PHILIPPINE EXPORTERS PROMOTE COCONUT HEALTH BENEFITS IN THE US

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Export Marketing Bureau (EMB) supported 17 Regional Interactive Platform for Philippine Exporters (Ripples) Plus and enrolled Philippine coconut exporters in a 2017 US Coconut Roadshow. The Roadshow, happening on September 6-22, is in partnership with the Philippine Coconut Authority and will cover several key cities in the US.  The group of coconut exporters, together with key officials from the United Coconut Association of the Philippines (UCAP) and the Virgin Coconut Oil Producers and Traders Association of the Philippines (VCOP) will promote coconut oil and coconut-based products.

The exporters that participated in the road show  included  Amazing Foods Corp., Chemrez Technologies Inc., Coco Plus, Coco Veda, Coconut Cures, Dignity, Eau de Coco, Franklin Baker Co. of the Philippines, Galo Organic and Naturals, Greenlife Coconut Products Philippines Inc., Hancole Corp., Marinduque Land Corp., Pasciolco Agri Ventures, Nuco/ProSource International Inc., Wellness Care International Inc., and Tongsan Industrial Development Corp. Of the exporters, 11 were registered as nonexhibiting manufacturers in the 2017 Natural Products Expo East held at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland while three exporters namely Franklin Baker, Eau de Coco, and Dignity participated as exhibitors

The coconut exporters also participated in the 50th Asean Anniversary Forum organized by Asean Trade Commissioners; business-to-business meetings organized by the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC)-Los Angeles; store checks in various areas; and meetings arranged by PTIC-Washington, DC, with US Department of Agriculture, the Organic Trade Association, US-Philippine Society, Foodshowcase USA, the USA Halal Chamber of Commerce and Registrar Corp.  Representatives from a couple of stores confirmed that the American Heart Association’s (AHA) negative advisory on coconut oil has no ill effects on the sales of coconut-related products. They also confirmed coconut-based products are popular and part of their customers’ healthy lifestyles depite the AHA advisory.