Cape Cola
Launched in Cape Town in 2017 by German immigrant Lasse Presting, this cola was meant as a local alternative to the global brands. Sweetened with birch xylitol and stevia, it contained just 1.5 grams of sugar per 100 ml—about one tenth of a typical commercial cola. To emphasize its South African roots, the recipe included honeybush extract, a plant native to the Cape region and commonly used in herbal teas.
Lasse Presting is trained in hotel management and has long had a professional interest in the beverage industry. In Germany, the craft soda market was well established, but in South Africa, local alternatives were largely absent. Cape Cola aimed to address that gap.
The original plan was to grow the business to a level where it could support social projects in Cape Town. Whether that ambition was realized is unclear. The last updates on the company’s social media channels date from 2023.
