Your Favorite Coconut Water Brand Is Leaning into Dessert Vibes

I am not a huge coconut water guy. I know it’s supposedly great for you and a lot of people swear by it, but for me, it sits in that uncanny valley of beverages that aren’t quite sweet enough to be sweet and not quite watery enough to be water. I just need it to commit to a side—water or sweet drink—but it won’t do that. And you know what? As I am typing this I am realizing this is definitely a “me” problem. For a lot of people, coconut water is exactly what they want. Regardless, if you, like me, are not a coconut water connoisseur, then you just might like this desserty new Vita Coco offering: Vita Coco Orange & Creme Beverage.

Is this “beverage” just orange creamsicle-flavored coconut water? Is this a trap? Is this the vegan equivalent of Peeps Milk? Am I overthinking what is likely just a coconut-based creamy orange drink?

We dug a little deeper and it turns out the answers to the above questions are, “No; no; I mean, maybe; and absolutely. The “Treats” line from Vita Coco appears to be coconut water and coconut milk-based, not just coconut water-based, so these are intended to be creamy, sweet, flavored beverages to drink in lieu of other sweet bevs. Of course, this also solves my “is it sweet or is it water” conundrum.

Last year, Vita Coco released the first of its “Treats” flavors, Strawberries & Creme, and people seemed to like it, calling it “dessert in a sip” and likening it to the Starbucks Pink Drink. As for the new Orange & Creme flavor, the brand has described it as “a nostalgic, citrusy swirl that tastes just like a creamsicle—only better!” Promising!

Now, you may be wondering: Should we just be sipping this straight? Is that what the coconut chef recommends? It seems like, yes, people consumed the strawberry-flavored coconut water both straight up and over ice and liked it a whole lot. That said, I saw one reviewer online who used it to make an iced matcha latte, and y’all—doesn’t that sound like a nostalgic, utterly refreshing good time?

So far, reviews of new Vita Coco Orange & Creme on Vita Coco’s site are overwhelmingly positive, so really and truly if you are vegan, lactose intolerant, or just like coconut milk and/or water and orange creamsicles, this new product seems like a fun thing to try out. Luckily it is already available wherever you get your Vita Coco, so get out there and pick up a lov-e-ly bunch of Vita Cocos, if you are so inclined.