Bucha30
by The 5th Ingredient
Kombucha brewery software from the makers of Beer30: recipes, tank and SCOBY tracking, mother-tank rebrews, a brew-to-package process and batch history in a core Production Suite, with purchase orders, lot traceability, batch COGS, demand planning, raw-material forecasting and a QuickBooks Online or Xero sync as paid modules. From $118 a month, set by production volume.
Why it is classified this way
We call this a Batch / process manufacturing product. Built around recipes or formulas, batch runs, and lot genealogy. May or may not include full time-phased planning.
It is not labeled Full MRP because we have not verified that it accepts dated demand, sales orders, a forecast, or a master production schedule; nets that demand against stock on hand and orders already incoming; explodes requirements through at least one level of the bill of materials; uses lead times or required dates; and produces dated buy, make, transfer, release, or reschedule recommendations. That is a statement about the evidence we found, not a claim that the product is weak, see the capability table and the sources below.
The six Full MRP tests, and how Bucha30 does on each (1 of 6)
- YesIt represents a bill of materials, recipe, or formula.Evidence: the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 pricing(opens in a new tab); the5thingredient.com(opens in a new tab); the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 software(opens in a new tab)
- PartialIt accepts dated demand, sales orders, a forecast, or a master production schedule.Not established. Only partly shown: the evidence covers some of this but not all of it, so the test is not established.
- PartialIt nets that demand against stock on hand and orders already incoming.Not established. Only partly shown: the evidence covers some of this but not all of it, so the test is not established.
- PartialIt explodes requirements through at least one level of the bill of materials.Not established. Only partly shown: the evidence covers some of this but not all of it, so the test is not established.The Bucha30 page lists "Raw Material & Packaging Inventory Forecasting (MRP)" and the bundles page an "MRP MODULE" with "Raw Material Inventory Forecasting". No page describes how recipes are turned into material requirements for planned batches. the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 software(opens in a new tab); the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 pricing(opens in a new tab)
- UnknownIt uses lead times or required dates.Not established. No evidence found yet.
- UnknownIt produces dated buy, make, transfer, release, or reschedule recommendations.Not established. No evidence found yet.
These rules are applied identically to every product and enforced at build time, a record cannot be published as Full MRP unless all six pass with a source attached. Read the methodology.
Best for
- Kombucha breweries that want SCOBY, mother-tank and continuous-brew records next to their batch history
- Kombucha makers who want batch COGS and a QuickBooks Online or Xero sync from the same vendor as Beer30
- Breweries that want unlimited users and month-to-month terms, and can live with a quote for the real price
Not a fit when
- Buyers on a small budget: the core suite starts at $118 a month and lots, purchase orders and COGS are paid modules
- Anyone who wants to read the manual before buying: the knowledge base is behind a customer login
- Shops that need a documented API or webhooks: the API page covers Beer30 and says nothing about Bucha30
Pricing facts
What it costs to do manufacturing in this product.
Advertised from
$118/month
Useful entry price
$118/month
Billing basis
Usage-based
Free trial: 14 days.
What moves the real bill
- Onboarding fee. None stated. The shared pricing page offers "1-ON-1 ONBOARDING" "at no extra cost", and the Bucha30 bundles page lists a "45-Minute Workflow Call" and "Unlimited Live Trainings" under platform and support.
- Usage-based. The bill moves with your order, SKU, or transaction volume.
Plans
| Plan | Price | Add-ons and setup |
|---|---|---|
| EssentialsBucha30Billing term not stated | from $118/mo | — |
| Unlimited users. "Cloud-based and secure", "Live brew process alerts", "Unlimited support". Reads as the Production Suite core. Set by production volume. The figure is on the vendor's shared pricing page, which is titled for Beer30. | ||
| Essentials + SalesBucha30Billing term not stated | from $194/mo | — |
| Unlimited users. Adds "Manage outside sales", "Live inventory", "Delivery Planning" and "Customer Management". Set by production volume. The figure is on the vendor's shared pricing page, which is titled for Beer30. | ||
| Essentials + Sales + FinanceBucha30Billing term not stated | from $313/mo | — |
| Unlimited users. Adds "Cost of Goods (COGS) Tracking", "AP/AR Sync", "Direct Accounting Software Sync" and "Raw Material Inventory". Set by production volume. The figure is on the vendor's shared pricing page, which is titled for Beer30. | ||
Cheapest paid plan that manufactures, by paid users
- 1 user: Essentials, at least $118 a month (billing term not stated); first year at least $1,416.
- 5 users: Essentials, at least $118 a month (billing term not stated); first year at least $1,416.
- 10 users: Essentials, at least $118 a month (billing term not stated); first year at least $1,416.
Pricing detail
All figures are from-prices in US dollars a month, read from the vendor's shared pricing page: Essentials from $118, Essentials + Sales from $194 and Essentials + Sales + Finance from $313. That page says "Pricing is in USD and determined by production volume and selected features or bundles", and the Bucha30 bundles page says "Pricing is tiered based on annual brewhouse production volume", so the real figure comes by quote. The page with the dollar figures is titled for Beer30; it is the "Pricing & Features" page in the menu of every Bucha30 page, while the Bucha30 bundles page itself shows modules and a "GET MY PRICE QUOTE" button with no figures. Users are unlimited ("Add as many users as you want at no extra charge"), there is a "FREE 2-WEEK TRIAL", and you can "Pay month-to-month with no long term commitment OR lock in your price with a contract". The Bucha30 bundles page lists "Raw Materials Inventory" in the core Production Suite, while the shared pricing table lists "Raw Material Inventory" only in the Finance bundle; confirm which bundle you need for ingredient stock. Integrations carry their own fees ("Integration Fees Apply").
Checked on October 10, 2026. Source: the5thingredient.com(opens in a new tab). Prices change. Check before you buy.
Manufacturing capability
14 of 25 fields resolved. "Unknown" means we have not found first-party evidence. It is not a No.
Planning
Working out what to buy or make, and when.
| Capability | Finding | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| Accepts dated demandYou can tell it what is due and when, sales orders with dates, a forecast, or a production schedule. | Partial | The Bucha30 page lists "Sales Forecast Calculator", "Demand Planning" and "Finished Goods Inventory Forecasting", and the bundles page sells a "DEMAND PLANNING MODULE" with "Sales Forecast", "Demand Report" and "Production Forecast". These are feature names; no page says how a forecast or due date feeds material needs.Reviewed October 10, 2026. Source: the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 software(opens in a new tab); the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 pricing(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| Nets against stock on handIt subtracts what you already have before telling you to buy more. | Partial | The Bucha30 page lists "Raw Material & Packaging Inventory Forecasting (MRP)" and the bundles page an "MRP MODULE" with "Raw Material Inventory Forecasting" and "Package Supplies Forecasting". Neither page says the forecast subtracts stock on hand or counts open purchase orders.Reviewed October 10, 2026. Source: the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 software(opens in a new tab); the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 pricing(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| Counts incoming ordersIt knows about purchase orders and production orders already placed, so it does not tell you to order twice. | Unknown | Not yet researched. We would need: documentation showing open purchase or production orders included in the supply picture.Know the answer? |
| Uses lead timesIt works backwards from when you need something to when you must order or start it, using supplier and production lead times. | Unknown | Not yet researched. We would need: documentation showing lead time fields that shift a suggested order or start date.Know the answer? |
| Produces dated buy/make suggestionsThe output is an actionable list with dates, order this much by this date, start this batch on this date. | Unknown | Not yet researched. We would need: documentation or a screenshot of replenishment or planning suggestions carrying dates.Know the answer? |
| Capacity planningChecks whether your people and machines can do the work in the time available. | Partial | "Dashboard & Tank Management" and "Schedule & Task Management" are listed on the Bucha30 page, and the home page says you can "rebrew into a mother tank and follow fermentation curves for months to years". No capacity check against tanks or people is described.Reviewed October 10, 2026. Source: the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 software(opens in a new tab); the5thingredient.com(opens in a new tab)Question this |
Production
Recipes, bills of materials, and running the work.
| Capability | Finding | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| Bill of materialsA list of the parts and quantities needed to make one of something. | Partial | The core Production Suite lists "Raw Materials Inventory" and "Recipe Management", and the home page says Bucha30 lets you "Understand the costs that are associated with base sugars & teas, hops, and adjuncts". No page says a recipe lists quantities per batch or that brewing deducts ingredients from stock.Reviewed October 10, 2026. Source: the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 pricing(opens in a new tab); the5thingredient.com(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| Multi-level BOMSub-assemblies inside assemblies, a part that is itself made from other parts, nested as deep as you need. | Unknown | Not yet researched. We would need: documentation of nested or multi-level bom structures, not just a flat component list.Know the answer? |
| Recipes & formulasBatch-style production by weight, volume, or percentage, including scaling a batch up or down. | Yes | "Recipe Management" is in the core Production Suite on both the Bucha30 page and the bundles page, alongside "SCOBY Management" and "Mother Tank Tracking".Reviewed October 10, 2026. Source: the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 software(opens in a new tab); the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 pricing(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| Work / manufacturing ordersA record authorising and tracking the making of a specific quantity. | Yes | The core Production Suite lists a "Custom Brew-to-Package Process", "Scheduling & Task Management" and a "Batch History Report"; the Bucha30 page lists "Brew-to-Package Process" and "Schedule & Task Management".Reviewed October 10, 2026. Source: the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 pricing(opens in a new tab); the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 software(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| Routings & operationsThe ordered steps a product goes through, and which machine or station does each one. | Partial | The bundles page names a "Custom Brew-to-Package Process" in the core suite. Nothing describes the steps, or which tank or station does each one.Reviewed October 10, 2026. Source: the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 pricing(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| Shop-floor trackingOperators report progress, time, and completions as the work happens. | Partial | The bundles page lists a "Web App (cross-device compatible)" and "Email & Text Notifications" for the Production Suite. The Bucha30 pages do not say that operators record process data as the work happens; that claim appears only in the vendor's Beer30 copy.Reviewed October 10, 2026. Source: the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 pricing(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| Quality controlsChecks, tests, holds, and non-conformance records tied to production or receiving. | Partial | The Bucha30 page lists "Lab Data", "CIP Logging", "Sensory Evaluation" and "Compound Training"; the bundles page sells a "QUALITY MODULE" with "Packaged Kombucha Carbonation", "Customizable CIP Logs", "R&D Tracking" and "Lab QC Data", and a "FERMENT TESTING MODULE" with "Pass / Fail VDK Test Logging Panels". We found no holds or nonconformance records.Reviewed October 10, 2026. Source: the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 software(opens in a new tab); the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 pricing(opens in a new tab)Question this |
Inventory & traceability
Knowing what you hold and being able to trace it.
| Capability | Finding | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| Batch & lot traceabilityWhich incoming material lots went into which finished batch, and where those finished goods went. | Yes | "Lot Traceability" is listed on the Bucha30 page and in the "INVENTORY & COGS MODULE" on the bundles page, which also sells a "FINISHED GOODS TRACEABILITY MODULE" with "Batch # Tracking for Distribution". Both are paid modules, not part of the core suite.Reviewed October 10, 2026. Source: the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 software(opens in a new tab); the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 pricing(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| Expiry & shelf lifeBest-before dates on materials and finished goods, with warnings before they lapse. | Unknown | Not yet researched. We would need: documentation of expiry, best-before, or shelf-life date fields.Know the answer? |
| Serial numbersUnique identifiers on individual units, for warranty or field service. | Unknown | Not yet researched. We would need: documentation of serial number tracking on individual units.Know the answer? |
Commerce & accounting
Costs, purchasing, storefronts, and the books.
| Capability | Finding | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| Product costing & COGSWhat it costs you to make one, and the cost of the goods you sold. | Yes | "Cost of Goods Sold" is listed on the Bucha30 page, the bundles page sells "Batch Cost of Goods Sold (COGS)" in the Inventory & COGS module and "Batch-specific COGS" in the finished goods traceability module, and the home page says you can "Analyze the health associated with harvesting your SCOBY, and add that to the overall COGS for that particular brew!"Reviewed October 10, 2026. Source: the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 software(opens in a new tab); the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 pricing(opens in a new tab); the5thingredient.com(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| PurchasingRaising and tracking purchase orders to suppliers from inside the system. | Yes | "Purchase Orders" is listed on the Bucha30 page and in the "INVENTORY & COGS MODULE" on the bundles page. A paid module.Reviewed October 10, 2026. Source: the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 software(opens in a new tab); the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 pricing(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| Accounting connectionSends financial data to bookkeeping software, or includes its own general ledger. | Yes | The Bucha30 page lists "Accounting via QBO / Xero"; the bundles page sells an "ACCOUNTING SYNC MODULE" with "QuickBooks Online or Xero", "A/P & A/R Sync" and "G/L Journal Sync"; the Xero page's FAQ asks "How do Xero account codes work with Beer30 / Bucha30?" "Integration fees apply".Reviewed October 10, 2026. Source: the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 software(opens in a new tab); the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 pricing(opens in a new tab); the5thingredient.com › Xero integration(opens in a new tab)Question this |
| Ecommerce connectionPulls orders and pushes stock levels to a storefront or marketplace. | Partial | The integrations page says "Beer30® and Bucha30® brewery software provide a robust foundation for our integration partners" and shows Shopify among them, but the Shopify page describes the sync for Beer30 only ("Beer30's integration with Shopify automatically updates your taproom inventory in real time"). The Bucha30 page lists a "Sales Ordering Portal via GP Analytics" instead. "Varying integration fees apply for each integration."Reviewed October 10, 2026. Source: the5thingredient.com › Integrations(opens in a new tab); the5thingredient.com › Bucha30 software(opens in a new tab)Question this |
Openness & your data
Getting data in, out, and away if you leave.
| Capability | Finding | What we found |
|---|---|---|
| APIA documented programming interface so other software can read and write your data. | Unknown | The vendor's API page describes a REST API for Beer30, issued by key on request. No page says whether Bucha30 customers get it.Know the answer? |
| WebhooksThe system can notify other software the moment something changes. | Unknown | Not yet researched. We would need: documentation of outbound webhooks or event subscriptions.Know the answer? |
| MCP supportA Model Context Protocol server, letting an AI assistant read or act on this data. Useful, but it has nothing to do with whether the product plans materials. | Unknown | Not yet researched. We would need: a first-party mcp server, or documentation of one.Know the answer? |
| CSV exportYou can get your lists out as spreadsheet files. | Unknown | Not yet researched. We would need: documentation of csv or spreadsheet export.Know the answer? |
| Full data exportYou can take everything, including history and relationships, not just a few screens' worth of rows. | Unknown | Not yet researched. We would need: documentation of a complete account export, database dump, or equivalent.Know the answer? |
Deployment, licensing and your data
- Deployment
- Cloud (hosted for you)
- Licensing
- Proprietary SaaS
- Team sizes
- Just me, 2–5 people, 6–20 people, 21–50 people
- Manufacturing styles
- Batch & recipe products
Integrations
- QuickBooks Online
- Xero
- GP Analytics
- CartonCloud
Industries
Jobs this product qualifies for
Derived from the capability table above, not hand-assigned.
Editorial notes and cautions
Things we would want a friend to know before buying.
- Prices are from-figures determined by production volume and the modules or bundles you pick ("Pricing is tiered based on annual brewhouse production volume"), and integrations carry their own fees, so get a written quote at your annual volume.
- The only dollar figures are on the vendor's shared pricing page, which is titled for Beer30 and reached from the "Pricing & Features" menu on the Bucha30 pages; the Bucha30 bundles page shows modules and a quote button with no prices. Confirm the $118, $194 and $313 bundles apply to kombucha.
- The Bucha30 bundles page lists "Raw Materials Inventory" in the core suite while the shared pricing table lists it only in the Finance bundle, and the bundles page still says "The Production Suite is the core of Beer30 software." Ask which bundle includes ingredient stock.
- The vendor describes raw-material inventory and forecasting without saying that brewing deducts ingredients from stock, so the bill-of-materials and MRP claims rest on feature names.
- Every capability here rests on marketing pages: the knowledge base at kb.the5thingredient.com asks you to "login to Beer30 / Bucha30" first, and the API reference is not public.
Alternatives to Bucha30
An alternative is always an alternative for a reason. There is no universal replacement.
Beer30 is the same vendor's beer edition, with the same bundles and from-prices, plus a $30 Lite tier that Bucha30 does not have.
Breww publishes its full price list and includes batch costing and the accounting sync in every tier, but it is built for beer and does not advertise kombucha features such as SCOBY or mother-tank tracking.
Evidence and verification
Why this record is not Verified. Held at partially verified on purpose: every claim rests on marketing pages and feature names, the knowledge base is behind a customer login, and prices are from-figures set by volume on a page titled for Beer30.
Researched 2026-10-10 from the Bucha30 software and bundles pages, the shared pricing, integrations, Xero, QuickBooks Online, Shopify and API pages, and the home page at the5thingredient.com, all read as page text. The knowledge base at kb.the5thingredient.com redirects to a no-access page for anyone not signed in, the Bucha30 pamphlet sits behind a form, and customer testimonials were not used as evidence.
Sources we checked (9)
the5thingredient.com
What we still want to confirm
We publish our gaps rather than hiding them. If you can point us at a first-party page for any of these, we will update the record and credit the correction.
- Confirm with the vendor that the $118, $194 and $313 bundles on the shared pricing page apply to Bucha30, and get the price at a stated annual volume.
- Confirm which bundle includes raw-material inventory, since the Bucha30 bundles page and the shared pricing table disagree.
- Find documentation of whether brewing a batch deducts ingredients from stock and how the MRP module turns recipes into material needs, including open purchase orders and lead times.
- Confirm whether Bucha30 customers get the REST API, and anything on webhooks, CSV export and full data export.
- Confirm expiry or best-by handling and whether Shopify or another storefront connects to Bucha30 rather than Beer30.
- Read the knowledge base (kb.the5thingredient.com) once a customer login is available.
Still unknown: counts incoming orders, uses lead times, produces dated buy/make suggestions, multi-level bom, expiry & shelf life, serial numbers, api, webhooks, mcp support, csv export, full data export.