What does it cost to make kombucha?
Cost to make, ex-works $0.5139 per 330ml bottle, at 12,000 units
Per 1,000 units$513.86
Whole run$6166.27
This is a realistic mid-market estimate, not a quote. The same product at 5,000 units and at 50,000 units are different businesses — run size moves tolling more than any other line. Use it to sanity-check a quote, not to replace one.
Where the money goes
Ingredients $0.0839 16%Packaging $0.2400 47%Tolling $0.1450 28%Inbound freight $0.0090 2%Yield loss $0.0360 7%
The formulation
| Ingredient | Qty | Price | Overage | Per unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cane sugar | 60 g/L | $0.26/lb | 3% | $0.0118 |
| Tea | 4 g/L | $6.80/lb | 5% | $0.0208 |
| Fruit puree | 40 g/L | $1.45/lb | 6% | $0.0447 |
| Culture and starter | 2 g/L | $4.20/lb | 8% | $0.0066 |
| Ingredients per unit | $0.0839 | |||
What actually moves this number
- GlassA 330ml bottle with a crown or twist cap is roughly eight times the packaging cost of a can, and it is heavier to ship in both directions.
- YieldFermentation is less predictable than blending. A 93% yield is realistic and it adds about 7% to your true cost — none of which appears on an invoice.
- Cold chainRaw kombucha needs refrigeration through the whole chain. That is a real cost most first-time models leave out entirely.
- Tank timeYou are occupying a fermenter for days rather than a filler for hours, which is why tolling looks high relative to a soft drink.
What is not in here
- Pasteurised kombucha costs less to distribute but is a different product commercially. Decide which you are before you pick a co-packer, because not all of them can do both.
- Excludes cold storage and refrigerated freight, which can add more than the tolling fee.
Change the assumptions. Every figure above is an input, not a fact. Put your own supplier prices, your own pack size and your own run volume into the calculator and see what your product actually costs.
Open the calculatorOther products
Canned soft drink $0.1614 / unit Hot sauce $0.8867 / unit Skincare serum $2.8278 / unit Energy drink $0.1759 / unit Cold brew coffee $0.4184 / unit RTD cocktail $0.4067 / unit Flavoured sparkling water $0.1376 / unit Granola $2.3048 / unit Protein powder $11.4803 / unit Gummy supplements $2.3137 / unit Face cream $3.3752 / unit Shampoo $1.5113 / unit Candle $5.0816 / unit Laundry detergent $3.1031 / unit Pet treats $0.9522 / unit Ready meal $2.1280 / unit Chocolate bar $1.4098 / unit Liquid hand soap $1.0726 / unit Lip balm $0.5052 / unit
A cost you worked out once is already out of date.
Supplier prices move, co-packers raise rates, and runs yield worse than planned. NextBatch derives cost per unit instead of storing it, so it moves on its own.
No card. Set up your first product in about ten minutes.