Coca-Cola, the soft drinks multinational is introducing a “beanless” coffee substitute in Japan this September under its Georgia ready-to-drink label.
The product, which will be named Cafe Water, represents the enterprise’s first product of its kind anywhere in the world and enters the market as a chilled, canned beverage. The launch addresses long-term agricultural sustainability challenges linked to climate change, with projections indicating that the global land area suitable for Arabica coffee cultivation could shrink by 50% by 2050.
The production model reportedly substitutes traditional agricultural beans with structural flavour enhancers and dietary fibre derived from corn. To comply with local regulations for drinks containing no coffee beans, the business is avoiding coffee bean graphics on the product packaging.
A spokesperson for Coca-Cola Japan commented: “You can enjoy the distinctive aroma and flavor of coffee while drinking it as lightly as water”.
Separately, Asahi is also preparing to introduce a plant-based, coffee alternative branded Future Latte later this year.
Source: Nikkei / Viable Earth / Coffee Factz
