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A Brand New Drink for Chocolate Lovers
Introducing Babao Cacao: Refreshing Cacaofruit Water
If you love chocolate couvertures with fruity notes and a sustainability story with real impact, then you need to try Babao Cacao! It’s the perfect upselling opportunity for your chocolate shop or bakery counter, and ideal for chocolate tasting workshops, or even in mocktails and cocktails!
Upcycled cacaofruit has been a growing trend for years, driven by the move towards more ethical and sustainable practices in the cocoa industry. Keep reading to discover how Babao Cacao is repurposing waste from cacao processing into a deliciously unique drink that’s perfect for all chocolate lovers.
by Lyndsey Hall
14 October 2026
What Is Cacao Juice? The Fresh, Fruity Side of Chocolate You Need to Know
When most of us think of cacao, we think of chocolate: beans roasted, ground and conched into the bars and bonbons we know and love. But inside every cacao pod, wrapped around those beans, is a soft, white pulp with a fresh and fruity flavour all of its own. Pressed into a juice, it becomes one of the most exciting new drinks on the market: light, tropical and completely unexpected.
Here’s what cacao juice is, what it tastes like, how to serve it, and why it might just be the most sustainable thing on your drinks menu:
What Exactly Is Cacao Juice?
Cacao juice (also called cacaofruit water or cacao fruit drink) comes from the white pulp that surrounds the beans inside a cacao pod. Traditionally, most of that pulp was discarded during chocolate production; a little stays with the beans to help them ferment, and the rest goes to waste.
Now it’s being pressed into a vibrant, drinkable juice, unlocking more of the fruit and cutting waste at the same time. It’s a simple idea that changes how you see the pod: not just something to be thrown away, but a valuable raw ingredient in its own right.
What Does Cacao Juice Taste Like?
Cacao juice is light, tropical and gently sweet. You’ll notice:
- Floral hints of honeysuckle
- A juicy, lychee-like sweetness
- A bright citrus finish
- A soft, subtle cacao note underneath
It’s clean, refreshing and surprisingly moreish; light enough for a hot afternoon, unique enough to pair with a variety of flavours.
Is Cacao Juice Healthy?
Cacao juice fits naturally into the shift towards lighter, less processed food and drinks. Babao Cacaofruit Water is made with upcycled cacaofruit juice and 100% natural ingredients—no added sugar or sweeteners—and is naturally vegan and gluten-free, with the fruit’s naturally occurring electrolytes and minerals. At just 22 kcal per 100ml, it’s as light as it tastes, and the ingredients list is refreshingly short.
Why Is Cacao Juice Sustainable?
Think of the cacao pod as a treasure chest the industry has been opening for the beans — and leaving half the treasure inside. By juicing the pulp, producers upcycle cacaofruit that would otherwise be discarded. That means:
- Less food waste
- More value from every cacao pod
- New income opportunities for cacao-growing communities
Babao’s cacaofruit is grown on farms in Ecuador, and the finished drinks are canned here in the UK; rescuing around 30% of the cacaofruit that would usually go to waste.
How Do You Use Cacao Juice?
Cacao juice is remarkably versatile, which makes it easy to work into a menu or drinks range.
Drink It As It Is – Serve it well chilled, over ice, for a clean and refreshing soft drink.
Mix It Up – Long drinks, mocktails, cocktails.
Pair It with Chocolate – The fresh, fruity notes cut beautifully through rich chocolate, creating a full cacao experience from fruit to bar — a lovely angle for tasting events and chocolate flights.
Sparkling or Still — What's the Difference?
You’ll usually find cacao juice in two styles, and Babao makes both.
Still Cacaofruit Water:
- Smooth and gently fruity
- Clean, light and easy to drink
- Lovely as a standalone refreshment
Sparkling Cacaofruit Water:
- Lightly carbonated for a crisp finish
- Lively and refreshing
- Perfect for mixing and sparkling beverages, or drinking on its own
Why Is Cacao Juice Trending?
Search interest in ‘cacao juice’, ‘cacao fruit drink’ and ‘what does cacao juice taste like’ is climbing fast — and it’s easy to see why. Cacao juice taps into several trends at once:
- Low and no alcohol beverages
- Natural drinks with short ingredients lists
- Sustainable, upcycled ingredients
- New and unusual flavour experiences
For chocolatiers, cafés and farm shops, it’s a chance to offer something genuinely different — and to tell the story of the fruit behind everything else on the counter.
Cacaofruit Water Drinks to Try
We’ve been whipping up some delicious cocktails and mocktails in the Keylink Development Kitchen and here are a few of our faves:
A Fresh Future for Cacao
Cacao has always been about more than chocolate: with cacao juice, the whole fruit finally gets to shine. It’s refreshing, versatile and rooted in a more sustainable way of working; and it tastes like nothing else.
Babao Cacaofruit Water—Still and Sparkling—is now available at Keylink. Try the drinks in our recipe collection, or simply pour a can over ice. Show us how you use it, tag us in your creations on social media, we’d love to see!
Lyndsey is a marketing executive, writer and lover of books and chocolate from Sheffield.
Her favourite chocolate is Callebaut Power 41.
