented use was in China in 221 B.C.

221 B.C. Kombucha is also sold in Publix, Winn Dixie, Detwiler’s, ShopRite, Tops and Whole Foods.