Last year Grammy-Award winning, stadium headlining trio, RÜFÜS DU SOL and two lifelong ex-Diageo mates, teamed up to launch a new hard kombucha, Mate Maker Co, in Australia. With the band’s own shift towards moderation and mindfulness in mind, they set out to create a delicious beverage made from better ingredients, that gives those who choose to drink, the opportunity to ‘drink better’.

Now, Mate Maker, debuts in America, following Rufus‘ own musical journey, by putting down roots in Southern California, a region that shares a deep kinship with Australia’s laid-back, beach-centric culture, and which the band, and Mate Maker’s fellow founders, have called home for close to five years.

“We’ve been touring here as a group consistently for almost a decade now, and have been lucky enough to have been embraced by fans and to have been able to build a community around what we do here,” says Danny Robson – Co-Founder of Mate Maker and Artist Manager, RÜFÜS DU SOL.

“The US is our second home because of the support of that community. We’re thrilled to be able to bring this company and everything it stands for to the states, where the idea for it was first hatched on a highway in California.”

Mate Maker‘s hard kombucha arrives in the US, gluten-free and vegan, and comes in three refreshing 6% ABV flavors, perfect for the summer; Mango Peach Smash, Blood Orange POG and Pineapple Sundream. Mate Maker previewed Pineapple Sundream in May at RÜFÜS DU SOL‘s Sundream festival in Mexico, the perfect occasion to launch a drink with music in its DNA, that’s focused on celebrating amazing times with friends while giving consumers the choice to ‘drink better’

“Having a drink with friends at a gig, or at the beach, was a big part of our lives growing up,” says Jon George of RÜFÜS DU SOL. “As we’ve become more mindful about what we drink and how we operate on tour, we wanted to create Mate Maker to give people the chance to drink something they know is made from simple quality ingredients.” 

Mate Maker hard kombucha is deliciously refreshing and crafted using only real fruit, organic green tea and simple ingredients you can pronounce. Transparency and simplicity are fundamental principles of the brand, which uses no artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors or hidden ingredients and is small batch brewed, vegan and backed by sustainable zero-plastic packaging.

“It’s no secret that alcohol consumption per capita has been declining for some time because consumers are embracing mindfulness and moderation in their choices,” said Justin Medcraft, Founder – Mate Maker Co.

“This shift to drinking better, not more, is what drives us to create insanely tasty and refreshing drinks that you’re proud to share with your mates. Because if  you choose to drink, why not drink something that’s made with better ingredients, that’s also better for the planet?”

Mate Maker is debuting in San Diego this summer, in partnership with Scout Distribution, which specializes in distributing craft beverages throughout the West Coast.

“There is still a lot of head room for hard kombucha in Southern California, but it’s a young and extremely dynamic category. You need a brand that resonates with the lifestyle of the core audience and the team to work tirelessly to get it in front of them. Mate Maker has both,” says Lisa Govenar – VP at SCOUT Distribution.

“They have a great team, stand out flavors, and their experiences as global phenoms in the music industry bring something new and exciting to the market.” 

Mate Maker‘s BrewMaster, Josh Makler, is a long-time San Diego resident and a pioneer in the hard kombucha category.

Mate Maker launches in San Diego with multiple on-premise locations serving draft, and retailers across the region carrying canned six packs.

Tasting Notes:

Mate Maker Mango, Peach Smash:

Golden hour captured in a can. This full flavor bevvy of amazingness captures the tropical collision of mangos and peaches with the citrus splash of lemon to create the perfect drink for kicking back with your mates this summer.

Mate Maker Blood Orange P.O.G:

Dive into this tropical party wave that combines real Passionfruit and Guava with Blood Orange for a new spin on a Hawaiian classic that’s the ultimate beachside sipper.

Mate Maker Pineapple Sundream:

With every sip of Sundream you’ll be transported to the warm tropical shores of Mexico where its rich and diverse culture has inspired this refreshing tropical beverage. This hard kombucha draws its influence from tepache, a traditional Mexican beverage made from fermented pineapples and regional spices that has been shared between friends and family for centuries.