‘Island Boost' coconut water hits market
…targets visitors for Cricket World Cup
Kaieteur News
February 9, 2007
Sococo Agro Processing Plant, yesterday, launched a new line of product to be exported and sold locally.
Island Boost Coconut Water, in packets and cans, was revealed to the public at a presentation which was attended by the Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud.
Managing Director of Sococo, Mr. Chaitnarine Bridjnandan, described the new beverage as “the fluid of life”. The drink will complement the line of produce already on the market, which includes canned coconut milk and coconut cream.
Bridjnandan posited that the naturally pure drink was manufactured from young coconuts and is free from concentrates, caffeine, and carbonisation. There will be no loss in flavour. The drink is available in three flavours: plain coconut water, coconut water and passion fruit, or coconut water and pineapple.
He posited that Sococo remains committed to producing quality products, and encouraged farmers to increase production and create employment.
Minister Persaud lauded the entrepreneurs who decided to revive the plant after the original owner migrated and left the canning plant defunct for over a year, because of the security situation in previous years.
Persaud noted that security concerns hamper the business sector, and he praised the government's intervention which allowed the Sococo venture to succeed.
Agro processing has always been the missing link in terms of agricultural development, he said. He posited that it is encouraging to see that persons are seeking to have locally processed items on the shelves of the local and foreign markets.
The projected price for retail of the product is $75 per packet. Bridjnandan indicated that the reason for the time of the launch was the impending Cricket World Cup and the opportunity to market the produce to visitors to Guyana .
He revealed that the product will be exported, and markets have already been secured in Trinidad , Jamaica and Antigua . Sustainable production was assured, since Guyana has an abundance of quality coconuts.
And the high-capacity plant can churn out 100 cases of the product daily.
The director acknowledged the numerous instances of cooperation by the Ministry of Agriculture, and noted that the plant is approved by the Food and Drug Administration of Guyana. The research and development laboratory, which is also responsible for quality assurance, has met the export requirements.
He noted that with the availability of pineapples, canning has already commenced for the production of pineapple slices, chunks and crush.
Management is in negotiations for the acquisition of state-of-the-art technology, machinery and equipment for introduction of other agro processed products.