Alternative gut-health beverage brand, Hip Pop, is gaining increasing recognition for both its superior brewing quality and business success after taking home a total of 5 stars at this year’s Great Taste Awards, in addition to being shortlisted for ‘SME Emerging Business’ at the Food & Drink Federation (FDF) Awards 2023.
The Altrincham based business submitted 4 of its deliciously fermented living culture drinks to be considered by Great Taste – the world’s largest and most trusted food and drink accreditation scheme – and walked away with a clean sweep after all 4 products won an award.
The Tropical Peach Living Soda received two stars, whilst the Ginger & Yuzu Kombucha, Gut Lovin’ Lemonade and Cherry & Blackberry CBD Kombucha – Hip Pop’s first CBD drink to launch in Sainsbury’s – each received one star, positioning Hip Pop as an official Great Taste producer.
Representing the largest manufacturing sector in the UK, the Food & Drink Federation’s dedicated awards recognise and reward excellence for innovation, competitiveness and talent within the food and drink industry. Following Hip Pop’s recent shortlisting for ‘SME Emerging Business’ alongside a number of other innovative brands including Mindful Mixology and The REAL Drinks Co, all winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Thursday 21st September at The Roundhouse in London.
Emma Thackray, co-founder of Hip Pop, said: “2023 has been an exciting year so far for Hip Pop – not only have we expanded our team as well our drinks range, but we launched our Kombuchas and Sodas in one of the UK’s biggest supermarkets, making our products more accessible than ever before. To be recognised by Great Taste once again is an honour and to be shortlisted at the FDF Awards is just the cherry on top of our most successful year to date.
“Our variety of Living Sodas are healthy, functional and packed with live cultures as well as your daily dose of apple cider vinegar. We created this range to not only taste good but do good too, so for our favourite flavour – Tropical Peach – to receive two stars from Great Taste is a huge testament to the quality and design of our products.
“Hip Pop has ambitious plans to increase our retail distribution by 150% over the next 12 months to further enhance both our UK and international market presence. Watch this space!”
Since it was founded as ‘Booch & Brew’ in 2019 by friends Emma Thackray and Kenny Goodman, Hip Pop has evolved into an established independent brewer, where its range of vegan, low-sugar and non-artificial Classic Kombucha, CBD Kombucha and Living Sodas are now sold by leading retailers across the country, including Booths, Harrods, Fortnum & Mason and most recently, Sainsbury’s – the brand’s largest commercial listing to date.
Over the last 12 months, the Hip Pop team has scaled production and increased its online sales by over 100%, inspiring a new retail strategy and expansion into gut-friendly soft drinks.
For more information, visit: www.drinkhippop.com.
