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CocoCoast has been awarded a Bronze medal at the World Alcohol-Free Awards 2026, following blind tasting by international judging panels across 13 countries and four continents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Each entry is assessed multiple times before final results are confirmed. For CocoCoast, the outcome is less about the medal \u2014 and more about what sits behind it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cWe\u2019ve always believed coconut water should be enjoyed, not endured,\u201d says\u00a0Damian Russell, Founding Director of CocoCoast.
\u201cRecognition like this matters because it reflects the one thing we focus on above everything else \u2014 taste.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nA Shift in What People Expect From Drinks<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Something is changing in how people choose what to drink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s not just about cutting back. It\u2019s about being more selective. If someone is having one drink instead of three, it needs to hold up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That shift is playing out across the alcohol-free category, but it\u2019s also influencing adjacent spaces \u2014 from functional beverages to everyday hydration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cPeople are thinking about it differently,\u201d Russell says.
\u201cIf you\u2019re only having one or two, they need to be worth it. That\u2019s where we see CocoCoast fitting in.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThe Part That Matters Most<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Medals carry weight, but the tasting note tells the real story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For CocoCoast, judges described the product as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A classic coconut water with good clarity and intense coconut flavours with a toasty, biscuit edge. A refreshing drink for the beach or after exercise.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a small block of text, but it\u2019s the part the team goes straight to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cThat\u2019s the bit we look at first,\u201d says Russell.
\u201cIt tells you if you\u2019ve actually delivered.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nBuilt Around Flavour<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
CocoCoast has taken a different approach from the start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rather than leading with function, the brand has focused on flavour \u2014 treating taste as the main event, not a secondary benefit. The result is a range designed to be something people genuinely want to drink, not something they feel they should.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cThere\u2019s always been this idea that coconut water is something you tolerate because it\u2019s good for you,\u201d Russell says.
\u201cWe\u2019ve never really agreed with that.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nWhat Comes Next<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The lines between alcohol-free, functional and everyday drinks are getting blurred \u2014 quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For brands, that creates pressure. If consumers are drinking less often, the expectation on every product goes up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For CocoCoast, the direction stays the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\u201cWe\u2019re not trying to overcomplicate it,\u201d Russell says.
\u201cWe just want to make something people actually enjoy drinking.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
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