Synergy Creates Cost Cutting Solution for Coconut Flavors

Coconut milk has become a staple for many households as Thai and Southern Indian cuisine has exploded in popularity. However, due to poor crops across the major coconut producing countries, manufacturers have been hit by lack of supply and increased raw material prices.

Jul 21 2011 --- In a move to combat rising coconut milk costs, Savoury ingredients specialist, Synergy, is launching a clean label Coconut Booster for savoury applications. Inspired by Thai cooking, one of today’s most popular cuisines, the innovative ingredient enables manufacturers to recreate authentic taste in sauces, soups, ready meals and savoury snacks. Responding to price increases in coconut milk – which has doubled in recent months – Synergy’s Coconut Booster offers manufacturers a clean label and cost-effective way to tap into accelerating demand for Pan Asian and Thai-based flavours.

Coconut milk has become a staple for many households as Thai and Southern Indian cuisine has exploded in popularity. However, due to poor crops across the major coconut producing countries, manufacturers have been hit by lack of supply and increased raw material prices.

Recognising this market challenge, Synergy worked in partnership with existing customers to develop its Coconut Booster. By leveraging the company’s dairy heritage from parent company Carbery, the Coconut Booster uses proprietary milk protein and natural flavouring to imitate the taste profile and creamy texture of coconut milk. In test recipes, Synergy’s Coconut Booster successfully replaced half the coconut milk concentrate, resulting in significant saved costs of up to 50 per cent against coconut. Synergy’s Coconut Booster also provides fat reduction in the region of 50 to 70 per cent, depending on the application.

“Coconut milk has become a hugely popular ingredient in recent years as the trend for Pan Asian cuisine, and specifically Thai cuisine, has gone mainstream,” comments Donna Rose, Business Development and Marketing Manager, Synergy. “However, due to poor weather conditions affecting crop yields the market has experienced supply problems and as a result costs have increased. By working with our customers, our technical experts at Synergy have been able to develop a Coconut Booster that allows manufacturers to recreate the same authentic taste as coconut milk but at a reduced cost. What’s more, the ingredient can help significantly reduce the fat content, for manufacturers wanting to tap into the trend for healthier savoury products naturally.”