Although Nature’s Pride has been importing young coconuts for years, the exotic has been enjoying increased interest in recent years according to Arjen de Haan. “It has really become a trend recently. There is demand from all sides. I certainly see the volumes increasing in the coming years.”
A young coconut is a coconut of which the outside isn’t yet hairy or dark brown. The young coconut has a characteristic cylinder shape with a cut point. The sweet and refreshing coconut water in the young coconut is great to drink. The fruit flesh is soft and easy to spoon out. The fruit flesh is also deliciously sweet in flavour.
Although the product seems to be a typical summer item, Arjen says this is only partially the case. “We also had good sales in the winter. We have year round supply of young coconuts from Vietnam and Thailand. We carry them next to each other. In recent months the availability of the young coconuts from Thailand has been more limited and the price was at a high level, but in the coming weeks better weather is expected again and the supply will increase. Especially if we get sunny weather in Europe, the demand will increase further.”
"We sell the young coconuts both to retail and (catering) wholesale. Besides the Netherlands there is also a lot of demand from Belgium, Germany and Eastern Europe,” continues Arjan. “The Thai coconuts are characterised by a slightly fuller flavour, whilst the Vietnamese young coconuts are slightly fresher. We carry them next to each other under our own label ‘Eat Me’. On a flyer and our website we give clear instructions on application, as opening them can be an inhibiting factor. As soon as you know the tricks, this is no longer a problem. We are also working on new packaging shapes and variations.”
“You find coconut water pre-packaged (in bottles or cartons) in the refrigerated section. They often have additives such as sugar and aromas, but you also see the Genuine Coconut with its patented opening, the product which won the Fruit Logistica Innovation Award this year, a lot, however it has a much shorter shelf life,” says Arjen.
Product information
The young coconut plantations are near a river mouth created by river silt being deposited at the coast due to the almost complete lack of tides (brackish water). A place like this is also called a delta. Brackish water is needed for the growth of young coconuts, due to the minerals taken from the original sea water. These minerals are what make the coconut water so healthy. 4 years after planting a young coconut tree the first fruits can be harvested. Every year 1 tree can be harvested from around 4 times, for 20 years. Young coconuts are harvested on day 20 and 21, as the sugar level is optimal then.
Harvesting is done with the help of a long stick with a hook and a knife. The bunches of coconuts are cut loose with a knife, brought down with the hook and placed in a nearby ditch. Here the coconuts are sorted for quality, cut into a cylindrical shape and packaged by specialised employees. The products are then transported to Nature’s Pride by boat.
For more information:
Nature's PrideHonderdland 611
2676 LV Maasdijk
T: +31174524248
arjen.dehaan@naturespride.nl
www.naturespride.eu