Vaui Social Liquids Brings a Modern Twist to An Ancient Drink – Kava

Based on Maui, Vaui Social Liquids sells sparkling kava tea in three tropical flavors: mango punch, passion orange guava and pineapple lemonade. The star ingredient, kava, is derived from a root native to the South Pacific that has been consumed by indigenous people for millennia.

It’s “traditionally pounded and pulverized into a powder mixed with water and then enjoyed as a tea ceremonially for social gatherings and special occasions. The Polynesians didn’t have alcohol, they had kava, so it was really their social drink,” says founder Kyle Fleming.

“The traditional way of drinking it [tastes] kind of muddy. It’s an acquired taste for sure, but the effects are really nice. You get this nice relaxing effect, but you don’t get hung over the next day. You’re relaxed enough to have a good social interaction, but you’re not sloppy or drunk. So it’s really a great experience and a great alternative to alcohol,” he adds.

This inspired him and his co-founders in 2024 to concoct a canned kava beverage designed to be “a bit more convenient” than home-brewing and to “get the flavor a little bit more approachable for your average consumer.” The result, Fleming says, “still has a little bit of that earthy note, but is a lot smoother, more refreshing and also slightly carbonated.”

By offering a healthier alternative to spirits, the company aims to combat the modern “social recession.” Fleming says the data suggests that “over the past decade, social time spent with friends has dropped by 60% down to just 13 hours a month, which is super sad. So, we want to do our part to kind of try to reverse that with a healthier, safer option. Our goal is to have a million new social interactions kind of around our drinks, so if that’s us sponsoring events, and we can tally up how many people attended the event, that can kind of click towards our goal.”