Kumasi Drinks

About Kumasi Drinks

Kumasi Drinks is a Dutch beverage company founded in 2021 that turns cocoa fruit pulp into soft drinks and other food applications. The company positions itself around two linked goals: reducing food waste by using a part of the cocoa fruit that is normally discarded, and creating extra income for cocoa farmers and seasonal workers.

The company says it began as an idea during the making of a documentary about the cocoa industry, when the founders saw how little value farmers captured from the harvest. Since then, Kumasi has introduced cocoa fruit drinks to the Dutch market and expanded its work with farmers in cocoa-growing regions, with activity in Ecuador, Ghana and Ivory Coast.

Key Offerings

• Cocoa fruit soft drinks: Sparkling and still drinks made with cocoa fruit pulp, sold under products such as Gassi and Sappi. The drinks are positioned as tropical, refreshing alternatives with no added sugar.
• Cocoa fruit ingredients for food and beverage applications: The company uses cocoa fruit juice in a range of applications beyond drinks, including chocolate fillings, dairy, ice cream, cocktails, wine and beer.
• B2B collaboration: Kumasi offers cooperation for hospitality venues, canteens and events that want to serve something different, indicating a business-to-business supply and partnership model alongside retail sales.

Core Values

• Food waste reduction: Kumasi emphasizes that cocoa fruit is a fruit with valuable pulp that is usually left unused. By processing it, the company aims to reduce waste in the cocoa chain.
• Farmer income: A central value is that using the fruit creates additional income for cocoa farmers and seasonal workers, rather than leaving value only in the beans.
• Impact measurement: The company states that it actively measures and validates its impact in the communities where it works, together with local and international partners.
• Sustainability and biodiversity: Kumasi links its work to broader environmental benefits, including a zero-waste facility initiative and tree planting to support biodiversity.

Unique Aspects

• First cocoa fruit drink concept in the Dutch market: Kumasi says it introduced cocoa fruit to the Netherlands in 2021 through its drinks.
• Zero-waste facility in Ivory Coast: In partnership with the Tony’s Chocolonely Foundation, Kumasi Commodity Innovations and ETG/Beyond Beans, the company is building a facility to scale cocoa fruit processing and local job creation.
• Concrete scale-up targets: The Ivory Coast facility is expected to connect 5,000 farmers over time, with 800 already in the pipeline, and to reach 300,000 liters of production in 2026 before growing to a base capacity of 800,000 liters.
• Named launching customer: Kumasi says Ivorio, a major juice producer in Ivory Coast, will take 30,000 liters in the final quarter of 2025.
• International footprint: The company says it is already active in Ecuador, Ghana and Ivory Coast, showing a reach beyond its Dutch home market.