YALA Kombucha

YALA Kombucha traces its brewing to 2018, when its founder discovered Noma's Guide to Fermentation while traveling. The first SCOBY was a gift received at a Lithuanian Christmas market and carried back to the UAE, where the brewing began. In 2019 the kombucha was introduced to the public at the Ripe Markets in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, selling out on its first day.^[1]

Between 2020 and 2022 the company ran more than 800 kombucha trials. YALA Kombucha was founded as a kombucha brewery in 2022, and by December of that year the YALA Kombucha Bar had opened its doors. Its first physical space was in Mina Souq, Abu Dhabi. YALA describes the move from home brewing to that venue as the creation of the UAE's first kombucha taproom.^[1],[2]

In 2024 the company expanded production with a new central production facility. The kombucha is brewed in Abu Dhabi, UAE.^[1],[3]

YALA Kombucha's founder is Aurelija. According to the company, she drank kombucha throughout her two pregnancies and found that it aided digestion.^[4]

YALA Kombucha positions itself as an alternative to social drinking, with a stated commitment to inspiring healthier lifestyles. Its kombucha is made only from natural ingredients — tea, herbs, berries and fruit — and is handcrafted in small batches using real tea, herbs and fruit.^[2],[3]

Sugar is kept low by design: every 100ml contains less than 5g of sugar, which the company puts at about three times less than a similar-sized bottle of Coke, and a whole bottle contains just under 10g.^[2],[4]

The range is built to be fully non-alcoholic: YALA produces a version of kombucha whose trace alcohol levels fall within Islamic halal standards. The company states that it is the only globally awarded halal certified kombucha made in the UAE.^[3],[4]

Alongside these sits a luxury sparkling tea line, fermented sparkling teas built on single, named teas: Gyokuro, Oolong, Jasmine Pearls and Royal Velvet Ya Bao, the last introduced in 2024 as a limited edition brew.^[3]

The remainder of the portfolio covers functional, seasonal, collaborative and format-specific releases: Chaga Functional Kombucha; Mulled Spice, a seasonal winter release; Cola; Hakkasan Hibiscus and Lychee Kombucha; and QC x YALA Coffee Bottled Kombucha, a limited edition known as Funky Soul.

Halal-compliant non-alcoholic fermentation. YALA reaches its halal-compliant, non-alcoholic kombucha through a proprietary process, and states that it maintains consistency across batches using an in-house lab.^[4]

Cola, reformulated. YALA spent six months reimagining its Cola to create a non-alcoholic alternative to industrial cola suited for food pairing.

Botanical, floral and citrus components. Herbs, flowers, citrus and chilli carry the flavoured kombuchas.

• Elderflower — Elderflower Bottled and Canned Kombucha
• Lavender and rosemary — Lavender & Rosemary Bottled and Canned Kombucha
• Ginger and lemon — Ginger & Lemon Bottled and Canned Kombucha
• Lime and mint — Lime & Mint Bottled and Canned Kombucha
• Yuzu and chilli — Yuzu & Chilli Bottled and Canned Kombucha
• Hibiscus and lychee — Hakkasan Hibiscus and Lychee Kombucha

Citrus and spice. Ginger & Lemon combines zesty lemon and spicy ginger for a balance of refreshment and revitalization, with a warming, uplifting sensation in the bottled version. Lime & Mint is tonic-like, pairing zesty lime and invigorating mint with a mix of acidity and bitterness and tangy flavours. Yuzu & Chilli is citrusy with a subtle, mildly spicy kick that is not overwhelming.

Floral and herbal. Elderflower is aromatic, soft and delicately flowery in both bottle and can. Lavender & Rosemary is a soothing, calming blend that the company likens to the fields of Provence.

Fruit. Berries Bottled Kombucha is fruity and playful, with refreshing notes of berries, and is described as aimed at kids and those with a sweet tooth. In the Hakkasan Hibiscus and Lychee Kombucha, hibiscus brings a deep ruby hue and a bright, tangy lift while lychee rounds the edges with delicate, perfumed fruit notes.

Coffee and functional. Coffee Bottled Kombucha carries the rich aroma and robust flavour of a classic Italian dark roast. The QC x YALA collaboration is described as smooth, balanced, coffee-forward, bold and juicy. Chaga Functional Kombucha is smooth, grounding and revitalizing, blending YALA's sparkle with the earthy richness of chaga.

At the table. YALA's Cola was developed as a non-alcoholic alternative to industrial cola suited for food pairing.

Chaga Functional Kombucha was created in collaboration with New Mind Siberian Chaga Crystals.^[5]

YALA also worked with Quality Control Coffee on Funky Soul, a limited-edition coffee kombucha that infuses two naturally processed coffee origins, Brazil and Ethiopia.^[6]

YALA Kombucha won seven awards at the World Alcohol-Free Awards 2026, including two Gold medals, bringing its total to 16 international awards in three years. In 2025 it received five global awards at the World Alcohol-Free Awards. It has also taken medals at the World Kombucha Awards in Barcelona for three consecutive years: one in 2023, one in 2024 and two in 2025.^[7]

In 2020 the company won the Aldar-NYU Mannasah competition for F&B startups.^[1]

Kombucha awards by product include the company's first Global Kombucha Award, taken by Ginger & Lemon in 2023, and a Global Kombucha Award medal for Royal Velvet Ya Bao in 2024.

World Alcohol-Free Awards 2025. Individual results recorded for the 2025 edition:

• Jasmine Pearls — Gold
• Yuzu & Chilli Canned Kombucha — Silver
• Ginger & Lemon Canned Kombucha — Bronze
• Ginger & Lemon Bottled Kombucha — Bronze
• Lavender & Rosemary Canned Kombucha — Bronze
• Gyokuro Luxury Sparkling Tea — Commended

World Alcohol-Free Awards 2026. Individual results recorded for the 2026 edition:

• Royal Velvet Ya Bao — Gold
• Yuzu & Chilli Bottled Kombucha — Gold
• Oolong Luxury Sparkling Tea — Silver
• Berries Bottled Kombucha — Silver
• Berries Canned Kombucha — Silver
• Jasmine Pearls — Bronze
• Gyokuro Luxury Sparkling Tea — Commended
• Lavender & Rosemary Bottled Kombucha — Commended
• Lavender & Rosemary Canned Kombucha — Commended