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From Bean to Blossom: Foodflows’ Commitment to Whole-plant Coffee Utilization

  • Sep 15
  • 2 min read

Updated: Nov 17

How foodflows turns coffee's 'side streams' into bestselling beverages and sustainable value.



At Foodflows, we see the coffee plant not just as a producer of the bean, but as a marvel of nature whose potential extends far beyond what is traditionally roasted and brewed. Our goal is to integrate the entire cycle—from bean to blossom—into our product philosophy, thereby making a genuine contribution to innovation and sustainability.


The whole coffee plant has a value.

The whole coffee plant has a value.


🍒 The Pioneering Spirit of the Coffee Cherry (Cascara)


What was once considered a by-product of coffee cultivation has become one of our most exciting product lines: the dried Coffee Cherry, a.k.a. Cascara—enlarging coffee upcycling possibilities.


Our first milestone was the launch of the Coffeecherry Elixir in November 2023, a refreshing, carbonated mixed drink that elevates the fruity, colorful flavors of Cascara to a new level. This innovative beverage quickly proved to be a crowd-puller, as demonstrated by the enthusiastic response at the World of Coffee in Copenhagen in 2024 and Geneva in 2025, where the Elixir set a distinctive tone.


Our crowd-puller: Coffeecherry Elixir.

Our crowd-puller: Coffeecherry Elixir.


But its versatility doesn't end there. In partnership with Gipfelhirsch, we introduced our first collaboration syrup in July 2025: the Cascara Syrup. This simple, shelf-stable recipe made from red coffee cherries, raw cane sugar, and citric acid bridges the gap between the pure coffee cherries and the finished Elixir, offering our customers a flexible base for sodas, iced teas, or cocktails.


Cascara syrup ready to be cooked up.

Cascara syrup ready to be cooked up.


🌸 A Unique Offering: The Delicate Coffee Blossoms


With our partners on the Brazilian farms, we go one step further. We are proud to be (to our knowledge) the only provider in Switzerland of coffee beans, cherries, and blossoms from the same farm up to today.


The blossoms of the coffee trees are essential for pollination and thus for the harvest. At our agroforestry pioneer, Henrique Sloper’s farm, they are hand-selected, picked, and dried. They exude a delightful fragrance of peach and honey and are primarily used as a fine tea or as a decorative, edible element in cuisine (e.g., in desserts).


Our coffee flowers from regenerative agriculture.

Our coffee flowers from regenerative agriculture.


By utilizing the entire plant—from the blossom to the bean—we not only reduce waste on the farm but also create new value chains that directly benefit our farmers. This is our understanding of holistic product development and sustainability.


Foodflows is more than just coffee. We are pioneers in the lifecycle of the coffee plant.


Have you already tried our Coffeecherry Elixir, dried coffee cherry or flowers?

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