The Obrigado coconut water brand, established by Brazilian coconut producer Grupo Aurantiaca in 2014, produces 100% pure coconut water that is made from fresh, young, green coconuts. The company operates its own sustainable farms in Bahia, Brazil.
Speaking to FoodNavigator-LATAM earlier this year, Roberto Lessa, global CEO of Grupo Aurantiaca, explained that the company prided itself on being 100% traceable thanks to its “unique farming method” with barcoded trees and high-precision irrigation systems.
Each tree's barcode was used by the team of local farmers to track each tree and make decisions on water and manure needed, he said. The barcode system was linked to a centralized control room that then connected to an irrigation system to give each tree exactly what it needed, he said.
“This makes the operation also very sustainable, since a precise minimal amount of all the resources can be given to an individual tree,” said Lessa.
The company’s farms closely nurture hundreds of thousands of Brazilian Green Dwarf trees using the Mosaic Principle to maintain an ecological balance. This sees 70% of its land set aside as an untouchable, natural preserve which maintains the balance for the 30% of the land that Obrigado farms.
In addition, the company has installed eco-corridors to allow native animals and birds to live and move undisturbed in the plantations.
Global market
The global packaged coconut water market will surpass $8.3bn by 2023, according to market research firm Aritzon, growing “significantly” at a CAGR of 25%. And forecasts suggest major FMCG players and retailers will join the category in the coming years.