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Vital Veggies raw krauts are made with organically-grown vegetables. Locally-grown vegetables are emphasized, when available. Without doubt, you are giving your body the best. Furthermore, you are supporting a local fermentation business, you are supporting the farmers that produce the ingredients, and you are joining the greater community of good stewards of our soil, water, and air by choosing organic/naturally-grown.

Celtic sea salt, a natural, high-mineral salt, is the salt of choice. Vital Veggies are moderately salty, but the salt is a key ingredient, and as with the quality of the vegetables used, the salt is also premium grade.

A natural fermentation process is used, without the need for culture starters or vinegar. Raw, lacto-fermented vegetables do not require or contain vinegar. However, if you read product labels carefully, you will notice that some commercial, raw kraut manufacturers are using “lacto starters,” “culture starters,” etc. Viable Cultures begins each batch of kraut from scratch and does not mingle cultures or add any kind of starters. (the bacteria responsible for the fermentation are associated with the vegetable ingredients used... there is no good reason to add starters)

The fermentation takes place over a period of weeks in large, glass containers. Glass and ceramic containers are the cleanest and safest fermentors to use for acidified ferments. On a commercial scale, they are relatively cumbersome and tedious to work with, and therefore, are relatively uncommon. Plastic or steel, which are debatably less clean and safe, are more commonly used by commercial, raw sauerkraut producers. Do not worry– you know that Vital Veggies are fermented in glass.

Vital Veggies raw sauerkraut is sold in 15-oz. jars.  (larger, bulk sizes are also available)  The sauerkraut is raw, unpasteurized, and refrigerated.  Look for it in the refrigerator section in grocery stores.  The suggested retail price is $14.49.

** click here to learn more about Raw Sauerkraut **

There are four primary recipes/flavors of Vital Veggies Raw Sauerkrauts:

“A” mild krauts: green or red cabbage with caraway seed or various dry spices

“B” spicy krauts: green cabbage with “kimchi quartet” (garlic, ginger, allium, pepper) and daikon radish

“C” spicy krauts: red and green or red cabbage with “kimchi quartet” (garlic, ginger, allium, pepper) and beet

“D” intermediate krauts: red and green or red cabbage, carrot, onion, garlic, ginger, and dry spices

The preceding four images are of fully-fermented Vital Veggies. The following photos show the cabbage before it’s fermenting (at Gladheart Farms, in Asheville) and while it’s fermenting (at Blue Ridge Food Ventures, in Asheville).