The Coconut Collab: “Winning on Taste is Non-Negotiable, and This is Where Our Greatest Strength Lies” – vegconomist
The Coconut Collaborative is a British producer of dairy-free, coconut-based yogurts and puddings. The past eighteen months have seen considerable success for the company, with its whippable plant-based double cream served at the Wimbledon tennis championships and its chocolate desserts launching on all Virgin Atlantic flights.
The Coconut Collab has also recently expanded into milk alternatives with its barista-style M!LK™, which is described as a “game-changing” product that looks and behaves just like cow’s milk. Additionally, the brand’s natural yogurt alternative is now the UK’s top-selling coconut yogurt.
We caught up with Anna Dominey, Managing Director at The Coconut Collaborative, to find out more about the company and its plans for expansion.
Can you provide us with the backstory of The Coconut Collaborative and its mission?
Established in 2014 by James Averdieck (also the founder of Gü), The Coconut Collab stems from a vision to harness the incredible power of the coconut to create delicious, high-quality food and drink that people feel good about. Over the past decade, we have seen more and more consumers looking to reduce or eliminate dairy in their diet, but crucially without compromising on taste. Coconuts have been used to make yogurts and other dairy alternatives for thousands of years in parts of Asia where they are native; they are naturally sweet and full of minerals, electrolytes, and healthy fats. Our coconut-based products deliver the rich, indulgent texture consumers want, while also being naturally low in sugar.
As the new Managing Director, what growth ambitions do you have for The Coconut Collaborative in the grocery and retail sector? Are there specific areas of focus or key strategies you plan to implement?
This is a really exciting time for The Coconut Collab, as we move beyond the initial startup phase into scaling. We are looking to build on our existing momentum and outperformance in the category to accelerate our growth rate over the next few years. We will be step-changing our approach to shopper recruitment and expanding into some new need states, aligned with our brand’s core positioning. In short: watch this space.
Tell us a little about some product portfolio highlights, for example, the newly launched barista drink — what are your projections for this product and how it will compare to other barista milks on the market? And how has the vanilla custard been received — it seems that this must be relatively unique to the mainstream retail market?
The Coconut Collab’s barista M!LK™ is redefining the benchmark for milk alternatives, with no compromise on taste or quality. M!LK™ froths brilliantly, doesn’t split when warmed, and won’t alter the taste profile of your tea. It is the perfect addition to hot drinks, smoothies, cereals and everything else you like to use milk in. This unique proposition from a coconut specialist has received a great response from consumers.
Custard is one of my favourite products in our range. It’s been in the market for a couple of years and continues to drive really strong double-digit growth, whereas we see many of our competitors declining in this segment. Both this product and our other recent innovation, Double Cre&m, which has been served at Wimbledon for the past two years, are surprisingly ‘un-coconutty’ and can be used exactly as their dairy equivalents can be.
What sets The Coconut Collaborative apart from competitors; what is the USP that provides your edge and segment leadership?
There are three key aspects that truly set us apart at The Coconut Collab. Firstly, our unwavering commitment to product quality and ingredients: we don’t compromise when it comes to sticking to our brand standards. Secondly, our team embraces an innovative mindset, challenging the status quo. Lastly, we highly value creating positive and collaborative working relationships, both within our team and with external partners.
The company has experienced substantial growth in the UK. What do you believe are the main factors behind this success?
Our success is underpinned by close collaboration with our customers, understanding their needs and focusing on tailoring our proposition to their shopper base; strategic investments in building brand awareness; and a commitment to innovation that keeps us ahead of our competitors. There is a strong alignment between the growing needs of shoppers for dairy alternatives that are not highly processed or high in sugar, and our coconut-based product range. And ultimately, for any food or drink brand to deliver sustainable growth, winning on taste is non-negotiable, and this is where our greatest strength lies.
Are there any expansion plans for The Coconut Collaborative in terms of international markets?
At present, The Coconut Collab is operating in the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria. Looking ahead to 2024, our plan is to further strengthen our position in these markets, leveraging the identified gap where our product offerings uniquely resonate.
Looking ahead, what are your predictions for the future of The Coconut Collaborative; how do you envision the brand evolving and staying relevant?
We’ve observed a notable shift among consumers towards adopting a more flexitarian diet. There’s a growing awareness of the environmental impact of dietary choices and their implications for personal health. Natural ingredients, such as coconuts, are transitioning from being considered alternatives to becoming everyday choices, aligning with a broader shift in lifestyle awareness. We believe that our brand will play a crucial role in offering products that meet consumers’ expectations, continually innovating to meet their evolving needs.
For more information about The Coconut Collab, please visit coconutco.co.uk or follow us on Instagram @coconutcollab.
