This M’sian data scientist is putting his own spin on craft colas with his soda business

Growing up in a Japanese-Malaysian family, Kenji always experienced quite an interesting mash-up of cultures as a child. 

“Breakfast could be natto and rice, dinner might be steamed egg with soy sauce chicken, and supper—obviously—nasi kandar,” he shared. “That mix definitely shaped how I see the world.”

Little did he know then that this blend of cultures would foreshadow his future endeavours. 

Kenji went on to study mechanical engineering in California, and now works as a data scientist. You might be wondering—what does this have to do with blending cultures?

Well, when Kenji isn’t busy with being a data scientist, he’s running his very own cola brand: Passa Cola. 

An obsession turned business

Passa Cola started as an idea in 2023, after Kenji’s partner came back from Japan raving about this thing called craft cola. 

“She’d tried it at a café in Kawaguchiko, then found a vending machine selling it in Tokyo, and got kind of obsessed,” he recounted. 

“When she introduced it to me, I was honestly shocked. I’d never tasted a soft drink that didn’t feel artificial. No chemicals, no fake syrupy aftertaste. I couldn’t even brain it at the time. It just didn’t match anything I knew about soda.”

That curiosity turned into his own obsession. Within two weeks, he flew to Tokyo to try as many craft colas as he could find. 

To Kenji, each cola had its own personality. That made him think: What if he could make one that felt like it belonged in Malaysia? Something with local flavour influence, but still clean, refreshing, and not full of junk.

“That’s where it started. I wanted to create something fun, a bit cheeky, but made with intention—something that could shift how people think about soft drinks,” he said. 

Christmas in summer 

For those who have never tried craft cola before, be warned that it’s not like your usual brand name colas.  

Describing Passa Cola, Kenji said that it tastes like “Christmas in summer.” 

He elaborated, “Warm and spicy from the ginger and cinnamon, but super refreshing thanks to the lemon and lime. You get that first hit of warmth on your tongue, then the citrus cuts through and lifts everything, leaving you with that clean, satisfying, refreshing feeling.”

Apparently, some familiar caramel-esque notes still remain, but the real spices and natural sweetness change up the game. 

Developing his own cola was a super hands-on experience, very much inspired by Japanese craftsmanship. 

Kenji’s mum helped reach out to friends in Japan so he could better understand what actually goes into craft cola. They also spent hours studying ingredient lists from the bottles they brought home.  

“I also fell deep into a rabbit hole of videos from Japanese makers,” Kenji added. “They take so much care with the process, it really pushed me to slow down and be more intentional with how I approached it.”

One for continual improvements, Passa Cola’s formulation is now onto Batch 39. Whenever he drops off deliveries, he takes the time to talk to customers and experiment based on their feedback. 

Following Japanese craft cola traditions, Passa Cola uses real spices, citrus, and botanicals like cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, lemon, lime, and goji berries, plus other natural ingredients to round it all out. 

“I’ve landed on a core recipe that I’m proud to sell, but I still treat it like a living thing. I’m always thinking about how to make it better or create new versions in the future,” he elaborated.

A home-based production

The full process of making the Passa Cola concentrate takes about eight hours, from prepping and cooking to a steeping phase that helps the flavours come together properly. 

Everything is done by hand in small batches by Kenji in his home kitchen. He assured that food safety is taken just as seriously as if he was running a full production line, though. 

“I use a fully separate set of tools and utensils just for Passa Cola, down to the weighing scale and chopping board, to avoid any cross-contamination,” he asserted. “Everything is sterilised before each batch, and I follow strict prep and handling procedures to keep things clean and consistent.”

With Passa Cola’s recent growth, the founder has also begun working on acquiring the proper food handling certifications and licenses to formalise things as they grow. “The product might feel playful, but what goes into making it is taken very seriously.”

Right now, Passa Cola is run by him, his partner, and his family. Even though the team is small, Kenji said they’ve set up with a clear structure that lets them move efficiently. 

The team plans to expand the product range, perhaps offering new flavours of Passa Cola, or even other craft drinks.

“I’m also already building systems that will allow us to grow the team as demand increases—and we’ve started onboarding the right equipment and processes to support that,” the data scientist said. 

While they’ve begun scaling, Kenji said he intends to keep the small-batch spirit intact. “We’re clear on how we want to grow—not fast and reckless, but steady and intentional.” 

Bringing cola to the masses

Given the craftsmanship, Passa Colas are certainly more expensive than your average can of coke. Three Passa Colas are priced at RM40, while a bottle of concentrate goes for RM28.90. 

It makes sense that it’s pricier; it’s made with real spices, fresh citrus, and all-natural ingredients, brewed in small batches with care and intention. 

You can currently find Passa Cola at Plump (Bangsar & TTDI), Didi’s Café in Wangsa Maju, and on their website.

“The Plump story actually started in a pretty unexpected way—my partner’s a big fan of Tao’s cakes, and she happened to bump into him during a spin class,” Kenji explained. “One thing led to another, they started talking about Japan, and somehow landed on craft cola.”

With that, they sent a few bottles for him to try, and the rest just clicked from there.

“We’re not in major retailers yet, but we are looking forward to working with partners and spaces that are excited about offering something different,” he said. 

There’s quite a lot of fizzy drink options on the market now, though. Kombucha brands are everywhere nowadays, and they’re oftentimes marketed as a healthy alternative, too. 

Kenji isn’t worried about the competition, though. “We’re not here to jump on every health trend or overload you with fancy buzzwords,” he said. “Instead, we focus on using natural, recognisable ingredients and making a drink that genuinely tastes good.”

Balancing the fizz and the biz 

Still being a full-time data scientist, running Passa Cola has been quite the tiring endeavour. 

But Kenji believes having a full-time job keeps him sharp and grounded. Everything he learnt in data such as problem-solving and thinking systematically has been useful for building a brand, too. 

“It’s definitely a grind—most nights and weekends are spent on Passa—but I’m super committed to it. I wouldn’t be putting in this much time and energy if I didn’t fully believe in what we’re building,” Kenji said. 

Looking ahead, the team has every intention to keep going and keep growing. As one of the first craft colas in Malaysia, he hopes Passa Cola can be more than just a drink but something people associate with good times. 

“If coffee stands for energy and hustle, and matcha for calm and wellness, then Passa Cola is all about fun, curiosity, and refreshment,” he said.

“Our motto, Tutto Passa—everything passes—is a reminder that everyone deserves a little pause in their day, with a drink that’s thoughtfully made and easy to feel good about.”

Featured Image Credit: Passa Cola