It’s Kombucha time: the story of Toka Fermentary

Kombucha is a refreshing fizzy drink made from fermented tea that has been consumed by humans for more than 2,000 years, with several benefits for the body. In recent years, it has become increasingly popular: more and more bottles of this trendy drink are popping-up in grocery stores all around the world in many variations of flavors and colors. What about Albania? Toka Fermentary is the first Albanian label that produces handcrafted Albanian kombucha. Read their story.   

THE STORY

It’s the latest health craze, we get it, but what exactly is kombucha? It’s a drink made from fermented tea, normally black and/or green, brewed with sugar before being mixed with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts (SCOBY).  <<This culture ferments the sugars into different sorts of vitamins that can help with digestion, maintaining a healthy liver, and other health benefits. In a few words? Kombucha is a living drink that helps the body and mind>>, says Ledio Hysi, founder and manager of Toka Fermentary. This is the first -and only- label that nowadays produces kombucha in the Albanian market. Toka began to form as an idea during the beginning of pandemic and took form in late 2020 as a family affair. Now, you can find their products in several cafes, restaurants, and shops around Tirana. 

THE COLLECTION

Toka Fermentary’s kombucha comes in five different flavors -passion fruit, ginger, mango, raspberry and hopped kombucha- and takes about 17 days to fully produce from initial fermentation to bottling. After two weeks of fermentation, flavors are added to the kombucha and it is conditioned in cold temperatures for a few days before being bottled and labeled by hand. In the last years, the land of Eagles has shown an incredible interest in health and organic food and beverages. Kombucha is no exception. <<I couldn’t find it in Albania, so rather than importing it, decided to make it>>, he says. Beside kombucha, Toka Fermentary makes also fermented hot sauces from peppers and garlic, and seasonal products ranging from jams to kimchi, using local and organic products when available. Take a look here: tokafermentary.al.

INFORMATION

Find out more about Toka Fermentary.
Instagram: @tokafermentary