What sets Highland Kombucha apart as Malaysia's Premium Kombucha?

Highland Kombucha is made authentically and naturally in Malaysia using the finest organic ingredients from the highlands across Asia. We apply modern scientific techniques to the age old art of slowly and carefully fermenting Kombucha. The end result is a fresh and delicious Kombucha - an all natural probiotic sparkling tea that is low in sugar.

Highland Kombucha was created by our Founder Dr Adrian Goh who transplanted his medical and scientific background to the realm of fermentation and brewing kombucha tea. Our kombucha is brewed with close monitoring and testing in a stringently hygienic environment to yield a consistently well balanced kombucha. This is reflected in the awarding of GMP Good Manufacturing Practices) and HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) certification by SIRIM Malaysia - high levels of food safety that assure you that we are serious about brewing good kombucha.

Staying true to the traditional Kombucha brewing process, we do not use anything to alter our all-natural Kombucha - we do not use any artificial sweeteners or sugar-alcohols (steviol glycosides, erythritol, xylitol). The beneficial bacteria and yeast living in our Kombucha eat most of the sugar during the fermentation process. This leaves us with a tasty and tangy tea that is low in sugar.

Is Highland Kombucha Halal? I heard kombucha can be alcoholic…

Highland Kombucha is non-alcoholic. Yes, it is true that particles of alcohol are a natural by-product of the fermentation process (there are trace amounts of alcohol found in common household items such as soy sauce and fish sauce). As part of our GMP, HACCP and Halal approved processes we carefully monitor and routinely test our kombucha. Our kombucha has been lab tested to show only very small trace amounts of alcohol particles - these levels are deemed as non-alcoholic by SIRIM and JAKIM.

Highland Kombucha is pending Halal certification by JAKIM.

How and where can I buy Highland Kombucha?

At present time you can find Highland Kombucha at PICO Melaka available on tap and in 1L Amber Glass Bottles. Highland Kombucha will soon be available in 300ml Amber Glass Bottles in cafes, restaurants and supermarkets.

Can I return my 1L Amber Glass Bottle?

Yes! You can return your empty 1L Amber Glass Bottle back to PICO in exchange for a direct RM2 discount on your next 1L purchase of Highland Kombucha. The bottle must returned with the 2 caps (inner white cap and outer black cap) and is in usable condition. Each bottle can be exchanged for a RM2 discount on a bottle for bottle transaction (you are unable to exchange 4x bottles for an RM8 discount on a 1x bottle purchase).

Is Highland Kombucha fresh and unpasteurised? Why does this matter?

We believe that that fresh and natural is always best. Pasteurisation is the process of treating products with high temperatures to kill bacteria and extend shelf life by destroying all active microorganisms. To us, this completely betrays the innate benefits of Kombucha as a healthy beverage that is full of living beneficial bacteria for your gut health.

This would be like eating yoghurt that can be stored at room temperature on the store/kitchen shelf. Yes, the pasteurised product can now last a longer time and would not require cold storage, but the product would no longer contain the living microorganisms that make the product good for you in the first place! It simply defeats the purpose. So if you see kombucha being sold at room temperature on the supermarket shelf, these products are likely to be pasteurised and devoid of any living beneficial bacteria.

What is Kombucha?

Kombucha is an ancient health tonic that originated in Asia approximately 2000 years ago. Traditionally, Kombucha is made from just three ingredients - tea leaves, sugar and a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast). The Kombucha tea is allowed to ferment over the course of days to weeks.

The result is a mildly sweet and tangy tea that is low in sugar and rich with naturally occurring living probiotics (beneficial bacterias and yeasts). It also contains digestive enzymes, organic acids and antioxidants. It is known for its ability to improve gut health, boost the immune system and promote general well-being.

What is a SCOBY?

SCOBY is an acronym for ‘Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast’. This is the living culture of beneficial bacteria and yeast that makes kombucha so god for you. It can be described as a white disc with a gel-like consistency that sits in the sweet tea that we brew. The disc has several functions: it serves to protect the culture from other harmful microorganisms, it is a home for most of the bacteria and yeast, and it interestingly also facilitates gas exchange so the culture can breathe.

Why does kombucha need to be chilled and stay cold?

Any natural and living culture of microorganisms will continue to ferment under the right conditions. All kombucha will ferment at room temperature in our tropical climate (very quickly, I might add!). During the fermentation process of our kombucha, we stop fermentation at the the ideal time, when our kombucha is the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. Once chilled, the fermentation will dramatically slow down, thus maintaining the perfect balance of flavour and aroma. Cold storage from this point onwards, all the way until it reaches your lips is critical to ensuring quality and consistency.

What are the floating bits in Kombucha?

Occasionally there may be strands or small pieces of kombucha SCOBY that appear in your kombucha. While they may appear strange funny looking, but they are in fact a good sign that the kombucha is natural, alive and healthy.

Does Highland Kombucha have artificial sugars?

All our products are 100% natural… this also means we do not use so-called natural sweeteners Xylitol, Erythritol and Steviol-Glycosides. These increasingly common sweeteners are considered natural because they are derived from a natural product (after numerous levels of transformation). However, there are varying opinions on the benefits of such sweeteners, as some been shown to increase the desire to eat and hunger levels.

Is Highland Kombucha vegan?

Yes – all of our kombucha is Vegan and Gluten Free and we do not use dairy or animal products in our primary production areas.

Is Highland Kombucha gluten free?

Yes – all our drinks are Gluten Free and we do not allow any gluten-containing products into our primary production areas

Is there caffeine in Highland Kombucha?

Yes, Kombucha contains caffeine from the tea, less than or equal to 15mg.

What is the shelf life of Highland Kombucha?

The shelf life of our products is 3 months from manufacture if kept cold. This is due to the living cultures present in each bottle which even when cold, continues its metabolism at a slowed if not halted speed.

How long does Highland Kombucha last after opening the bottle?

If you enjoy your Highland Kombucha as much as we do, it will be consumed pretty quickly once it is opened! However, for the 1L bottles, we recommend consuming within a 5 days after opening. For the 300ml bottles we recommend consuming within a 3 days after opening. The main reason being that once opened, the Kombucha will start to lose its sparkle and fizz.  Rest assured that there are no safety issues with consuming the Kombucha beyond 5 days after opening if kept chilled.

Why is sugar an important ingredient in kombucha?

Organic cane sugar provides energy that the cultures consume to grow and it is the substance they ferment. The living microbes use the energy from these sources to create acids, enzymes and antioxidants similar to what the human body would do when breaking down food.