FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Got questions about cacao water? You're not alone — it's one of the world's best-kept secrets and we're on a mission to change that. Everything you need to know is right here. Still curious? Drop us a message.
1. What is cacao water?
Cacao water is made out of the juice of the cacao fruit — and it's nothing like chocolate.
Traditionally, cacao has been used almost exclusively to make chocolate, which only requires the seed (the bean) at the centre of the pod. The remaining 70–80% of the pod — including the pulp and the husk — is discarded.
The mucilage - the white structure surrounding the beans -contains the juice, a sweet, tropical, intensely flavourful liquid. C.H.U.L.A captures this juice cold-pressed and blends it with triple-filtered water to create a deliciously hydrating, wild-tasting drink unlike anything you've had before.
Think: lychee, pineapple, pear, tamarind — and something entirely its own.
2. What does cacao water taste like?
Unexpected. In the best possible way.
Cacao fruit contains over 600 volatile aromatic compounds — more than wine, more than coffee. This means the flavour is genuinely complex, and slightly different for everyone. Most people taste notes of lychee, pineapple, pear, or tropical flowers. What everyone agrees on: it's unlike anything they've had before.
3. What are the ingredients in C.H.U.L.A cacao water?
Cold-pressed Ecuadorian cacao juice (cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) pulp juice) and Triple-filtered water
No added sugar. No artificial colours or flavours.
4. What are the health benefits of cacao water?
Cacao water is naturally rich in nutrients that your body actually uses:
🌿 Electrolytes — naturally occurring Potassium and Magnesium to support hydration and muscle function
☀️ Vitamins — naturally present Vitamins A, B, C and E for energy, immunity, and skin health
✦ Antioxidants — polyphenols and flavonoids to help protect and recover your cells
No added sugar, only 43Kcal per 300ml bottle.
5. Is there any sugar in C.H.U.L.A?
No added sugar — ever. Any sweetness you taste comes naturally from the cacao fruit itself.
6. Is cacao water the same as cacao powder or hot chocolate?
Not at all. Cacao powder, cocoa, and chocolate are all made from the bean — the seed at the centre of the pod. C.H.U.L.A is made from the juice of the fruit that surrounds those beans. It's a completely different part of the plant, with a completely different flavour and nutritional profile. Think of it like the difference between an olive and olive oil — same plant, entirely different story.
7. What is cacao mucilage?
Mucilage is the technical name for the white, pulpy flesh and juice that surrounds the cacao beans inside the pod. It's sweet, fragrant, perishable, and packed with nutrients. Because it ferments quickly after the pod is opened, it has historically been left behind at the farm — most people outside cacao-growing regions have never tasted it. C.H.U.L.A cold-presses this juice and captures it before it's lost.
8. Is cacao water a traditional drink?
Yes — and it has deep roots in Latin American culture.
In Tabasco, Mexico, a traditional drink called Cacaguada has been made from cacao mucilage for generations. It's made by naturally extracting the juice from the cacao pulp, often with a little sugar, and drinking it fresh. It is one of Mesoamerica's best-kept secrets — the same region where cacao was first cultivated thousands of years ago.
C.H.U.L.A was inspired by this tradition, and our founder Ana grew up knowing this drink. We're bringing it — without the added sugar — to the UK for the first time.
9. Where does C.H.U.L.A's cacao come from?
Every drop of C.H.U.L.A is made from cacao grown on plantations in Ecuador — the world's third largest cacao producing country and home to some of the finest, most flavourful cacao on earth. Ecuadorian cacao is known for its exceptional aromatic complexity, which is exactly why our cacao water tastes the way it does.
Our supply chain is fully traceable — we know which farms our cacao comes from.
10. Is C.H.U.L.A sustainable?
Yes — sustainability is at the core of what we do, not a marketing add-on.
C.H.U.L.A is made from upcycled cacao — meaning we use a byproduct of the cacao pod that would otherwise be discarded. Today, the chocolate industry uses only 20% of the cacao pod (the beans). The remaining 80% — including the juice we bottle — is left to decompose, generating CO₂ and methane in the process.
Every bottle of C.H.U.L.A you drink helps to:
— Reduce food waste from cacao production
— Lower the CO₂ produced by discarded cacao pulp
— Create an additional revenue stream for Ecuadorian cacao farmers from a part of their crop they previously couldn't sell
We are on a long-term mission to utilise 100% of the cacao pod. Cacao water is just the beginning.
11. What does C.H.U.L.A mean?
C.H.U.L.A has three layers of meaning — all of them intentional.
First, it's an acronym: Cacao Hydration, Upcycled for Living Actively — which says exactly what the brand does.
Second, chula means beautiful, bold, and confident in Spanish — it's the word for a woman who walks into a room and owns it without apology. That's the energy we bring to everything.
Third, the name nods to the birthplace of cacao itself. Mesoamerica is the origin zone of cacao, and in Mexico there is a region called Tapachula — home to high-quality cacao cultivation and part of the cultural heritage that inspired this drink.
12. Who founded C.H.U.L.A?
C.H.U.L.A was founded by Ana Guemes — a Mexican food entrepreneur who has spent her career at the intersection of food and sustainability.
After years in senior roles in the food and drink industry, Ana became obsessed with one of the industry's best-kept secrets: the juice inside the cacao pod. Growing up with knowledge of Cacaguada — the traditional Mexican cacao juice drink from Tabasco — she knew this flavour was too extraordinary to stay hidden. Furthermore, as Ana discover the high yield of cacao waste, she decided that she needed to unleash the full cacao goodness.
C.H.U.L.A is her answer to that: a boldly flavoured, sustainably sourced, female-founded drink that brings an ancient Latin American tradition to a new audience — starting with the UK.
13. Is C.H.U.L.A a female-founded business?
Yes. C.H.U.L.A is proudly female-founded. The brand's spirit — bold, curious, confident, and unapologetically itself — reflects that.
14. Where can I buy C.H.U.L.A?
Our first drop is coming in May 2026 and will be available to order online at chulafoods.com — UK-wide delivery.
Join our waitlist to get priority access before the drop goes live, plus a vote on our next product launch.
We will keep this page updated as we expand into food markets, independent stockists, and retailers — so watch this space.
15. When exactly will the product be available?
C.H.U.L.A's first drop is on its way from Ecuador to the UK right now. We expect the product to be available for delivery in the second half of May 2026. Waitlist members will be the first to know the exact date and will get early access before the public launch.
16. Can I order C.H.U.L.A as a gift?
Absolutely — and honestly, introducing someone to cacao water for the first time is a pretty excellent gift. Once the shop goes live in May 2026, you'll be able to order directly to any UK address. Gift notes and bundle packs are coming too — sign up to the waitlist to be the first to know.
17. How should I store C.H.U.L.A?
C.H.U.L.A tastes best cold — straight from the fridge.
Unopened bottles can be stored at room temperature as long as they're kept below 25°C. Once opened, keep refrigerated and consume within 3 days.
18. Can I stock C.H.U.L.A in my store, café, or restaurant?
Yes — we'd love to talk. C.H.U.L.A is a brilliant fit for premium health cafés, independent retailers, gyms, and as a cocktail mixer for bars and restaurants.
Please submit our Contact form and a member of the team will be in touch to discuss your needs.
19. Are there other C.H.U.L.A products coming?
Yes — cacao water is only the beginning.
C.H.U.L.A's mission is to eliminate plant waste by unlocking the full potential of the cacao pod. We have exciting products in development that we haven't announced yet — and waitlist members get to vote on what we launch next.
Sign up at the bottom of this page. Your taste. Your call.
20. Is cacao water caffeinated?
Cacao naturally contains small amounts of theobromine — a mild, slow-release stimulant that is gentler than caffeine and found in the cacao fruit. Unlike caffeine, theobromine doesn't cause the sharp spike and crash associated with coffee. The amount in C.H.U.L.A is naturally occurring and low — it's one of the reasons many people find it a great mid-afternoon drink.
21. Is C.H.U.L.A vegan?
Yes. C.H.U.L.A contains cold-pressed cacao juice and triple-filtered water. It is 100% plant-based, vegan, and free from any animal-derived ingredients.
22. Is C.H.U.L.A gluten-free?
Yes. C.H.U.L.A contains no gluten-containing ingredients.
23. How many calories are in C.H.U.L.A?
Each bottle of 300ml contains only 43kcals.
24. What is the difference between cacao water and coconut water?
Both are natural, hydrating drinks with naturally occurring electrolytes — but they come from completely different plants and taste nothing alike.
Coconut water is the clear liquid from inside a young coconut. Cacao water is the juice of the cacao fruit — far more complex in flavour, with over 600 aromatic compounds.
25. Is cacao water good for hydration after exercise?
Yes. C.H.U.L.A contains naturally occurring Potassium and Magnesium — two electrolytes that support muscle function, fluid balance, and recovery after physical activity. Unlike most sports drinks, it contains no added sugar and no synthetic electrolytes.