Kombucha, a fermented tea drink, has been growing in popularity for the last 10 years. Starting out as something bought and sold in farmers’ markets, the beverage that dates back to ancient China is now starting to appear on market shelves.

Such is the story of Buddha’s Brew Kombucha, which was first launched at the Austin, TX farmers’ market in 2006. Made from tea, bacteria and yeast, the beverage was originally sold in Mason jars, but due to sales volume, a more conventional package was needed.

A custom design was developed with the help of the Berlin Global Packaging Group, which sourced the bottle from China. It comes in a 12-pack reshipper carton and has a number of unique features.

An extra-wide 43mm neck releases the aroma of each Buddha’s Brew flavor upon opening the cap, enhancing the drinking experience. The bottle’s body has a dimpled shoulder to add texture as well as a vintage look. At the bottom is an embossed peace sign, a symbol reflecting the “Buddha” in the brand name as well as incorporating kombucha’s reputation for producing a calming energy. 

“The peace sign portrays what we’re all about, and everyone loves it,” says Buddha’s Brew Co-owner and Brewmaster Kimberly Lanski. “People post it on their Facebook pages, and one customer is even using it in a house he is building out of glass bottles with the bottoms turned out, so the peace symbol is visible from the outside.”

Berlin Packaging inventories the bottles and stock polypropylene closures at its warehouse in San Antonio and delivers them on an as-needed basis to Buddha’s Brew’s commercial kitchen 90 minutes away for filling and labeling. Now sold in locations from farmers’ markets to select Whole Foods stores, the finished product is feeding the rapidly growing consumer appetite for kombucha in a package that appeals to the senses of smell and touch and harmony with the universe.

For more information: Carole Branchetti, Berlin Packaging, 312-869-7539, carole.branchetti@berlinpackaging.com, www.berlinpackaging.com.