The Drink That Shouldn’t Exist....But Does
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For some time, the world has worshipped chocolate, but almost no one has questioned what happens to the rest of the cacaofruit. The answer? It’s thrown away. Every year, the chocolate industry discards millions of tons of cacaofruit pulp, using only the beans while the naturally sweet, nutrient-rich juice is left to rot.
That’s where Kaoba comes in. We took what was never meant to be used and turned it into something extraordinary - a refreshing, lightly sparkling drink made from 100% upcycled cacaofruit. It’s proof that sustainability isn’t just about doing less harm - it’s about challenging wasteful systems entirely.
So, why was this juice ignored for so long? And what does its revival mean for the future of food and sustainability? Let’s dive into the story of the drink that wasn’t supposed to exist - but now does.
The Forgotten Fruit
Cacao has been cultivated for over 3,000 years, dating back to the Mayans and Aztecs, but while ancient civilisations valued the whole fruit, modern chocolate production became laser-focused on a single thing: the beans. The rest of the fruit - around 70% of its mass, was seen as useless.
What most people don’t know is that the cacaofruit itself is packed with natural sweetness and electrolytes, making it an incredible natural refresher. It has a fruity, tropical taste, with notes of pear, lychee, and citrus - completely different from chocolate.
Yet, for generations, nobody thought to drink it. Instead, it was left to decompose on the ground, wasted on an industrial scale.
Breaking the Rules: Turning Waste into a Drink
Kaoba was born from a simple yet radical idea: What if we rescued this discarded juice and turned it into something delicious? Instead of letting the cacaofruit go to waste, we cold-press the pulp at the source, freeze it to lock in freshness and then lightly carbonate it for a clean, naturally sweet, and sustainable drink.
This isn’t just about creating another beverage. It’s about rethinking food waste at its core. Upcycling cacaofruit doesn’t just reduce environmental impact - it also creates a fairer system for cacao farmers, who now earn extra income from a product that was once worthless.
With every can of Kaoba, you’re fighting food waste, supporting farmers and sipping on something completely new.
What Else Are We Wasting?
Cacao isn’t the only example of hidden food waste. Around the world, perfectly good ingredients are discarded because they don’t fit into conventional food systems.
- Coffee cherry pulp – The outer fruit of coffee beans, often thrown away.
- Wonky vegetables – Misshapen but perfectly edible produce that supermarkets reject.
- Brewer’s spent grain – A byproduct of beer-making that can be repurposed into flour or protein sources.
The future of food is about reimagining waste - finding new ways to use what we already have instead of constantly extracting more from the planet.
Why This Matters
Kaoba is more than just a drink. It’s part of a bigger movement—one that challenges how we think about food, sustainability, and fairness in supply chains.
✅ 100% upcycled cacaofruit – Rescuing waste from the chocolate industry.
✅ Fairer wages for farmers – Providing additional income beyond cacao beans.
✅ Clean, natural refreshment – No added sugars, just the fruit and sparkling water.
✅ Better for the planet – Less waste, lower carbon footprint, and a smarter use of resources.
So, next time you take a sip of Kaoba, remember, you’re drinking something that wasn’t supposed to exist and that’s exactly why it matters.