Palawan-based Lionheart Farms has come up with a line of CÓCOES products made with coconut flower, which are positioned as healthier alternatives to sugar and soy.
“Lionheart Farms was started with our fascination with the photosynthetic capabilities of the coconut palm. It’s incredibly efficient to convert energy in sunlight to sugar,” shared Christian Moeller, CEO and co-founder of Lionheart Farms.
Moeller and his partners built the farm from the ground up, used the best materials to increase the quality and quantity of their yield, and integrated farming and processing to deliver their promise of soil-to-shelf products. Their best practices have trickled down to neighboring farms and have helped make coconut farming a sustainable livelihood.
The 3,500-hectare farm has become a hub, having scaled demand for coconut to share the benefits with small-scale coconut farmers in the Southern Palawan barangays of Quezon, Rizal, and Bataraza.
Moeller cited their long-term partnership with local indigenous community and their Kabalikat partner farming program. The business model instills the entrepreneurship mindset among its participating farmers by compensating them based on their level of involvement. Some of the older farmers are content with having guaranteed income from Lionheart leasing their palms, while the younger farmers go as far as taking more active roles, earning more than enough to support their families.
“We’ve seen the younger farmers earning enough to be able to support their families. It makes it sexy to be a farmer again for the next generation of farmers.” Moeller explained.
CÓCOES currently has four products out in the market. The first is coconut sugar that’s notably healthier than regular processed sugar because of its low glycemic characteristics.
Somewhat related are the Dark and Light Coconut Flower Syrups, which are intended as a healthier substitute for high-fructose corn syrup.
The Dark Syrup is roughly similar to maple syrup and can be used in the same way -- as a sweetener for pancakes and waffles or added to full-bodied drinks such as coffee. The Light Syrup has bright, citrusy Asian notes similar to kalamansi and can be used in salad dressings or to sweeten fruit juices or tea instead of sugar.
The Coconut Aminos are probably the least known of the products. These are meant to replace soy sauce with the same sweet-salty-umami flavors, but with much less salt. High salt is associated with heart and liver conditions. Using aminos instead of soy sauce in Asian and Filipino dishes lessens the chance of heart attack and stroke.
Though the company is focusing on exports, Moeller hints at more products to come, such as coco vinegar, healthy seasoning alternatives, and flavored aminos coming next year.
CÓCOES products are now available on Lazada and will soon be available on selected supermarket shelves nationwide.
This article was originally published at ABS-CBN News on January 15, 2022.