Rutland-based business launches ‘upcycled’ drink Kaoba in UK market
A revolutionary ‘upcycled’ new drink using a waste product from making chocolate has been launched by a fledgling county business.
Kaoba, a sparkling cacaojuice soda, is made from the leftover pulp of the cacaofruit - better known for its beans which are used to produce cocoa and chocolate.
The company has its HQ at Wireless Hill, near South Luffenham, in Rutland, which also houses companies run by Kaoba investors Charles Ellis and Tim Cook.
Tim runs Verstile Venues, while Charles runs logistics firm CS Ellis as well as a distillery in Oakham.
Kaoba is the first sparkling cacaojuice soda made on this scale in the UK, and is being marketed as a healthier alternative to sugar-laden soft drinks, and also for its sustainable qualities.
“I came across a really unusual ingredient which no-one really knows about,” said company founder Mathew Halford.
“We are pretty much 100 per cent sustainable because it’s made from waste material. It’s 100 per cent upcycled.
“Seventy-five per cent of that otherwise goes into landfill and creates a huge amount of toxic waste.”
Mathew worked in the City as a headhunter in financial services and then became a football agent before moving into food and drink when he set up Table and Kin, a digital platform for small independent producers.
It took him just six ‘stressful’ months to bring Kaoba to market but he has high hopes for the product which he says will also support cacao farmers in South America.
“It’s been a baptism of fire,” Mathew added.
“We are meeting with two very large retailers next week and fully expect to be in at least one of them shortly.”
A canning plant is to be installed at Wireless Hill to allow it to be distributed from there, and there will be a launch party in the coming weeks at Rutland Nursery, in Manton.
It will be available in two flavours initially - original and garden mint - with ginger and acerola cherry flavours coming soon.
“There are a lot of drinks out there where people don’t understand exactly what they are putting into their bodies, but ours is just two ingredients, cacaofruit juice and sparkling water, so you know exactly what you’re getting,” Mathew said.
“It stands out as a tastier, more sustainable alternative to every other drink on the shelves.”
