The Point.1888, the agency known as the next generation in brand licensing, has signed a deal for its client River Cottage which will enable it to produce a range of organic Kombucha drinks.

The antioxidant-rich tea based drink, which is commonly consumed for its wide-ranging health benefits, was marked as number one on River Cottage’s wish list of products, and thanks to a deal secured by The Point.1888 with Equinox Kombucha, River Cottage-branded kombucha is to become a reality in a matter of months.

River Cottage Organic Kombuchas will be made in partnership with Equinox, who have been making organic Kombuchas at their artisan “brewery” near Hebden Bridge in Yorkshire since 2013.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s hugely successful food and events business brought on The Point.1888 back in February 2019 to help it generate further brand awareness and encourage the nation to eat more sustainably and ethically through the introduction of a broader range of consumer products.

These highly innovative products are being developed as part of River Cottage’s on-going mission to create Food to Inspire Change, and in line with its SLOW ethos of foods that are Seasonal, Local, Organic and Wild.

Since starting work with the brand, The Point.1888 has helped to secure six new partnerships for River Cottage, including: an organic and eco-friendly coffee producer; one of the leading organic breweries in the UK; a bees wax plastic-free, food-safe wrap manufacturer and an award-winning organic artisan cider producer.

This latest deal is with Equinox Kombucha, one of the UK’s fastest-growing makers of this increasingly popular traditional drink, based on brewing with live cultures known to be beneficial to a healthy gut.

Commenting on the deal, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, said, “I’ve been a big kombucha fan for a few years now. I think it’s a fantastic drink and I believe it’s not only helped me to maintain a diverse gut biome, but also to reduce my alcohol consumption by offering a complex and delicious alternative without a load of sugar and additives. I’ve been brewing my own at home and sampling almost any kombuchas being sold in the UK that I could get my hands on. But it frustrated me that so many of them are imported from abroad, and pasteurised so they are no-longer “live”. When I sampled the Equinox range I was blown away by the quality and delighted to note that it was fully organic, completely live, and being made right here in the UK. It’s been a fantastic experience to collaborate with Daniel and Rupert at Equinox to create a range of completely original River Cottage kombuchas, based on some of our favourite ingredients, from the Garden, Orchard, Hedgerow and Meadow.”

Louise Williamson, Head of Specialist Brands at The Point.1888, said, “This partnership is significant, not just because it topped our client’s wish list, but also because we expect the timing of our launch should make it incredibly rewarding. While we continue to battle a global outbreak of Covid-19, there is a significant rise in the demand for immunity-boosting foods and beverages, particularly kombucha.”

Equinox has seen sales of its own brand of Kombucha rise significantly in retail over the last few years, something that they ascribe to the rise in social awareness of gut health and the holistic health benefits of fermented living foods and drinks. With  increasing evidence that there are links between our gut health, and our mental wellbeing and immunity, kombucha is poised to sky rocket in the marketplace in the wake of Covid-19.

With the River Cottage kombucha range now in production and packaging designs being finalised, The Point.1888 and Equinox are currently holding meetings with retailers to agree where the range will be stocked. It is expected to be in stores towards the end of September.

About The Point 1888
The Point.1888 is the next generation of brand licensing. Matching brands with retailers and manufacturers to create powerful new products, The Point.1888 helps its clients boost revenue, brand awareness, consumer engagement and brand love.

It also donates 11% of its profits each year to charities that have an emotional connection to each collaboration.

Borne from Joseph Miller & Sons Ltd, The Point.1888 is a fifth-generation family company with 130 years’ experience in bringing products to market.

It believes that making more money and getting closer to customers is easy when you have the right partner. You go out of your comfort zone, create something new and work with businesses you never thought you would. And the results can be incredible. That’s The Point(.1888) of brand licensing.

For brand extension opportunities please contact: helloyou@thepoint1888.com www.thepoint1888.com

About River Cottage HQ:
River Cottage has been a household name in Britain since 1999, when Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall first brought his hands-on, ethical food ethos to our TV screens. Since then, the River Cottage books, TV series and Hugh’s hard-hitting campaigns have changed the eating habits of the nation, as well as improving the welfare of our farm animals and the sustainability of our fish.

River Cottage HQ, situated on the Devon-Dorset border, is a thriving 100 acre organic smallholding. It’s also home to the multi award winning cookery school, and the base for unique dining experiences and events including weddings and private parties. Renowned for its keen sense of seasonality and sustainability and proud to champion the best local producers: it’s a food hub where you can learn, cook, eat and be inspired.

In nearby Axminster is the award-winning River Cottage Kitchen and Deli, using the very best seasonal ingredients from the surrounding area. Alongside fresh, seasonal fruit, veg and wild foods grown and gathered at River Cottage HQ, the Kitchen menus showcase fish and shellfish from West Country day boats and organic meat and dairy products from local farms.

Hugh says “It’s our greatest delight to share our passion for food integrity and local, seasonal produce with the thousands of people who visit us at our cookery school and restaurants. We are looking forward to sharing our unique ethos even more widely as we develop our partnerships with some of the UK’s most outstanding organic food and drinks producers.”

About Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall:
Hugh is a multi-award-winning writer and broadcaster known for his uncompromising commitment to seasonal, ethically produced food and his concern for the environment. He has earned a huge following through his River Cottage TV series and books, as well as campaigns such as Hugh’s Fish Fight, Hugh’s War on Waste and his latest,   BBC1’sWar on Plastic with Hugh and Anita.

Hugh established River Cottage HQ in Dorset in 2004, and the operation is now based at Park Farm near Axminster in Devon. An organic smallholding, HQ is also the hub for a broad range of courses and events, and home to the River Cottage Cookery School.

Hugh is a vice president of Fauna and Flora International and a patron of Switchback, a charity that helps young offenders find opportunities in the catering industry.

Hugh and his family live a few miles from River Cottage HQ in East Devon.