Eat & Drink — Cadiz

Kombucheria
Refreshing Kombucha from the Atlantic Coast PREV

Photography: Maite Tirado
Text: Nika Scheidemandel

Vejer de la Frontera, Cadiz is one of my favorite white hilltop villages along the Costa de la Luz.
This stylish Moorish pueblo overlooks the Straits of Gibraltar and the Atlantic Ocean, is surrounded by orchards and orange groves and there are numerous exquisite Artesano shops, bars, convents and magic corners to be explored.

At the top of the hill is a small and exquisite local Health Food Store where the only Bio Kombucha in Spain is being produced in an artisan and sustainable way, while also offering many local organic products.

The shop owners’ favorite philosophy is handwritten on a cardboard outside the shop.

“Que tu medicina sea tu alimento. Que tu alimento sea tu medicina.”

Manuel Calabrese and Katrin his wife, both German native, now run the Kombucheria since six years.

This obviously was quite an endeavor in the andalusian market, where the product Kombucha had no awareness level at all and had to be introduced from scratch.

This fermented, mildly effervescent drink is made from different yeast bacteria and is claimed to have numerous beneficial effects on health apart from being a delicious and refreshing summer drink.

Manuel invites us to his laboratory to observe the production of their Kombucha, which is a highly clean, aesthetic and sanitary process.

Katrin tells us about the myth that 2000 years ago a Tibetan monk cured with this symbiotic “tea fungus” and ordered his people to drink it on a daily basis.

Why is it so healthy?

Kombucha is supposed to regulate the colon flora, is high in vitamins, enzymes and minerals and the organic teas and ingredients used as a base contribute additional benefits.

Various clients of the Kombucheria regularly order Kombucha to support their cancer treatment in collaboration with their Naturopaths and Kombucha also is used as an ingredient for may facial creams and cosmetics .The couple gets a lot of requests to ship their artisan Kombucha Fungus to manufacturers all over Spain.

While Andalusia is not one of their strongest markets, in Barcelona, Ibiza and the North of Spain Kombucha is highly popular and the demand all over Spain is rising and making Kombucha the perfect contemporary summer drink.

Bio Kombucha de Vejer is available in the following flavors made from organic ingredients:

Rooibos, Yeba Mate, Fruits of the Forest, Fresh Ginger, Lemon, Black Tea & Green Tea

If you happen to visit Vejer this summer make sure to stop by and treat yourself!