Upcycled cocoa fruit waste sweetens deals in confectionery, bakery and beverage Start-up Koa is repurposing the pulp and juice of the cocoa fruit for food and drink manufacturers. By bringing a ‘previously unknown’ taste to the European market, the Swiss-Ghanaian operation says it is ‘opening up new possibilities’ for food and beverage, as well as for gastronomy. However, Koa is also focusing on making social impact at the source: in reducing food waste, the start-up is providing cocoa smallholders with an additional income. By making use of the so-far-lost cocoa pulp, Koa aims to boost the local economy in rural Ghana, start-up co-founder and managing director Anian Schreiber told FoodNavigator.