Lava Cola (officially Lava Cola – Vanuatu Kava Cola) is a cola drink produced in

Vanuatu Vanuatu ( or ; ), officially the Republic of Vanuatu (french: link=no, République de Vanuatu; bi, Ripablik blong Vanuatu), is an island country located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is east of no ...

by Vanuatu Beverage Ltd. It contains a

kavalactone Kavalactones are a class of lactone compounds found in kava roots and Alpinia zerumbet (Shell ginger). Kavalactones are under research for potential to have various psychotropic effects, including anxiolytic and sedative/ hypnotic activities. En ...

additive, kava consumption being traditionally important in western Pacific nations. Lava Cola has been described as an "anti-energy drink". Australian media have noted that it "produces the calming effect of kava without the muddy taste," adding that, while kava itself is an

acquired taste An acquired taste is an appreciation for something unlikely to be enjoyed by a person who has not had substantial exposure to it. It is the opposite of innate taste, which is the appreciation for things that are enjoyable by most persons without ...

, Lava Cola may well be suitable for export. The

cola Cola is a carbonated soft drink flavored with vanilla, cinnamon, citrus oils and other flavorings. Cola became popular worldwide after the American pharmacist John Stith Pemberton invented Coca-Cola, a trademarked brand, in 1886, which was imi ...

began as a syrupy "water-based kava extract" developed by Australian-born James Armitage in 2009. He then successfully approached Vanuatu Beverage to suggest blending it with cola. The watery kava syrup is "added to cola in a proportion of 15 millilitres to a bottle of 330 ml". The drink is now produced in a factory on the outskirts of

Port Vila Port Vila (french: Port-Vila), or simply Vila (; french: Vila; bi, Vila ), is the capital and largest city of Vanuatu. It is located on the island of Efate. Its population in the last census (2009) was 44,040, an increase of 35% on the pr ...

, the country's capital. It went into production for the domestic market in October 2009. Lava Cola uses kava produced on the island of

Maewo Maewo (; formerly ''Aurora Island'') is an island in Vanuatu in Penama province, 105 km to the east of Espiritu Santo. It is 47 km long, and 6 km wide, with an area of 269 km2. Its highest point is 795 m above sea ...

, which has generated an increase in revenues for local producers. Vanuatu Beverage hopes to export the drink first to Fiji and New Caledonia, then to a wider market."Kava Cola"
, Vanuatu Kava Store

References

External links

Vanuatu Kava Store
{{Kava Cola brands Kava Relaxation drinks Culture of Vanuatu Vanuatuan cuisine Products introduced in 2009 Vanuatuan inventions

See also

References

External links