Kaoba’s Next Chapter: From Proving the Cacaofruit to Scaling It

In its first year, Kaoba did something unusual in the drinks industry: it didn’t try to grow fast. It tried to prove something. The product itself (a sparkling soda made from cacaofruit, the juicy pulp that surrounds cacao beans) was already unconventional. For decades, the world has focused on chocolate while the fruit that produces it has largely been discarded. Kaoba’s premise was simple but ambitious: take this overlooked cacaofruit, turn it into a refreshing sparkling drink, and see if consumers would embrace a new flavour built around cacaofruit itself.

Year one, then, was about laying a foundation. Rather than rushing straight into large retail chains, the company focused on proving the concept. Could cacaofruit soda stand on its own? Would people understand what cacaofruit actually is? And perhaps most importantly, would they buy it again after the first taste? Introducing cacaofruit to consumers meant more than selling a drink; it meant educating people about an entirely new ingredient category.

Across coffee shops, restaurants, gyms and independent retailers, Kaoba quietly built a following. Tasting events and in-person sampling introduced thousands of people to cacaofruit for the first time. Many were surprised that a drink made from cacao didn’t taste like chocolate at all. Instead, cacaofruit soda delivered a bright, tropical, naturally refreshing flavour — something closer to citrus and lychee than anything associated with cocoa.

The reaction was strikingly consistent: curiosity first, repeat purchase second. Once people discovered cacaofruit, they came back for more cacaofruit soda.

That early traction allowed Kaoba to achieve something important in its first year: recognition. Not just brand recognition, but recognition of cacaofruit itself. The fruit began appearing on menus, in fridges, and in conversations about sustainable drinks. What had once been an overlooked agricultural by-product started to become a legitimate beverage ingredient.

If the first year was about proving cacaofruit soda, the second year is about scaling it.

Kaoba has now entered what the company describes as an aggressive growth phase. With the concept validated and early demand established, the focus shifts to expansion. The infrastructure built during year one — brand awareness, supply of cacaofruit, distribution relationships and a growing base of loyal customers — is now being used to scale into wholesale and large retail channels.

In practical terms, that means more stockists, more visibility, and a much wider audience discovering cacaofruit soda for the first time. Wholesale distribution is expanding rapidly, while conversations with larger retailers are accelerating. The goal is straightforward: make cacaofruit a familiar name in the drinks aisle.

The timing may be favourable. Consumers increasingly want beverages that are simple, sustainable and ingredient-driven. Cacaofruit fits that shift naturally. It is a fruit that has historically been wasted in chocolate production, yet it offers a refreshing flavour profile and a compelling sustainability story. Turning cacaofruit into sparkling soda allows the fruit to move from agricultural surplus to everyday drink.

For Kaoba, the strategy is clear: build the brand while simultaneously building recognition of cacaofruit as an ingredient category. The company is not simply selling a drink; it is introducing the world to cacaofruit soda and making cacaofruit part of the modern beverage vocabulary.

This is how many categories begin. Coconut water, kombucha and matcha were once unfamiliar products that required explanation before they could scale. Now they are global categories. Kaoba believes cacaofruit could follow a similar path.

The coming year will determine just how far that idea can go. Production is increasing. Distribution is widening. Brand awareness is accelerating. What began as an experiment with cacaofruit is now turning into a deliberate push to make cacaofruit soda widely available.

Year one was about proof: proving that people would drink cacaofruit.

Year two is about momentum — and bringing cacaofruit to the mainstream.