Still nuts for coconut
Consumers are still going nuts for coconuts but the craze doesn’t stop at coconut water - although Innova was displaying Dutch company World's Coconut Trading and its fresh, organic coconut water that is sold in an actual coconut shell.
Modified with an easy-to-open pull tab and a straw, it gives the beverage a premium positioning.
But companies are getting creative with waste streams from the coconut processing industry and using them for new value-added products from sustainable packaging to protein-rich fermented drinks.
UK manufacturer Enkev collects the fibre from coconut husks – usually seen as a waste material – and transforms it into Cocoform, a tray that is strong, highly protective, natural and easily compostable.
Meanwhile Dutch food research company Nizo has been working on creating a value-added ingredient from coconut residue press cakes, a by-product of coconut oil manufacturing, which are in abundant supply in Malaysia, the hub of southeast Asia's coconut oil production and currently have little use.
Naturally rich in protein and sugars, Nizo researchers add food-grade lactic acid micro-organisms to the residue in order to kick-start the fermentation process.
The result is a protein-rich, fermented drink that is creamy, refreshing and slightly sour.