The days of needing a hammer and chisel to enjoy coconut could be over, with the arrival of a new, ready-to-eat variety.
The soft-skinned nut from Thailand is harvested young while the outer skin is still green and has yet to form a hard shell.
Its white flesh is described as blancmange-like - the coconuts are nicknamed ‘jelly nuts’ by locals - and soft enough to be scooped out with a spoon.
The new soft nuts might be unsuitable for coconut shies, but they are expected to appeal to consumers as an ingredient in oriental dishes, curries, soups and desserts, while the clear milk is “ideal for cocktails”.
Fine produce importer and wholesaler C&C Group, which is bringing the coconuts in, said
the new convenient coconut was already proving popular with Chinese supermarkets.
But it would also be a great offer for multiples and other fresh produce retailers, particularly those with high proportions of ethnic minorities among their customers.
C&C Group import manager Sid Haselton claimed it was the nut’s juice that could also make it popular. “A lot of people buy a coconut for its milk and are then disappointed to find there is not much inside.
“These young coconuts are brimming with milk - there’s about half a pint in each - and it’s very easy to make a hole to get at it.”
Haselton said the milk was rich in electrolytes, minerals associated with healthy muscles that are popular ingredients in sports drinks.
The coconuts weigh about 1kg each and are being imported in cases of nine every three weeks between now and October.
A case sells to the trade at £6.75 with Chinese supermarkets currently retailing the nuts at £1.50-£1.75 each.
Shelf life of the variety, shrinkwrapped and chilled, is up to 75 days after picking.
Richard Clarke
The soft-skinned nut from Thailand is harvested young while the outer skin is still green and has yet to form a hard shell.
Its white flesh is described as blancmange-like - the coconuts are nicknamed ‘jelly nuts’ by locals - and soft enough to be scooped out with a spoon.
The new soft nuts might be unsuitable for coconut shies, but they are expected to appeal to consumers as an ingredient in oriental dishes, curries, soups and desserts, while the clear milk is “ideal for cocktails”.
Fine produce importer and wholesaler C&C Group, which is bringing the coconuts in, said
the new convenient coconut was already proving popular with Chinese supermarkets.
But it would also be a great offer for multiples and other fresh produce retailers, particularly those with high proportions of ethnic minorities among their customers.
C&C Group import manager Sid Haselton claimed it was the nut’s juice that could also make it popular. “A lot of people buy a coconut for its milk and are then disappointed to find there is not much inside.
“These young coconuts are brimming with milk - there’s about half a pint in each - and it’s very easy to make a hole to get at it.”
Haselton said the milk was rich in electrolytes, minerals associated with healthy muscles that are popular ingredients in sports drinks.
The coconuts weigh about 1kg each and are being imported in cases of nine every three weeks between now and October.
A case sells to the trade at £6.75 with Chinese supermarkets currently retailing the nuts at £1.50-£1.75 each.
Shelf life of the variety, shrinkwrapped and chilled, is up to 75 days after picking.
Richard Clarke
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