KOJIPOP, Japan's Fermented Recovery Soda, Makes Its U.S. Trade Debut at Natural Products Expo West 2026
Anaheim Convention Center, California | March 5–6, 2026
TOKYO / ANAHEIM — March 2026 — ORYZAE Inc., the Japanese food and beverage brand behind the fermented recovery soda KOJIPOP, made its debut at Natural Products Expo West 2026, North America's largest natural and organic food trade show, held at the Anaheim Convention Center in California.
Positioned in the WELLNESS BEVERAGE zone—directly alongside category leaders Poppi, Simply Pop (Coca-Cola), and KeVita (Tropicana)—KOJIPOP introduced the global trade audience to a completely new beverage philosophy rooted in Japan's 1,000-year tradition of koji fermentation.
A New Category: Fermented Recovery Soda
KOJIPOP is not a probiotic soda, a prebiotic soda, or a kombucha. It is a fermented recovery soda—a category defined by the transformation that happens when rice undergoes koji fermentation. The result is a beverage that is:
- Fructose-free by design — Natural sweetness derives not from added sugar or sweeteners, but from the fermentation process itself.
- Built on process, not ingredients — KOJIPOP's value is the integrity of koji fermentation, not a single-ingredient health claim. Not all sugars are created equal.
- Certified B Corp — Meeting rigorous social and environmental standards, reinforcing the brand's commitment to transparency and sustainability.
Three flavors were showcased at Expo West: Original, Yuzu & Ginger, and Peach & Pineapple.
Expo West 2026: What We Witnessed
The KOJIPOP booth generated strong organic interest from buyers and trade visitors, with many stopping to photograph the can design unprompted—a sign of the brand's distinctive visual identity in a sea of bold, dopamine-driven packaging.
The market is at an inflection point. As prebiotic soda brands face growing regulatory and legal scrutiny—Poppi settled a class-action lawsuit for $8.9M in 2024 and has since retreated from leading with "prebiotic" messaging—the demand for brands with authentic, science-backed stories is rising. KOJIPOP enters this second wave not by chasing a trend, but by owning a 1,000-year heritage.
About ORYZAE Inc.
ORYZAE Inc. is a Tokyo-based food and beverage company dedicated to bringing the science and culture of koji fermentation to the world. Its flagship brand, FoodCosme ORYZAE, encompasses a range of koji-fermented products including KOJIPOP, shio koji, rice koji granola, and dried rice koji.
