Kefir is a fermented food similar to yogurt. It’s made using kefir cultures (also known as kefir grains), which are clumps of bacteria and yeast, sort of similar to yogurt cultures, kombucha SCOBY, or sourdough starter. These kefir grains eat natural sugars to produce tangy foods and drinks that are full of healthy probiotics!

Kefir can be made using milk, water, and milk alternatives. Our coconut kefir is made with coconut milk, and our water kefirs are made with... you guessed it: water!

Traditionally, kefir is pronounced “kuh-FEER”, emphasizing the second syllable. Some people also say “KEE-fur” or “KEFF-er”. We think you should say it however you like!

The healthy bacteria in kefir produce acids that prevent mold and other organisms from developing. This in turn gives kefir a tangy flavour that's a little more sour than yogurt. As the kefir grains grow, they also release carbon dioxide, resulting in a naturally effervescent mouthfeel that melts in your mouth.

With no added sugars, preservatives, or fillers, our coconut kefir imparts a clean, and natural coconut flavour.

Our water kefir beverages, on the other hand, are a much lighter alternative to sugary soft drinks. People have described our various flavours as tasting like fuzzy peaches, and cherry coke.

Our coconut kefir is extremely high in probiotics. Probiotics are measured in colony forming units (CFU), which describes the number of viable cells – lab tests have shown that our coconut kefir contains ~1.47 trillion colony forming units (CFU) per mL, compared to 1-10 billion CFU per dose in most probiotic supplements.
Our customers have told us that our kefir has helped:

• Reduce bloating
• Reduce the effects of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Reduce constipation
• Reduce eczema
• Improve digestion
  

The U.S. National Institute of Health (NIH) has consolidated and summarized some of the research on probiotics, finding that in some cases, probiotics have helped with:

• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Excessive unexplained crying in young infants (colic)
• Sepsis in infants
• Gum diseases
• Atopic dermatitis (eczema)
  

Scientists are continuing to uncover more and more health benefits of probiotics, including linkages to mood, mental health, and even cognitive function.

We recommend that you have just 2-4 tablespoons of our coconut kefir to start, and slowly work your way up to having more as your gut adjusts to the healthy bacteria. Everyone’s gut is different – that’s why many people face issues with digestion when travelling, even though locals eating the exact same foods are perfectly fine. The probiotics in our kefir stay in your gut, and help you maintain a healthy gut microbiome.

Enjoy our coconut kefir on its own, with some fruits and granola, or in smoothies. Check out our recipes here or our Instagram for some more ideas. Just remember that extreme temperatures (i.e., cooking or freezing) will kill a lot of bacteria.

Enjoy our water kefir beverages as a healthier alternative to sugary juices and soft drinks. Have them on their own, or use them to mix up a fun drink! They’re not as high in probiotics as our coconut kefir, so no need to work your way up with serving sizes.

We generally like to have 2-4 tablespoons in the morning with breakfast, and again after dinner. That being said, there’s no one-size-fits all – see what works best for you, your body, and your schedule! Just remember that consistency is key. Try to stick to a routine for a week or two, and see if you notice a difference in how you feel.

Everybody is different, and everybody’s gut is different. Some people will notice an effect very shortly after having just a few tablespoons (e.g., reduced bloating), while others will see changes after a few days (e.g., increased regularity and better digestion). Consistency is key, and we recommend you incorporate kefir into your routine for a week or two to start seeing the effects.

That’s just the nature of real food! Without additives, thickeners, emulsifiers, or preservatives, the texture of our coconut kefir will change over time, and even separate. Unless the kefir is well past its best before date (200 days unopened in the refrigerator), it should still be good to eat. This is because the kefir cultures we use create a naturally acidic environment that inhibits the growth of other bacteria. Our kefirs continue to ferment over time while they’re on shelves, and may separate into a slightly more solid layer on top, and a clearer liquid on the bottom – this is perfectly normal, and perfectly good to eat. Sometimes, you may even find that the coconut kefir will “explode” out of the bottle! This just means that you’ve lucked out and gotten yourself some extra active bacteria!

We’ve gotten used to seeing only the most “perfect” looking foods in grocery stores. While these foods may look great, just remember that often, this is only possible through GMO crops, preservatives and pesticides, chemicals, or because “uglier” foods are simply thrown out.

We think it’s what’s on the inside that counts!

There are a few reasons why our kefirs are more expensive than typical kefirs and yogurts:

1. We produce all of our products ourselves. Many food and beverage companies outsource their manufacturing to larger production facilities called co-manufacturers or co-packers – this is why sometimes, you might see labels on foods that say “processed in a facility that also processes” nuts, dairy, or other allergens. Our production facility and team are dedicated to the production of our kefirs. This allows us to ensure that every batch of kefir is made with the utmost care, and is handled properly at every stage along the process.
2. We don’t use any fillers. Adding thickeners like guar gum or agar increases the content of products, without adding very much nutritional benefit. Eating products with these thickeners will also make you feel fuller much more quickly, as they are mostly fiber. The reason that our coconut kefir is so much higher in probiotics than pretty much any other product you’ll find is because the product is pure – made with just coconut milk and kefir cultures.
3. Our kefir will last you much longer than conventional yogurts. Because the concentration of probiotics in our kefir is so high, our serving size is much lower than conventional yogurt as well. A typical single serving size of yogurt is roughly 4 ounces, which is roughly 2-4 times more than a serving for our kefir. Just a small jar of our coconut kefir should last you about a week!

Our coconut kefir contains just two ingredients: coconut milk, and kefir cultures. We used to add a little bit of filtered water because the coconut milk we were using was too thick, but have since solved the issue with our coconut milk supplier, and no longer add any water.

Our water kefir beverages contain just four ingredients: filtered water, organic cane sugar, water kefir cultures, and fruit concentrate or puree. We use organic cane sugar because the kefir cultures eat these sugars to grow. As the drinks ferment in our facility, and on shelves, the sugar content decreases as well. Fruit concentrate is fruit with the water removed.

Yes! All of our products are vegan.

Yes! Our facility and all of our products are dairy-free.

Yes! All of our products are gluten-free. Kefir “grains” are actually bacteria and yeasts.

Yes! Our facility and all of our products are nut-free (other than coconut of course!).

Our coconut kefir yogurt is sugar-free.

Our water kefir beverages contain organic cane sugar and fruit concentrate. Over time, the kefir cultures eat up this sugar.

Yes! We are proud to be certified non-GMO.

Yes! All of our products are kosher.

We're not yet certified organic, but are working on it – stay tuned!

As living organisms, probiotics continue to evolve. The most common probiotic species found in our coconut kefir include: Lactococcus lactis, leuconostoc mesenteroides, leuconostoc lactis, leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides, lactobacillus kefiri, lactobacillus kefiranofaciens, lactobacillus reuteri.

Our coconut kefir is made by fermenting pure coconut milk using proprietary kefir cultures that we’ve been growing since 2017. Once the coconut milk has fermented, the kefir grains are strained out, and the kefir is bottled. That’s it! No additives, no fillers, no preservatives. Just pure fermented coconut kefir.

Our water kefir beverages are made by fermenting a solution of filtered water and organic cane sugar with our proprietary water kefir cultures. Once the water has been sufficiently fermented, we add in fruit concentrate or puree, mix and bottle.

We make our kefir at our production facility in Mississauga, Ontario.

You can buy our kefir from over 400 retail locations across Canada, like Whole Foods, Healthy Planet, Summerhill Market, Choices Market, and Fortinos! Find the retailer closest to you using our store locator. If you want to see us at your local health and organic grocer, let the store know!

Because our kefir is a refrigerated product, shipping to our customers across Canada can be very difficult and expensive. Right now, we’re only able to ship within the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). We’re working on expanding our range of area for shipping to customers directly.

Orders typically ship within 2-3 weeks. This is because we ferment our kefir in small batches, and consolidate orders before shipping out. You will receive an email when your order has shipped out, and when it has been delivered. Please put your kefir in your fridge as soon as you can! Leaving your kefir out in the heat for too long may cause the texture of the kefir to change, or cause the bacteria to be overactive, potentially leading to minor explosions!

If you have any questions or concerns about your order, please email us at hello@kefirkultures.com, and we would be happy to provide you with an update.

We don’t accept returns as our products are perishable. However, if you run into any issues with the product being damaged through the shipping process, please let us know and we will work to make this right.

Our coconut kefir has a shelf life of 200 days, refrigerated and unopened. This is the best before date that you see on the bottle. Over the 200 days, the healthy bacteria in the kefir will continue to grow, so don’t be surprised if you notice some changes in texture, or separation of the kefir and coconut water. Remember not to double dip, and consume within 2 weeks of opening.

Our water kefir beverages have a shelf life of 160 days, refrigerated and unopened. The bacteria in our kefir drinks similarly continue to grow on shelves, making the drinks less sugary over time. They’re designed as single serving bottles, and just like soft drinks, they’ll loss their fizz over time if left out and opened.

We don’t recommend freezing our kefir as extreme temperatures typically have adverse effects on the living probiotics in our products. Most of the healthy bacteria will wake back up in your gut, but some will remain inactive. Freezing and thawing will also change the texture of our kefir.

*Consult your doctor* In our experience, both pregnant women and kids have loved our kefirs. Expecting mothers have told us that our coconut kefir has helped them reduce bloating and discomfort, while kids love the fun bubbly taste on their tongues. Just remember to start off with a few spoonfuls, and give your gut time to adjust to the new colonies of probiotics. The coconut milk we use to produce our kefir is pasteurized prior to fermentation, but our kefir is not pasteurized, as this would kill the live probiotics.

If too much of our kefir is consumed at once before allowing your body and gut time to adjust, you may experience be some immediate effects… that is, the need to rush to the bathroom! We suggest you work your way up slowly.

Yes! Antibiotics generally disrupt the microbiome of bacteria in your gut, potentially leading to digestive issues like upset stomachs and diarrhea. Research has shown that probiotics can reduce the onset of antibiotic-associated diarrhea by half! Just make sure that you wait a few hours after taking antibiotics before having kefir so that the healthy bacteria don’t get killed.