17 Feb 2016 Coconut that opens like a can of soda wins top innovation award
A Spanish company has come up with an ingenious option to market and merchandise raw, organic coconut water – currently the super-healthy darling of the beverage world – in its own natural container.
Called Genuine Coconut, it is described as a ‘100% organic certified, ecological and almost totally biodegradable drink’ and recently won the 2016 Fruit Logistica Innovation Award (FLIA) at the annual Berlin expo for the fresh produce industry.
Using nature’s own packaging, the water is accessed by a patented ring-pull system that opens a straw hole in the nut.
Made of recycled coconut husk fibre and natural resin, the tab is applied directly to the fruit, apparently without compromising its aseptic contents.
The fruit is cultivated in the heart of Thailand and harvested when perfectly ripe, as that is the stage when it contains the most water, which is rich in nutrients and minerals. Thai Nam Hom coconuts are considered the best for their quality, flavour and aroma.
Carlos Amoros from the Spanish World’s Coconut Trading said on receiving the award: “We are happy and proud. Thank you Fruit Logistica! This award is a great reward for the three years we spent trying to make the product available on the market.”