01 Nov 2025 A new SA energy drink – and one on a serious mission
In an already crowded market, SA Canegrowers believes there’s room for one more – especially one with a unique marketing proposition….
Introducing Shesha, a new energy drink brand that not only plans to take on the big names in this competitive arena, but also intends to help resuscitate and revitalise the local sugarcane industry.
SA Canegrowers through its subsidiary Womoba, has unveiled Shesha, made from juice extracted from fresh, raw sugarcane – and which it claims as “the first of its kind in the world”.
Produced and canned in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), Shesha is made from hand-harvested sugarcane stalks that are peeled and crushed to form the base of a naturally sweetened, fortified energy drink.
No other energy drink globally is produced using this method, it asserts.
“This is more than just an energy drink, it’s a story of South African ingenuity and resilience,” said Kiki Mzoneli, sugarcane grower and board member of SA Canegrowers.
Beverage on a mission #1
“Every can of Shesha supports local jobs, sustains families, and strengthens rural economies in KZN and Mpumalanga.”
This initiative comes as South Africa’s sugarcane industry is facing severe challenges, with an influx of foreign sugar imports making local producers less competitive.
In 2023/24, 25,000 tons of sugar were imported from countries outside the Southern African Customs Union. A year later, this had increased fourfold to over 100,000 tons.
SA Canegrowers chairman Higgins Mdluli estimates that, for every ton of imported sugar that enters the South African market, the local sugar industry loses R6,000.
Beverage on a mission #2
With consumers increasingly seeking healthier energy alternatives, Shesha combines sustainability and functionality. It contains 50% less caffeine than most energy drinks and leverages sugarcane’s natural antioxidants, vitamins and minerals for a more nutritious profile.
The word Shesha means “fast” or “hurry up” in isiZulu and encapsulates all that an energy drink aims to bring to its customers: energy, vitality and a renewed vigour.
“Shesha is about doing something new and exciting with a crop we’ve known for generations,” says Mdluli. “It’s proof that innovation can start right here at home, turning sugarcane into something fresh, relevant and proudly South African.”
Profits from Shesha will fund community projects and job creation initiatives in KZN and Mpumalanga through SA Canegrowers.
Representing more than 25,000 small- and large-scale growers, the organisation is working to diversify the industry beyond traditional sugar production.
Shesha is available in four flavours: Original, Lemon & Lime, Orange, and Ginger Beer. It has 8g/100ml of sugar, and can be purchased nationally via Takealot and Makro online stores as well as at select retailers in KZN.
Let’s hope a somewhat premium price of R22/300ml unit (as currently on Takealot) won’t blunt its chances of success.
Source: SA Canegrowers, Shesha website