Family reunions, holidays at grandma’s, and the first time you brought your crush home for dinner in high school – there’s one thing that these events all have in common: family photo albums.
And except for that fateful evening in high school that nearly “ruined your life”, photo albums capture moments in time and can transport us to places we’d forgotten about or events we never even knew occurred (there’s always that one dusty, well-hidden album that forever changes the way you see your family).
To see this as our special coconut family album, the place where you can rediscover the adventures you so fondly remember and discover new ones that could change the way you see the future of your product catalog.
The Family Favorites: Coconut Cream, Coconut Milk, Coconut Oil, & Desiccated Coconut
There are a few pages in each photo album that we tend to skim through quickly, flipping the pages over snapshots of events that are still as fresh in our memories as if they’d happened only yesterday.
And when it comes to coconut products, it can be much the same.
Coconut milk and coconut cream are staples in kitchens and product catalogs across the US. Made by blending pureed coconut meat with water, these creamy dairy alternatives come in a variety of thicknesses with varying cream content, providing the perfect solution for multiple purposes.
Then there’s coconut oil, in multiple varieties. Virgin coconut oil is made by separating the oil content from the coconut flesh by drying the coconut over low heat. Further filtration and refinement can then lead to MCT and RBD oils, perfectly suited for specialized applications in industries such as health and skincare.
And finally, the one without which our bakery aisles would be far less adventurous: desiccated coconut. Just imagine a snowball without its coconut coating! But even here, with an ingredient so familiar to us, things get interesting. Because desiccated coconut isn’t a one-shave-fits-all ingredient. With sizes ranging from fine/macaroons, medium, flakes, and shredded, to chips/ribbons, coconut coatings don’t ever have to be an afterthought again.
But if something so familiar to us can hold such wondrous secrets, what else are these dusty old photo albums hiding?
The Punk Rock Aunt: Bulk Coconut Butter
Coconut Butter is one of those photos, hidden in a dusty album, of a favorite aunt in the height of her punk phase – dayglo mohawk and all. Coconut butter is still one of the lesser-known ingredients in the consumer market when compared to the popularity of coconut creams and oils.
But it’s a delicacy that’s quickly turning heads, not unlike your aunt’s purple 80s hairdo. Whether it’s spread on warm toast for breakfast, paired with fruit, pancakes, waffles, or oatmeal, or incorporated into baking recipes and granolas, coconut butter is becoming a welcome alternative (or dare we say partner?) to nut butter.
Coconut butter is packed with healthy fats, fiber, and essential nutrients, plus, it’s free from cholesterol and dairy.
But for all its luxurious glory, its production is super simple.
First coconut flesh is ground into a smooth puree, which breaks down the coconut meat and releases its natural oils. The mixture is then heated so that the coconut oils can be melted and blended with the coconut flesh. It’s then left to cool and solidify, resulting in a creamy, smooth butter.
The Odd One Out: Bulk Coconut Aminos
Every album has that one family member that seems out of place. Maybe it’s their hair color or the shape of their nose. Or maybe they’re too or even too photogenic. Coconut aminos is that family member.
Coconut aminos is a savory sauce crafted from the nectar of coconut blossoms, the same sap that (ironically) produces coconut sugar. The sap is fermented and seasoned, giving it a rich, umami character. The aging and fermentation periods are what help add variety to different coconut amino products.
The blend of sweet tropical and tangy umami flavors makes coconut aminos so versatile in stir-fry sauces, meat glazes, and seasonings. It’s an ingredient packed with amino acids, vitamins, and minerals, that packs a savory kick with less sodium than other seasonings.
The Cousins Who Were Everywhere Somehow: Bulk Coconut Flour
Isn’t it weird when you’re flipping through family photos and see the faces of cousins at almost every gathering, like film extras in the background? And yet you have no memory of them being there … ever.
That’s coconut flour, for you. Because in the world of gluten-free baking, that’s the whole point.
Coconut flour is made from Coconut Kernel Cake (CKC), the by-product that is left once coconut milk and coconut oil have been extracted from coconut meat. The CKC is then ground down into a fine powder to create organic gluten-free coconut flour.
Coconut flour is naturally gluten-free, grain-free, low in carbohydrates, and a super source of dietary fiber.
As a gluten-free flour with incredible binding capabilities, coconut is used in products that range from baked goods to pastas to desserts. And if it’s not already part of your gluten-free inventory, it should be.
Taking a trip to Grandma’s house: The role of bulk importers and wholesale suppliers
So in the scheme of this metaphor, ingredient brothers is Grandma’s house, the sanctuary of forgotten and fabulous family albums. Because as bulk importers and wholesale suppliers, custodians of the family’s adventures, we’ve got endless tales to share over hot cocoa.
Browse our Bulk Coconut Product page for even more coconut products. Or get in touch and let’s talk about how we can bring the magic of coconut to your customers.