15 Mar 2010 --- Drawing upon more than 40 years of tea expertise and commitment to innovation, Celestial Seasonings, a brand of The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., has created the first raw, organic Kombucha that is naturally enhanced with functional ingredients to provide specific wellness benefits. Launching at the Natural Products Expo West Trade Show, each of the five fermented tea beverages features a distinctive blend of fruits, herbs and botanicals and a light effervescence, resulting in exceptional flavor that shatters Kombucha's perceived taste barrier.

"Celestial Seasonings is once again leading innovation within the tea category by offering a more flavorful and functional Kombucha than is currently available," said Peter Burns, General Manager of Celestial Seasonings. "Kombucha has gained a small but loyal following thanks to its health- and wellness-supporting qualities, but we've enhanced its palatability and appeal so that more people can enjoy its nutritional benefits."

Celestial Seasonings is the first brand to augment Kombucha's naturally occurring enzymes, probiotics and antioxidants with all-natural functional ingredients that provide an additional targeted wellness boost. Beginning in April, the new line will be available at Whole Foods Market and other natural foods stores in five flavorful, functional varieties with a suggested retail price of $2.99 to $3.49 for one 16-ounce bottle.

Available varieties include:
• Digestion: Meyer Lemon Ginger - contains prebiotics and ginger to support digestive health and meyer lemon for a sweet-tart taste
• Antioxidant: Superfruit - contains Vitamin C to support immunity and well-being and acai, goji and pomegranate for a rich flavor
• Metabolism: Berry Guava - contains green tea extract and B-vitamins to support healthy metabolism and huckleberry, blueberry and guava for tangy sweetness
• Energy: Pomelo Citrus - contains B-vitamins and ginseng to maintain healthy energy levels and pomelo for a unique citrus taste
• Super Green: Tropical Blend - contains spirulina for concentrated green food nutrients and mango and other flavors for a temptingly tropical taste

Kombucha can be traced back more than 2,000 years to Russia, the Himalayas and the Far East. To make Kombucha, a special live culture called a SCOBY (short for "symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast") is added to a combination of organic brewed tea and sugar. After fermentation, live and raw Kombuchas like Celestial Seasonings Kombucha contain naturally occurring probiotic organisms and acids that may promote gastrointestinal health and enhance and maintain vitality.