Javanese Coconut palm tappers

Coconut palm sugar is made from the nectar produced from the coconut tree (coco nucifera - not the same palm tree that produces Palm Oil). Once collected, it is boiled and processed into a granule. This is a unique tradition of the Javanese and they produce the best quality Coconut Sugar.

Sustainable & Equitable Sweetener

With our partners in Indonesia we work with over 1,000 farmers on the island of Java for our coconut palm sugar production and have been directly involved with the creation of farmer cooperatives, internal control systems and organic certificates for them and their product.

We oversee a number of small cooperative maintained sugarhouses and directly own and operate a processing facility for ensuring final quality assurance for all final coconut palm sugar products.  The sugarhouses are small commercial kitchens, allowing producers to continue the tradition of small batch coconut palm sugar production and at the same time have a product that is clean, free of any contamination, and consistently of the highest quality.

Other key community points:

  • 100% of the money from growing, harvesting and primary processing of this ingredient stays in the local communities and we work directly with international NGO’s in order to maintain transparent, socially equitable supply chains.
  • Our sustainable supply chain manages direct producer programs in value addition education and practice, market access and small business/cooperative management.
  • Through market access and production training, smallholder sugar-tappers have risen well above the poverty line and are able to earn an increase in personal income of close to 200% while maintaining a competitive market price as a cane sugar alternative!
  • Coconut palm sugar has the single highest potential for lifting these farmers into a better life while creating a net benefit to their surrounding environment.