Thailand, the third-largest coffee producer in Southeast Asia, is now home to Coffogenic, a new functional beverage made from the husks of arabica coffee cherries.
Globally, up to 50% of the coffee harvest is discarded, as only the beans are used in traditional production. The remaining parts of the coffee cherry, including the husk and pulp, are often overlooked despite their rich nutritional profile.
Coffogenic aims to change that by giving the husks new life as a health-promoting drink. Recognized for its antioxidant properties and functional benefits, the product has already been approved as a novel food by the Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The product will be sold through the Coffogenic website in addition to major Asian retailers.
Image Credit: Coffogenic, Hollkoff
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Upcycled Functional Beverages
- Repurposing coffee cherries into drinks illustrates the potential of upcycled ingredients contributing to both health and sustainability.
- Nutrient-rich Coffee Products
- Creating beverages from the often-discarded coffee cherry husk showcases the untapped nutritional benefits lying in overlooked parts of coffee plants.
- Health-focused Novel Foods
- The introduction of functional drinks approved as novel foods marks a shift towards health-oriented, regulatory-compliant product innovations.
Where This Applies
- Functional Beverage Industry
- The rise of beverages with health claims, such as cholesterol reduction, reflects the expanding market for drinks that offer added wellness benefits.
- Sustainable Coffee Industry
- Emphasizing the use of entire coffee plants indicates a disruption in traditional coffee production towards more sustainable practices.
- Health and Wellness Industry
- Incorporating health-enhancing properties into everyday consumables demonstrates the evolving intersection of nutrition and convenience in consumer products.
