Virgin Coconut Oil making her mark on local market

New Year Greetings for 2017, a year in which Tonga National Youth Congress make the commitment to further expand in their youth business enterprise activities and social development activities.

For two years now TNYC has been working in their RESULT Project developing virgin coconut oil (VCO) for export  as well as working with organic vanilla growers also for export.

In 2016 with a lot of trial and error TNYC  have started to developed the local market for selling of the VCO it is now starting to make it mark on the local market. “As you can see we have sold out all our all our virgin coconut oil” said Lesieli Koloamatagi from Langa Fonua a Fefine Tonga the main handicraft shop in Tonga one of the sale depot for the coconut oil, “our customers just can’t get enough VCO”.

“VCO had not only capture  the attention of local customer but also plangai people” said Selu ‘Apikotoa shop keeper at Selu Store “People came to buy the oil for cooking and most buy it for medicinal reasons”.

TNYC has also develop another coconut products that of the coconut milk which is a feedback from local store that local customer were asking for such a products since it is a main ingredient in Tongan cooking. “We didn’t just want to stop in making coconut oil but we also wanted to make coconut milk” said Valu from Ahi moe Vunga VCO “Tongan love there food and they loved it with coconut milk on it. So when we saw the need we made coconut milk and the sale have been booming”. “I love the coconut milk that is produce by Ahi moe Vunga” said Isi owner of Isi store one of the store where coconut milk is sold at

“This is because that we are empowering our local business to do more and to capitalized on the local market demand Since Valu and the boys started selling their coconut milk I’ve stop importing tin-can coconut milk that is produce in Thailand and other place. Now my customer can’t get enough coconut milk and I am loving that we empowering our own product here in Tonga”.

Three more local shop is asking for coconut milk and the VCO is gearing up to supply the increase demand from the local market.

According to Mr.  Tuaimei’api the Organic Advisor for TNYC and Mr.  Valu Tuitavake the VCO quality officer there is a shortage of coconut for production .  It will start to pick up around the month March onward and their will be plenty than for vco production and coconut milk.