For years, the food industry has been searching intensively for solutions to reduce sugar without sacrificing taste. Natural alternatives such as honey, agave syrup, maple syrup and coconut blossom sugar have long been known. Fruit juice concentrates and date syrup have also found their place. But one raw material is still virtually unknown in Europe and could change the game: the cashew apple.

When we think of cashews, we usually only think of the popular nut. What many people don't know is that each cashew nut grows on a cashew apple, a juicy fruit rich in vitamins. Millions of tonnes of these fruits are produced worldwide every year, and almost all of them end up unused in the waste because the focus is solely on the kernels. This is exactly where Akoua GmbH comes in. The start-up, based in Germany, has made it its mission to add value to the cashew apple and leverage its enormous potential.

Founder Simon Debade comes from Benin, one of West Africa's major cashew producers. With Akoua, he is building a bridge between local farmers and the European market. His vision is to transform the supposed by-products of the cashew harvest into high-quality foods, primarily cashew juice and the cashew juice concentrate extracted from it.

The concentrate is not just another sweetener. It combines several properties that are of great interest to the food industry. The fruit is natural and balanced: With almost equal amounts of glucose (33.1 g/100 g) and fructose (29.9 g/100 g), the concentrate offers a mild taste and a steady release of energy.

A clean label is possible: 100% plant-based, without artificial additives, perfect for products that emphasise naturalness and transparency. The concentrate is also sustainable: Instead of letting millions of tonnes of cashew apples go to waste, they are put to good use, benefiting the environment and resources.

The economic advantages are obvious: new sources of income for farmers in West Africa and a competitive advantage for manufacturers in the highly competitive food market. In addition to its function as a sugar alternative, cashew juice has even more to offer. Analyses in Germany show that the juice contains up to five times more vitamin C than orange juice. According to the EU Health Claims Regulation, it can officially be advertised as having a ‘high vitamin C content’.

This allows Akoua to kill two birds with one stone: a sweetener that not only reduces calories but also offers real health benefits at a time when consumers are increasingly looking for functional foods.

Whether in drinks, yoghurts, muesli bars or baked goods, cashew juice concentrate opens up new possibilities for making products more sustainable. It fits in with the clean label strategy of many manufacturers, supports the demand for sugar reduction and at the same time provides an exciting story for marketing and brand building. For retailers, it offers the opportunity to tap into a completely new product segment with clear differentiation and growing demand among nutrition-conscious consumers.