Coco5's Coconut Water Drinks Are Coming To Costco. I Tried All 7 Flavors, And I Have Thoughts

How do you hydrate? Most folks rely on good old plain water to get the job done, but many athletes turn to more electrolyte-replenishing beverages like sports drinks for instant hydration. Somewhere in the mix lies coconut water, an all-natural version of a sports drink that offers electrolytes and minerals like potassium, sodium, and manganese. There's no denying coconut water's impressive hydration quality, but one big problem? Many people don't like the way coconut water tastes. 

Enter Coco5, which makes coconut water-based drinks with an emphasis on quick hydration, electrolyte replenishment, and tasty flavors. Plain coconut water can have a generally light, slightly sweet, and possibly even salty, savory, or earthy undertone. Coco5's lineup — including flavors like orange, grape, pineapple, cherry, and passion fruit — aims to transform the divisive beverage into something more strictly fruity (and, ideally, refreshing, and even more ideally, delicious). 

With Coco5's impending arrival at Costco, there's quite a bit of buzz around the product, but a lingering question remains: Do the coconut water flavors taste any good? I tried all seven flavors in Coco5's lineup to find out, putting them to the taste test to determine not only if they taste generally good, but if they hit those refreshing notes and live up to their supposedly fruity flavor profiles.

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

When it came to sampling these Coco5 flavors, my review came down to flavor quality more than anything else: accuracy of the given fruit flavor, any aftertaste, or sweetness level were all things I paid attention to. Although a big selling point of these drinks is that they offer "active hydration," I didn't feel there was an accurate way I could quantify just how much they hydrated me. So, given that these are indeed coconut water-based drinks with natural electrolytes and very similar nutritional breakdowns, I'm assuming that all of them do indeed have hydrating qualities that would make them ideal for drinking post-workout or for simply sipping on to maintain hydration throughout the day.

So, with flavor in mind, I sampled all seven of these drinks both at room temperature and cold. I'd imagine that most people would prefer the drinks cold and that they'd be most refreshing at such a temperature, hence why I chose that approach. That said, sometimes flavors can shine through better at room temp, so that's why I decided to try the drinks both ways (for what it's worth, I pretty much got the same impression of all the flavors regardless of the temperature).

The first flavor I sampled of the Coco5 bunch was the one that I was most looking forward to trying: cherry. I tend to gravitate towards cherry-flavored foods and drinks in general – cherry Jolly Ranchers are my top flavor choice, while Glacier Cherry Gatorade is my all-time favorite of the Gatorade flavor lineup. So naturally, I had high hopes for this one.

Right off the bat, there was definitely a distinct cherry-forward flavor to this drink. At first, the flavor reminded me of something you'd find in a cherry candy, something with almost an exaggerated cherry flavor. As I kept sipping, I almost found the flavor reminiscent of canned cherry pie filling. So, needless to say, this one was a little bit all over the place, and I couldn't quite pinpoint exactly how much I enjoyed the flavor.

I did at least appreciate the sheer robustness of the cherry-ness, meaning that there was simply no denying what flavor you were sipping on. Also, despite the flavor reminding me of various cherry sweets and desserts, I didn't find it to be overly sweet or cloying. I also wouldn't have necessarily guessed that this was a coconut water drink if I didn't know any better, so for anyone who wants to drink coconut water for the health benefits but just can't get behind the taste, this cherry-forward Coco5 flavor just might be the one for you.

Of all the flavors in the Coco5 lineup, I'd imagine that coconut might be the most divisive (despite being the seemingly "plain" option). Fortunately, I love coconut flavor in all shapes and forms, including plain coconut water, so I had high hopes that this flavor might offer an elevated take on regular coconut water (or at least offer a familiar flavor that I already know and love).

In terms of how the flavor did pan out, I'd say it's something like regular coconut water, but with an added sweetness. If you don't like coconut water, you probably won't like this flavor, and even as someone who does typically like the beverage, I was divided on this rendition. On one hand, this drink did boast an undeniably strong coconut flavor, but there was an almost syrupy aftertaste that I didn't love. Not only was it a generally syrupy aftertaste, but it was one that tasted almost like an artificial sweetener. (For what it's worth, there aren't any artificial sweeteners in these drinks, and the aftertaste likely was from Rebiana A, a natural zero-calorie sweetener similar to Stevia). That sweetness really clung to the palate in a way that other flavors didn't, so for that reason, I'd argue that coconut is one of the weaker flavors in the lineup.

Passion fruit-flavored products and I have a complicated relationship (and by complicated, I mean that I historically just don't like them). As such, I didn't go into Coco5's passion fruit flavor with the highest of hopes, but I still kept an open mind as I know that my dislike for the flavor is more personal than anything else. After sampling the flavor, I feel confident that it's not the one for me, but I also believe that there are some folks out there who might really enjoy it.

The first sip of this drink was overwhelmingly fruity, and I mean that as a compliment. There was only one other flavor on this list that struck me with its sheer juicy fruitiness (and we'll touch on that later), but passion fruit definitely found strength in its, well, strength. Unfortunately, the flavor sort of delved into something that I wasn't a huge fan of, almost akin to the syrup-forward sweetness that I got from the coconut flavor, but with the added sharp acidity of passion fruit.

If you, unlike me, happen to be a big passion fruit fan, then I think it's worth giving this flavor a spin. But even if you fall more into "meh" territory when it comes to the fruity flavor, the flavor will likely come across as a bit too intense.

Admittedly, orange Gatorade is just about the last flavor I reach for when I'm feeling parched, and my feelings about orange-flavored drinks in general are tepid at best. All that said, I was taken by surprise with Coco5's orange flavor — not only was it pretty darn tasty, but it ended up being one of my favorites of the whole lineup.

Perhaps one of the biggest success points with this flavor is that it didn't try to overdo it with the orange-ness, and you can even see that it's relatively subdued by the shade of the liquid. This drink definitely had a general citrus-forward flavor to it, and one that was unmistakably orange (as opposed to lemon or lime). But the orange flavor never felt overwhelming, and I think that those general citrus notes helped mask any aftertaste that some of those other flavors left on display. I also found the sweetness to be on point with this one; to be fair, each of the flavors boasts the same amount of sugar, but not all of them managed to strike that balance between sweetness and the general fruit flavor at play. Orange did manage to strike that balance, and the general citrus notes were also extra refreshing, so I'd imagine this flavor would be especially desirable after a workout. 

No electrolyte beverage lineup would be complete without some sort of lemon-lime variation, and it seems that limón is here to represent in the Coco5 pack. I couldn't quite tell if this flavor was going more for lime or lemon (although my best guess would be lime, based on the green bottle), and the flavor struck me as something sort of encompassing citrus notes in general.

As for how well this flavor captured those citrus notes, I'd say pretty well. Very seldom do I come across a lime-flavored beverage that I find disagreeable, but in the same thread, very seldom do I find one that really knocks my socks off. This flavor lived up to those expectations: it tasted good, but I didn't exactly find myself overly impressed (to be fair, I don't think there's a single electrolyte beverage out there that could make such a stellar impression). There was a certain citrusy brightness that I really enjoyed, and the flavor always felt light and almost a bit sour-leaning, and never too sweet. I also felt that any typical coconut water flavors were pretty well masked here, so that's another win for those who don't want to pick up on those notes.

Overall, limón sort of plays it safe, but there's nothing wrong with that, especially if you're just looking for something simple and bright to sip on.

Grape-flavored foods and drinks, including grape soda or grape candy, have always struck me as oddball additions to the culinary world. Some fruit-flavored products might taste like the actual fruit, but grape is never one of them, boasting a uniquely artificial flavor that is distinct in its own right. If you love it, you love it — and if you do love it, then there's a good chance you'll like Coco5's grape flavor.

If the dark purple hue wasn't enough to clue you in, there's no denying the sheer grape-ness that this drink has to offer. And I say that as a good thing. This may not be the flavor I'd reach for personally, but I have to give a strong, almost robust flavor profile credit where it's due. Something I did particularly appreciate about this one is that it managed to boast that strong grape-forward flavor without delving into an almost chalky aftertaste (something I've noticed with other grape-flavored drinks out there) or landing on a too-sweet note. That strong grape flavor made this feel more substantial overall, so I somehow imagine that this flavor would be particularly satisfying after a workout (a sentiment grape Gatorade enthusiasts can likely understand). 

I already discussed how I found the passion fruit Coco5 flavor to be quite juicy, but there was one flavor that managed to outdo it on the juiciness front — and that would be none other than pineapple. When it comes to beverages, pineapple is one flavor that almost never lets me down, and fortunately, I can add Coco5's pineapple coconut water drink to my list of favorites.

The first thing that struck me about this flavor was, indeed, just how juicy that pineapple came across. I will note that, despite such strong and juicy pineapple notes, this was one where I could still pick up on coconut water. To me, that subtle coconut background was a big strength here, pairing wonderfully with the pineapple but still balancing it out to keep it from becoming overly sweet. 

Obviously, if you're looking for a beverage that really doesn't taste like coconut water at all, this may not be the flavor for you. Overall, though, I found this one to be incredibly refreshing, reminiscent of real, fresh pineapple juice, and generally well-balanced between sweet and more earthy notes — so of the entire Coco5 lineup, pineapple is the one I'd be most likely to reach for again.

After making my way through the Coco5 coconut water drink lineup, I feel confident in recommending many of the flavors on this list, but only if you are specifically seeking out a sports drink/electrolyte beverage. Obviously, not all of the flavors were big hits for me, like cherry or passion fruit, as they had certain aftertastes that I didn't love. But others, like pineapple and (to my surprise) orange, did manage to leave a solid impression, so it really comes down to what flavors you personally like and what you're looking for in an electrolyte beverage. Although not all of the flavors managed to mask that coconut water taste, some of them successfully did, so that alone may be a selling point for someone who wants to get in on the coconut water game. I can't say that I'd seek out these beverages just to sip on in my day-to-day life, but I do see the appeal of certain flavors as a refreshing option after a workout.

It's also worth noting the ingredients and nutritional breakdown of the drinks, which did not sway my personal opinion of them either way, but are good to know to inform your decision about buying them. They all have very similar ingredients, with filtered water, coconut water concentrate, cane sugar, citric acid, and some sort of natural flavor or color additive, along with Rebiana A being a key player. The nutritional breakdown is (nearly) the same across the board, with each bottle boasting 80 calories, 120 milligrams of sodium, 16 grams of carbs, 14 total grams of sugar, and 10 grams of added sugar (the only difference is that some have 1 gram of protein, whereas others simply have 0).

Your best bet for locating Coco5 products in person is by using the brand's online store locator. Otherwise, certain flavor packs are available to purchase on Coco5's website, including 12-packs of individual flavors or a variety pack, all priced at $32. 12-packs are also available for purchase online at Walmart for $35.99. The grape flavor, which is the newest edition to the lineup, was initially a Sprouts exclusive, though it is available on the Coco5 website at the time of writing. 

An 18-bottle multipack containing six each of the coconut, grape, and pineapple flavors will be available in Costco stores in the Midwest starting June 16, retailing for $19.99. Costcos in the rest of the U.S. should see the drinks sometime this summer. The company has also recently done roadshows at certain Costco locations, and will continue to do so at stores in the Pacific Northwest, Bay Area, and southeastern U.S. over the next couple of months.