Descripción

Based in Porto, MAI Kombucha is a company that produces and sells kombucha, a drink of Chinese origin with more than 2000 years, made through the fermentation of the green tea herb (Camellia sinensis). The consumption of kombucha has been associated with beneficial effects on health of its consumers, namely in the improvement of the intestinal microbiota and of the immune system. This may be due to the presence of B vitamins (B1, B2, B6, B12), vitamin C and probiotics.

MAI Kombucha was conceived by Gonçalo Campos, who had the dream of creating a company that would contribute to the positive transformation of the beverage industry, which was developed without thinking about the health of the planet and the consumer. This is how, in 2020, MAI was born, with the dream of contributing to a world with less soft drinks and more kombuchas, less preservatives and more life, less plastic and more nature, a more natural and less artificial world. The brand was born in Gonçalo's kitchen and, since then, has gone through an intense process of evolution and growth.

MAI Kombucha's mission is to spread the culture of kombucha in Portugal and Spain, through the production and marketing of an authentic drink and the dissemination of knowledge about fermentation for home production. The purpose of the start-up is to inspire positive experiences in people's lives and to be an agent of change in the food industry and in consumer habits.

The first phase of the project is already completed: developing the brand and the product - a truly living, healthy kombucha, made with organic ingredients and naturally carbonated.

The second phase is now underway: industrialization and responsible growth, respecting product principles and quality. Currently, production takes place in a 100m2 factory in Leça da Palmeira (Porto Metropolitan Area). The company also rents a small warehouse in Matosinhos.

In July 2020, the startup sold 200L of kombuchas. In the same month of the following year, the value increased to 1,500L. Already this summer of 2022, the promoter expects to exceed 3,000 L sold per month.

The funds raised through this campaign will be used to finance the purchase of a 25 m2 cold room, increasing the company's storage capacity.

MAI's Kombucha needs to be stored in the cold as it is a live drink (not pasteurized), with natural fermentation and without industrial techniques that detract from its benefits. After the natural gas is produced inside the bottle, the cold stabilizes the fermentation and maintains its quality and flavor.

El impacto

Promotion of circular consumption: MAI Kombucha has a reverse logistics service for the reuse of bottles. Through this system, the waste of 2,500 safety bottles was avoided.

Responsible production: 98% of the ingredients used producing kombucha are organic. In addition, 90% come from the Iberian Peninsula, which demonstrates the company's care for local and environmentally friendly resources. Furthermore, the management of waste from the production process is done efficiently, through the reuse of materials, such as packaging cards; the composting of biodegradable waste; and the selective recycling of the remaining materials. The company has as a near-future goal to calculate the amount of waste production for the purpose of identifying improvements and publishing a sustainability report.

Promotion of a healthier lifestyle: kombucha is naturally carbonated and non-preservative, presenting itself as a healthy alternative to soft drinks (drinks rich in sugar associated with obesity and the development of diabetes). This beverage is thus associated with benefits for intestinal health and the immune system.

Contribución a los Objetivos
de Desarrollo Sostenible

Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible

Viabilidad Financiera

MAI Kombucha began its production in 2020 and has been increasing sales since then. Its growth strategy is based on optimising investments to ensure capacity to sustain its development. In addition to the focus on increasing productivity to scale up production, there is great concern about maintaining the quality of the beverage.

In 2021, the company launched a crowdfunding campaign to fund the purchase of a new semi-automatic filling machine, which has allowed the average kombucha production to be tripled.

Currently, the company plans on buying equipment to sustain sales growth by increasing and scaling up production. The funds raised through this campaign will be used to purchase a cold storage chamber, which will allow for increased storage capacity, the main obstacle to increased production at present. With greater production capacity, the company hopes to continue expanding its sales volume. It is expected that this loan is paid back using proceeds from the company's future sales. 

Download Información Financiera para el Inversor de Financiación Colaborativa (IFIFC)

Garantías

Pledge of the cold storage chamber.

El Promotor

Sobre PAUSA ÉPICA - LDA

Detrás de MAI Kombucha está Gonçalo Campos. Gonçalo tiene 31 años y, aunque nació en Portugal, se crió en Río de Janeiro. Allí comenzó a trabajar tras terminar su licenciatura en Administración de Empresas. Durante más de 4 años, trabajó en una empresa de comunicación brasileña, con el sueño de viajar por todo el mundo.

Fue cumpliendo ese sueño, un viaje que duró tres años, donde descubrió el universo de la kombucha y donde nació su otro sueño: volver a su país natal y difundir el lema «la bebida que da vida». En septiembre de 2019, volvió a Portugal con el reto de hacer de ese sueño una realidad. MAI cuenta ya con más de 100 clientes fijos.

Tras 6 meses de muchas pruebas y muchos comentarios, creó su propia kombucha. Poco después, también desarrolló lo que se conoce como el Kit Kombucha. Gracias a esto, más de 1100 personas han empezado a producirla en sus propias casas.

La empresa opera en Leça da Palmeira, en el área metropolitana de Oporto, pero lleva a cabo su actividad comercial en Portugal y España. Además, cuenta con dos empleados más a tiempo completo, aparte de Gonçalo.

Algunos miembros de la junta de Goparity son accionistas indirectos y minoritarios de MAI Kombucha (20 %).

El equipo

Gonçalo Campos

Fundador

Nacido en Portugal pero criado en Río de Janeiro. Después de completar una licenciatura en Administración de Empresas, trabajó durante más de 4 años en una empresa de comunicación brasileña. Soñaba con crear una empresa que contribuyera a la transformación positiva de la industria de bebidas, y en 2020, nació MAI Kombucha.

Paula Galvanini

Especialista en Fermentación

Chef Natural y nutricionista, especializada en cocina saludable para eventos y retiros. Con experiencia en restaurantes veganos y vegetarianos de renombre, se ha convertido en una entusiasta de los fermentados. En los últimos 4 años, se ha dedicado a crear una marca de kombucha en Lisboa y ahora está uniendo fuerzas con MAI Kombucha con la misma misión de difundir la cultura de la bebida del Bienestar.

Francina Tini

Gerente de Producción

Fran ha estado en la empresa desde el principio y logró aumentar la producción de 100 botellas al mes a 20,000 en 3 años.

Modelo de negocio

Novedades

2024-09-24

The project has been successfully implemented while payments are ongoing

With the funds from this campaign, MAI Kombucha purchased a 25 m2 cold room to increase the company’s storage capacity, which you can see in the picture above next to MAI's founder Gonçalo Campos.

Before the purchase, the company could store less than 1,000 liters of kombucha, while with the cold room, MAI can now store more than 12,000 liters. The new cold room enabled MAI to scale their production and grow their business to contribute to the transformation of the beverage industry.

Apart from the funding goal of this campaign, MAI Kombucha keeps focusing on their sustainable growth. The products used in the kombucha production are all organic and regional – the only exception is the green tea, which comes from China as local options didn't meet their requirements. And MAI has a circular system in place for the return and reuse of their 750ml bottles - in 2024 they are aiming to reach 5,000 returned bottles.

MAI has received the Great Taste awards for their kombuchas in two favorite flavors: Turmeric and Ginger Hibiscus, attesting to their quality with one of the world’s most prestigious food and drink accreditation.

Use the discount code MAI EVOLUTION to buy MAI Kombucha’s beverages and production kits at https://maikombucha.pt/ and follow them on social media https://www.instagram.com/mai.kombucha/.