Lisa McTigue Pierce, Executive Editor

June 21, 2017

3 Min Read
Nature’s package keeps coconut water protected

Sometimes you just can’t improve on the package Mother Nature designed. That was the conclusion Genuine Coconut Water came to for coconut water, popular these days for consumers looking for a crisp, natural and refreshing beverage. So it found a way to poke a hole in a coconut, plug it and sell it at retail.

Consumers drink the 100% certified organic and raw, non-processed coconut water directly from the fruit itself. Minimally packaged, the film-wrapped coconut sits in an open carton, which includes a straw.

The patented easy-opening system is a ring made of recycled coconut husk fiber and natural resin. This allows the brand to tout that Genuine Coconut Water is a 100% organic certified, authentic, ecological and almost totally biodegradable drink because it uses only natural coconut resources.

The coconut’s natural protection ensures that the water it contains is free from any microbes for safety and to preserve the water’s flavor and aroma.

Bill Sipper, managing partner for leading beverage brand management and consulting firm Cascadia Managing Brands LLC, gives us a few more details about the non-package for the Genuine Coconut Water product, whose distribution is now being expanded to the U.S. after its initial introduction into Europe and Canada.

How is the easy-opening system—a unique ring made of recycled coconut husk fiber and natural resin—added to the coconut?

Sipper: It is literally added by robots.

How is it opened?

Sipper: You take off the film surrounding the coconut and literally pop open the tab like you would on a soda can. It is that easy.

Genuine-Coconut-ring-closeup-72dpi.jpg

This close-up shows the easy-open ring on a Genuine Coconut Water's coconut.

Is there a tamper-evident feature on the ring?

Sipper: No, but one would clearly see there is a slight hole in the coconut.

How do consumers access the liquid?

Sipper: The final area is accessed by puncturing it with the attached straw.

Do you have to use a straw or could you tip the coconut into your mouth?

Sipper: You can drink it either way. The straw is easier. You can easily cut a hole into the coconut if you want to drink it that way.

How do you label the product if the contents are “approximately” 12 fluid ounces? 

Sipper: Every coconut is different. Therefore we use “approximately” 12 ounces as a basis.

How is the coconut merchandised in stores? It looks like the coconuts sit on a round carton or paperboard sleeve.

Sipper: It sits in the round carton in the refrigerator in the produce section.

You say it is currently available in Europe and Canada, but then list the U.S. retail price. Is this being sold in the U.S.?

Sipper: We are just now introducing it in the United States.

What is the shelf life of the product?

Sipper: Once it is on the shelf, the shelf life is three weeks.

Are all coconuts coming from Thailand?

Sipper: The coconuts are sourced in Thailand and then sent to Spain where our processing facility is located.

How are they shipped?

Sipper: They are shipped 15 coconuts per case.

About the Author(s)

Lisa McTigue Pierce

Executive Editor, Packaging Digest

Lisa McTigue Pierce is Executive Editor of Packaging Digest. She’s been a packaging media journalist since 1982 and tracks emerging trends, new technologies, and best practices across a spectrum of markets for the publication’s global community. Reach her at [email protected] or 630-272-1774.

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