× Expand Photo by Olamide Adeboye

Nigerian-born entrepreneur Olamide Adeboye has put a cold-brewed spin on a traditional West African hibiscus tea and launched it from his base in the Cortex Innovation Community.

Adeboye, who also goes by Ola, started his new company, Wakava, after being accepted into the Center for Emerging Technology’s Square One program, which provides support to first-time entrepreneurs and early-stage startups. In January, he began selling the herbal-infused cold brew online, offering three flavors: lemongrass, chamomile, and mint.

While developing the concept, Adeboye drew from his own background. "When I got here, I wanted to do something different,” says Adeboye, who moved here in early 2017 with his wife, who's from St. Louis. “My body changed physically from eating and drinking. I felt like I needed some antioxidants to cleanse myself.”

Photo by Olamide Adeboye

After discovering POM Wonderful, the popular antioxidant-packed pomegranate drink, Adeboye had an idea: He fixated on the hibiscus tea widely consumed in Nigeria and other West African countries, as well as in Egypt. “People drink it at celebrations,” Adeboye says, "and they drink a lot of it in the summertime because it cools the body down."

High in antioxidants and vitamin C, hibiscus is believed to have a range of health benefits. Studies have suggested it can play a role in protecting heart health and lowering cholesterol and blood pressure. Others advocate for its calming qualities and effectiveness as an aid for digestion and even weight loss. Adeboye says varieties of hibiscus grown in Nigeria are among the most potent of the approximately 200 species around the world, and he uses these to make Wakava.

In Nigeria, the hibiscus is dried, then infused in water and boiled with other spices. The resulting tea can be consumed hot or cold, often with sugar added to reduce the drink’s sourness. Adeboye decided to change up the traditional method by cold-brewing the hibiscus.

Photo by Olamide Adeboye

“We infuse the herbs, and we cold-brew it for 26 hours,” he says. “The drink is in the cold-brew pot, and the environment is very chilled to slowly bring out the hibiscus flavor.”

According to Adeboye, cold-brewing makes the hibiscus less acidic and tart, and it boosts the antioxidant properties. Raw sugar is also added to sweeten the drink. (Adeboye says he would prefer to use honey as a sweetener, but he hasn’t found a suitable honey so far. “It’s better to use raw sugar than a fake honey,” he says.)

The current trio of flavors supplements the hibiscus with their own herbal benefits: Lemongrass is used in Nigeria to treat fevers, chamomile and lemongrass can both promote relaxation and calming, and mint is good for the skin, he adds.

As the brand grows, Adeboye plans to add new flavors. He also hopes to establish a retail presence. “Right now, we’re building online to grow the customer relationship,” Adeboye says. “From there, we can approach the big guys: Walmart, Whole Foods, and so on.”