Our Story

How do you brew a delicious lemonade that is low in calories and completely natural? The answer was found in an age-old recipe: water, lemon, figs, organic sugar and water kefir grains, which ensure natural fermentation.

Artisanal & refreshing

"Zester was born from our passion for taste and healthy drinks. What started as an experiment in our own kitchen, grew into a popular natural soft drink, based on an age-old water kefir recipe. With pure ingredients and a careful fermentation process, Zester offers a particularly thirst-quenching and healthy alternative to traditional soft drinks - in a fresh jacket."

Philippe - Co-Founder & Fermenter

The name 'Zester' & the branding

"The name Zester immediately felt right: short, spicy and fresh. It refers to the peel of citrus fruits, but also to the 'zest' that we want to give to the soft drink world. Our branding is playful and clear, just like our drink: pure, artisanal, and with a quirky wink."

Veerle - Co-Founder & Creative Director

Water kefir

What is Water Kefir?

Water kefir is a fizzy soft drink made by adding water kefir grains to a sugary liquid. These natural grains, also called tibicos, contain good bacteria and yeast. The sugars are converted into carbon dioxide and during the fermentation process wonderful aromas are released, characteristic for the delicious taste of water kefir.

Water kefir crystals are a typical example of a SCOBY, a symbiosis of bacteria and yeast. Another type of SCOBY is a kombucha fungus, which converts sweet tea into trendy lemonades. Some of you may already be familiar with the delicious kombuchas from Yügen.

The origin of water kefir

There is still much uncertainty about the exact origin of water kefir. No one knows exactly how old this artisanal drink is or where it comes from today. According to the most common hypothesis, the grains come from a cactus from Mexico. But other regions are also familiar with the water kefir culture, such as Japan, Georgia, the Caucasus region and India.

A healthy alternative to the classic sugary soft drink

Water kefir is a healthy alternative to the soft drinks of commercial giants. Thanks to the fermentation process, our lemonade contains much less sugar. We do not add sugar substitutes or preservatives, everything is pure nature. This fermented soft drink is therefore not a coincidence a favorite among conscious consumers. Thanks to Zester, you can now easily get it at home and enjoy it.

The continuation of an age-old tradition

Although it is an age-old drink, there is a lot of experimentation and innovation going on today. Creative recipes are exchanged in chat groups and kefir grains are offered for free. In this way, the tradition of water kefir continues to evolve with modern flavour variations and production techniques.