A remarkable development is happening in the coffee-growing community in the beautiful highlands of Thepsadej, located nearby Chiang Mai province. Cherry pulps, often discarded as waste after coffee are processed, are now being turned into a remarkable wellness product, called CherryKoff. CherryKoff goes beyond being just a beverage; it stands as a symbol of beverage product development fueled by sustainability, science, and social progress.
CherryKoff: Thai Sparkling Drink & Snack Crafted from Coffee Cherry By-Products
A remarkable development is happening in the coffee-growing community in the beautiful highlands of Thepsadej, located nearby Chiang Mai province. Cherry pulps, often discarded as waste after coffee are processed, are now being turned into a remarkable wellness product, called CherryKoff. CherryKoff goes beyond being just a beverage; it stands as a symbol of beverage product development fueled by sustainability, science, and social progress.
Thailand bolsters its leadership in functional food innovation with the use of coffee cherry by-products, called cascara, as wellness products of emerging value. Historically, cascara encompasses the husk and pulp of coffee cherry fruit, and has not capitalized on its nutritional value, having been limited mostly to compost and fertilizer. Now, through advanced drinks product development, CherryKoff highlights cascara’s nutritional richness and creates new revenue opportunities for local farmers, addressing both environmental and economic needs.
Collaborative Development and Launch
FoodPrompt Co., Ltd, a pioneer in functional foods and beverage formulation and innovation, brought CherryKoff to life in early 2024 after nearly two years of rigorous research and development. The project began out of collaboration with Chiang Mai University and a deep and ongoing engagement with local highland farmer communities to achieve scientific quality along with a lasting impact to the community.
What began as a social innovation project to create value through upcycling cascara (coffee cherry skins), the CherryKoff project was successful in generating several innovative new value-added products from coffee cherry ‘waste’, including nutritious, edible, and economically viable products. The degree of synergy between the scholar and farmer expertise resulted in a shared portfolio of food products that respects biodiversity in the region, while simultaneously advancing the goal of sustainable rural livelihoods and food systems.
CherryKoff is now recognized across Thailand as a pioneering brand of functional foods made from coffee byproducts and has also become a demonstration of a circular economy case of food and beverage innovation. [1]
Product Innovation: Sparkling Drink and Chewy Snack
CherryKoff currently features two flagship creations that showcase its excellence in beverage product development:
Product | Description | Key Nutritional Attributes | Packaging | Price (THB/USD) |
CherryKoff Sparkling Drink | Fermented coffee cherry drink with probiotics | High in antioxidants (polyphenols & flavanoids), digestion health benefits | 200ml can / 250ml glass bottle | 69 THB ($2.13) / 99 THB ($3.06) |
Dried Coffee Cherry Snack | Semi-dried cascara pulp snack product | Rich in fiber, chlorogenic acid, natural antioxidants, no sugar added | 30g resealable pouch | 49-59 THB ($1.51- $1.82) |
The CherryKoff Sparkling Drink was born through new beverage formulation and innovation. A probiotic-rich beverage that undergoes fermentation from cascara and water kefir cultures offers consumers a unique functional beverage with superior antioxidant capacity and digestive health. Their Dried Coffee Cherry Snack offers dietary fiber, chlorogenic acid, and antioxidants in a naturally sweet and tart, preservative-free chewy bite – the result of coffee cherry advancement, expertise, and innovation.
Scientific and Health Benefits
According to Dr. Wassanai Wattanutchariya, CTO and founder of FoodPrompt Co., Ltd., CherryKoff Sparkling Drink contains antioxidant activities exceeding those in other fruit-based and traditional kefir drinks. The cherry drink’s high polyphenol and flavonoid content, derived from the cascara, counteracts oxidative stress and enhances overall well-being.
Furthermore, the probiotic fermentation process during beverage product development enhances digestive health to maintain a healthy gut microbiome and contribute to nutrient absorption. Health-conscious consumers are capitalizing on the combined benefits of both the beverage and the snack to improve digestion, enhance immunity, and promote overall well-being.
CherryKoff represents a clean label and an upcycled alternative to a host of premier kombuchas and kefir drinks. It represents the future of beverage product development sustainability and authenticity.
Market Availability and Consumer Reception
CherryKoff’s beverages and snacks entered the Thai market in January 2024, introduced a novel slant on functional drinks and zero-waste snacks from original upcycled ingredients. The beverages are provided in conveniently sized 200ml cans and 250ml bottles to accommodate different lifestyles, while snacks are packaged in resealable 30g pouches enabling convenient nutrition for people “on-the-go.”
Pricing strategies are aligned, as best they can be, with comparable premium functional beverage and snack alternatives to keep CherryKoff accessible, but also aspirational, to a health-conscious audience. Early receipts demonstrate resonance, especially with both Millennial and Gen Z consumers, matching brand values of health, naturalness, sustainability, and delivering probiotic advantages from innovative beverage product development.
Expansion Plans and New Product Launches
After a successful launch, FoodPrompt Co., Ltd. will begin expanding distribution for CherryKoff across the national footprint through cafés, wellness stores, and health-oriented e-commerce. Regional expansion will follow in late FY2025 for Singapore, Malaysia, and the CMLV (Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam) countries through partners in wellness-focused retailers. CherryKoff’s beverage formulation and innovation strategies position it as Southeast Asia’s original cascara-based probiotic drink and a first mover in upcycled product leadership.
Later in 2025, two new products will be introduced through FoodPrompt’s Liquids & syrup product development:
- CherryKoff Syrup: devised for functional mixology, sodas, and wellness cafés to create greater versatility for the product,
- CherryKoff Instant Powder: a convenient antioxidant booster ready for daily use to support on-the-go lifestyles.
These launches contribute to an effort to solidify CherryKoff’s footprint within the context of packaged goods account growth and the wider health supplement market.
Product Example:
Brand name: Cherry Koff
Product Name: Cherry Syrup
Awards and Industry Recognition
CherryKoff’s innovation and leadership have won various awards, including “Champ of the Week” from Agrithon 2024 and “Runner-Up” the Rising Star Award category of the Royal Cup Award for HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s Agri Plus Award 2025. These awards demonstrate CherryKoff’s impact on beverage and Liquid & syrup product development and further demonstrate the presence of Thailand in global sustainable food and beverage innovation.
Conclusion
CherryKoff turns coffee cherry by-products into sustainable probiotic beverages and fiber-rich snacks with health attributes. This is a perfect example of modern beverage product development. The drinks, which are clean label, antioxidant-rich and popular with wellness consumers include both coffee and kombucha varieties. CherryKoff has strong local roots and has been well-received by the market, leading functional food innovation in Thailand and Southeast Asia, and setting the stage for beverage innovation and formulation standards, as well as product development of nectars & syrups. The CherryKoff successful journey has continued to be supported by university and research partners including Food Research Lab where in part scientific development continues.
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