Hip Pop

The brand began under the name Booch & Brew before rebranding to Hip Pop as it expanded into wider retail distribution. Co-founder Kenny Goodman's motivation was personal: he had lived with IBS for years and found that regular kombucha consumption substantially reduced his symptoms, which led directly to the pair starting commercial production together. The business remains independently owned and continues to produce in small batches on its Cheshire farm.

Hip Pop uses a double fermentation process: after the initial brew, the kombucha undergoes a second fermentation in the sealed bottle, building carbonation from within. The brand credits this method with producing a more complex, fine-bubbled fizz than single-ferment alternatives, which often carbonate their drinks artificially after a single ferment. The double-ferment method is integral to the brand's craft identity.

The range divides into three distinct lines. The core kombucha selection covers fruit-forward flavoured variants brewed in small batches. In 2022, Hip Pop extended into CBD-infused kombucha, adding a premium tier to the portfolio within the novel-foods regulatory framework that governs CBD products in the food and drink industry. A third line, Living Soda, is a probiotic drink built on apple cider vinegar, positioned as a functional alternative to conventional carbonated soft drinks.

Hip Pop has secured mainstream supermarket distribution alongside specialist alcohol-free retail and direct-to-consumer channels, broadening reach well beyond the specialist gut-health audience where it initially found its footing. The Cheshire farm base gives Hip Pop a regional craft identity distinct from the London-centric AF drinks scene. As an independently owned micro-producer with a fermentation-led, functional range, the brand occupies a different space in the market from the larger lager and spirits brands that dominate most of the sector's retail visibility.