The investment cooperative ONE CREATION, based in Vevey, is proud to announce its new investment in an innovative company from Lausanne, ECOCASCARA SA, which specializes in the valorization of “cascara”: the pulp of the fruit from which coffee is made, and which until now has not been used by growers. Cascara is rich in antioxidants, and allows the production of organic and ethical drinks
COCASCARA SA is specialized in the valorization of “by-products” or more precisely of the fruit waste from the coffee production.
A coffee bean is the core of a cherry, the cherry of the coffee tree. Once ripe, these cherries are collected and pitted. The pulp and skin, however rich in antioxidants, are rarely used.
This pulp, the cascara, is a super-fruit, with a moderate level of caffeine when used in infusion.
It is estimated that 1 kg of coffee beans generates 3 kg of fruit pulp waste. On a global level, this represents 30 million tons per year, enough to cover a city like Lausanne under 2 meters of waste every year, which creates local problems of soil acidification and river pollution.
By committing itself to the organic farmers to develop and valorize this raw material, ECOCASCARA SA contributes to offer them a better remuneration of their production and thus brings an economic and sustainable solution in the exploitation of new wealth.
Innovation is at the heart of the development of ECOCASCARA SA which has been able to transform fruit residues to develop organic drinks rich in antioxidants, without added sugar, with a moderate caffeine content and above all natural for a unique taste signature.
This initiative meets the criteria of supporting a responsible and sustainable economy to accompany and help coffee producers around the world.
The founders of the Lausanne-based start-up, a member of the Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley, are pioneers who have been fighting for the past 4 years to have cascara legally authorized in Europe. A now successful effort that has opened up the prospect of intelligent use of fruit waste.
The range of ready-to-drink products is available in glass bottles:
- ICE CASCARA COLA (Original & Seven), the first Cola “Made in Romandie” without added sugar and ORGANIC. The Seven version is the first low-calorie organic cola on the market (7 kcal).
- ICE CASCARA SODA, ideal as a lemonade, but also as a long drink like Gin Cascara & Cascara Vodka.
- ICE CASCARA INFUSION, the non-carbonated and refreshing option available in three versions (original, mint & ginger).
The range of ready-to-infuse products is available in bags of dried cascara: PURE CASCARA TEA, from three origins, Brazil, Bolivia and Peru.
ONE CREATION is a cooperative company created in 2010 to support the development of environmental technologies in a global and multi-sector approach. The Cooperative has the dual objective of obtaining an economic return for its members and a positive impact on the environment through its investment portfolio.
ONE CREATION’s portfolio is invested in three types of sustainable assets: listed companies, non-listed companies, and infrastructure projects. Thanks to this diversification, ONE CREATION can provide good liquidity to investors with less volatility than an investment in only one of these categories.
ONE CREATION is committed to sustainable development, acting as an amplifier of ethical, responsible, and transparent economic development. It favors 8 investment themes focused on creating a better world.
Among these we aim at bringing waste management solutions by investing in innovative companies within a circular economy. These investments concern products, services or tools that allow to recycle a waste, to use it to produce energy, to reduce its production or to treat it in a way that reduces its impact on the environment.
Why a cooperative?
The Cooperative represents a unique response to a strategic investment positioning in sectors and themes that are conducive to development and economic growth in response to the 2015 Paris agreements on climate change (COP21).
ONE CREATION is a model that combines independence, solidarity and governance. Both individual and collective interests are reflected in the values of the Cooperative, the sustainability of which benefits all stakeholders.
The individual involvement of each associate contributes to the collective commitment that represents a guarantee of success and good development for the company in general.
Involved associates
ONE CREATION’s investment philosophy is to consider itself as a co-owner of the companies in which it invests and not as a simple investor. This approach means that the Cooperative has an active attitude towards each of its investments by encouraging the development of new technologies with a strong environmental impact.
A diversified portfolio
Diversification between listed and unlisted companies and infrastructure projects allows access to environmental innovation wherever it is found, regardless of the company’s stage of maturity.
Through the Cooperative, the associate benefits from a unique diversification of the assets he will have committed through three different pockets of return. Listed securities, through a proven selection process, allow the construction of a portfolio of well-diversified holdings that ensure a basic return. Unlisted companies, which are riskier, provide access to niches of environmental innovation and superior growth that will add to the base return of listed companies. Finally, investments in infrastructure projects should allow the subsequent optimization of the risk/return ratio.
This diversification not only optimizes the return for the partner, but also creates a genuine platform for exchange between the various players involved, enabling a relationship of trust to be built that goes beyond investment and environmental returns.
What is cascara?
The name “cascara” comes from the Spanish and refers to the skin and pulp of the coffee cherry after the bean has been pitted (which becomes a green coffee bean after drying). This “cascara”, dried in the sun, is then brewed like a tea to produce a beverage rich in natural antioxidants, with a reduced caffeine content. Common in Bolivia under the name of Sultana, the infusion of “cascara” originated in Ethiopia with Hashara, then in Yemen, where the first written mention of Qishr, traditional national drink, dates back to the middle of the 15th century.
Today, the western world is discovering the coffee cherry infusion for its health benefits. The cascara, rich in polyphenols and potassium, qualified as a “super-food”, has a higher antioxidant score than the pomegranate, which is praised for this quality. Stimulating thanks to caffeine, it does not contain more than a classic cold tea. It also contains nootropic substances, known to improve mental capacities, such as memory, concentration, and other cognitive aspects such as mood and sleep. Without acting as an instant Elixir of Youth, the consumption of cascara is nevertheless part of a modern lifestyle, sought after by a well-informed population and follower of a healthy life and well-being in everyday life. Moreover, the fruity taste of the cascara infusion, without acidity or bitterness, is able to seduce young and old, and preferably ORGANIC to avoid any presence of pesticides.
Why is cascara sustainable?
After harvesting, the producers pulp the coffee cherries to remove and dry the pit, which is the famous green coffee bean. The pulp of the coffee cherry is usually thrown away, even though it is a superfood, rich in antioxidants, potassium, iron and fiber. By proposing directly to organic producers to valorize the pulp of their coffee cherries, ECOCACASCARA SA provides them with a new source of income, while promoting the responsible use of natural resources. After brewing, the dried coffee cherry pulp (cascara) is then transformed into biogas, working towards the principles of circular economy.
