MOMO Kombucha

The brand has its roots in the south east London kitchen of husband-and-wife founders Josh and Lisa Puddle. After first encountering kombucha on a trip to New York in 2016, the couple began homebrewing, producing their first batch on New Year's Day 2017. MOMO launched commercially 18 months later, moving from kitchen glass jars to a brewery whilst retaining the founding method: brewed the traditional way in glass, left completely unfiltered, and never pasteurised.

Each batch starts with a blend of three teas, including Sencha, which forms the base and contributes a small amount of caffeine. The kombucha is flavoured with organic cold pressed juice and organic dried flowers, with elderflowers and hibiscus among the botanicals used, alongside organic seasonal fruits and roots. Rather than filtering or heat-treating the finished brew, MOMO leaves the live cultures in the liquid, which gives it a slightly cloudy appearance. Because fermentation continues, the drinks must be kept refrigerated. Each contains a trace amount of alcohol at under 0.5% ABV.

From its origins in a home kitchen, MOMO grew to selling 20,000 bottles per week by September 2023. The brand pays the London Living Wage and donates 1% of its revenue to charitable causes.