What is kefir? And should you be stocking it?

Functional, gut-friendly and fermented are the ‘foodie trinity’ du jour. As the worlds of speciality and health food and drink collide, consumers are more frequently considering the benefits of what they put in their basket.

“Is this good for me?”

“Will this support my microbiome?”

“How much sugar is in this?”

These are all questions a growing number of shoppers are asking before they commit to a purchase. And the industry is sitting up to take notice, with multiple new products flooding into the market, especially the drinks sector.

Riding on the coat tails of the success of kombucha, kefir fits neatly into the gut-health trend, and curious consumers are giving it a try.

The team at Biotiful Gut Health, founded by former figure skater Natasha Bowes, has seen a notable uptick in UK sales. “It’s now the fastest growing category in yoghurts, up 33% in the last 12 months,” a spokesperson says.

Bio&Me has reported similar success with its new kefir yoghurts, revealing these have gone from strength-to-strength, with sales up 62% year-on-year, buoyed by a new look in 2023, which ‘dialled up’ kefir’s credentials.

And Carl Hopwood of Good Company, which produces glass-bottled kefir for Britain’s milk rounds says, “Tesco reported a 400% increase in kefir sales with their stocked brands in the past 18 months alone.” He believes consumer awareness of gut health benefits is responsible. “At Good Company, we ourselves have seen a positive increase in kefir sales month on month across our milk rounds partners in the past 12 months.” 

It’s an exciting time for kefir producers, he adds, saying he feels the trajectory is set to continue in the UK as more consumers add kefir to their weekly shop.

Cheesemaker, Nettlebed Creamery ventured into kefir making in 2018 just as, it says, kefir was beginning to become popularised in Britain. “We wanted to find more ways to express the quality of our milk, whilst also making a product that is somewhat new to the market, with health-promoting properties,” says head of production, Patrick Heathcote Amory.

It has proved a hit, adds Nettlebed’s Sabrina Longley. “We found, particularly during 2020, with the rise of Covid, people turned to it as a way of boosting their immunity to the virus. Since then, customers kept returning as they found regular consumption of our kefir made them feel better and healthier in all sorts of ways.”

Bio&Me co-founder and CEO, Jon Walsh, agrees that Covid has been a key driver for the enduring and rising popularity of kefir. “It [the pandemic] made everyone sit up and take notice about gut health and their overall immunity, and consumers are continuing to prioritise their health when it comes to yoghurts, preferring to opt for high-quality products that taste good and do good.”

Enjoying yoghurt regularly, Jon says, has been linked to enhanced health benefits but “low fat yoghurts are currently in decline. I think this is partly due to the fact that more consumers are aware of ultra-processed foods, and are checking the ingredients labels more than before. Plus, there is also a perception that ‘light’ products lack taste.”

Why are gut-friendly drinks trending?

Mark Gilbert, nutritionist at The 1:1 Diet, says, “Over the last few years, it has become obvious that the ‘microbiome’ (the bacteria, viruses and fungi living mostly in our guts) is essential for many of our bodily functions. There are about as many cells from microorganisms in (and on) our bodies as our own bodily cells - about 37 trillion (previous, oft-repeated estimates were 100 trillion but better estimates have since been conducted).”

Gut-friendly drinks, Mark says, can contain prebiotics (nutrients that feed the microbiome) or probiotics (the microorganisms themselves), which may beneficially change the balance and types of species in the gut. These claims lean in to the current consumer zeitgeist.

What is kefir?

Kefir is a fermented food/drink made with milk, kefir grains and cultures. Registered nutritional therapist, Lucia Stansbie, says fermented foods like kefir contain “specific strains of bacteria which can colonise the gut and ferment fibre, producing short chain fatty acids (SCFA) as a byproduct. SCFA have numerous health benefits, impacting immunity and hunger hormones, supporting metabolism and production of neurotransmitters such as GABA and serotonin (our happy hormone).”

Kefir, she adds, can be enjoyed at any time of the day but “the important thing is to have these foods raw as heat will have an impact on the probiotic bacteria”.

What is water kefir?

Water kefir is a whole different offering than kombucha, dairy kefir and other functional drinks, says Agua de Madre founder, Nicola Hart. A vegan alternative, made much the same way to dairy kefir (only with water), she says it’s “celebratory” and can be enjoyed daily as a small pleasure “like a cup of coffee”. 

“Its glorious amount of natural health benefits from the gut-loving probiotics it is packed with, are a double reason to drink.”

What does kefir taste like?

Kefir is thought of as slightly lighter than yoghurt, but with more lemony, tart notes, and a gentle fizz that develops the longer the kefir is kept.

Carl says the tangy taste is because kefir is all-natural. “When added to smoothies, granola, or used for marinating protein and creating condiments as you would with Greek yoghurt, the taste profile is similar.”

What are the health benefits of kefir?

“Few people are aware kefir is actually probably the ‘king’ of probiotic foods,” says Mark.

“While yoghurt typically contains up to five or ten different bacteria, kefir can have dozens – up to 60 in some studies. Just as importantly, several of the bacterial strains in kefir can survive the acidity and enzymes of the gut, so that they actually arrive in the colon where they can produce their benefits. This is important because the biggest concern with foods and supplements that contain probiotics is that not enough of them survive the unfriendly environment of the stomach and intestines to reach the colon.”

Mark says other benefits of kefir are that it can compete against so-called ‘bad bacteria’, is high in Vitamin K2 (which could have powerful effects on bone and heart health), and is low in lactose.

Without gut-friendly bacteria, we couldn’t digest much of the food we eat, make some essential nutrients, or send essential hormonal and neural messages within the body, Mark adds.

“Beyond this, they affect our mood, our immunity and several aspects of our metabolism. Athletes and obese people have different levels of certain microbes, as do people with diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, meaning that in the future, therapies for diseases, reducing weight and improving athletic performance could be based upon changing the microbiome.”

Why should retailers consider stocking kefir?

Carl reflects that he is already seeing popular kefir brands investing heavily in ‘above the line’ campaigns to reach a wider audience, and that “all this amplified awareness really helps give consumers an understanding of how to introduce kefir into their diet and daily routine. It is a simple switch away from yoghurt.” Retailers need to take notice of products promoting ‘good bacteria’, Carl adds, and to listen to shoppers, who are “beginning to steer clear of ultra-processed yoghurts they once thought were healthy.”

His thoughts chime with Biotiful, which says its data shows 74% of the UK population know the importance of good gut health, and are looking for simple, enjoyable ways to achieve this.

“Consumers are happy to pay more for health benefits,” Nicola adds. And, unlike some other fermented drinks, kefir is not “vinegary”, which can be a turn off for some. She says to sell kefir alongside “your premium drinks in the fridge, next to grab-and-go wines”.