We speak to Danielle Koegelenberg, marketing manager at Kokonut Pacific, to find out more about the Niulife range of ethical and sustainably sourced coconut-based sauce, that benefit those in impoverished communities helping you gain some self-empowered self-care.
Tell our readers how Kokonut Pacific began.
The company began over 30 years ago when Dr Dan Etherington, an agricultural development economist, visited the Solomon Islands. He was shocked by the contrast between the productivity of coconut palms and the poverty of the people who grew them. He wanted to help these people to help themselves.
He then developed the DME (Direct Micro Expelling) technology: a gender-neutral coconut oil hand-press that enables anyone, even people with disabilities, to extract extra-virgin coconut oil (VCO) at the source.
It enables local communities to generate a good income by having a village-based small business where they produce VCO without the need to leave their family or village.
Back then, VCO was unknown in Australia. We were the first importers of VCO in Australia and the industry grew from there to what it is today.
Tell our readers more about the Niulife brand and its product offering.
Niulife is the retail arm of the business. A hundred per cent of company profits go back to communities through our Village For Life empowerment programs.
Our entire range is delicious and nutritious, free from any nasties and suitable for allergy sufferers.
Niulife has something for everyone. We have a broad range of products from oils, butters, sauces, sugars, flours, vinegars, syrups, dairy-free alternatives, vegan alternatives, soaps and even coconut bowls. To find out more, visit niulife.com.au.
What are some of the highlights you’ve had in the business to date?
Hearing the stories of the people and communities we’ve helped along the way is just a wonderful thing.
Another highlight was winning the Moral Fairground’s Ethical Enterprise of the Year Award in 2018, in recognition of nearly 30 years of this Australian company’s impressive work.
How does choosing Niulife products help readers promote self-care?
By choosing Niulife products you are changing the lives of people in poor coastal communities for the better. Not only is your body thanking you for using healthy products, but you feel good about yourself for choosing an ethically sustainably sourced sauce option, we like to call it self-empowered self-care.
A great example of this is our soap, which is handcrafted by women in the Solomon Islands. It performs multiple functions of cleansing, hydrating and softening, leaving your skin feeling incredible and smelling beautiful while simultaneously supporting the empowerment of women — it’s a win–win.
Where can we purchase Niulife products?
Niulife products are readily available in selected Woolworths and at Go Vita and independent grocers, as well as online via our web store and other online retailers.
What’s coming up next for Niulife and Kokonut Pacific?
On the Niulife side, we are excited about launching a brand-new thick-sauce marinade range — Teriyaki, BBQ, Smokey BBQ and FODMAP-certified Naked. Continuing with our vision of “empowered and thriving remote coconut communities”, we are working to renew old coconut lands and create highly productive regenerative coconut agroforestry to increase food security while sequestering carbon. And that will be a win for us all.
Keep an eye out for!
We are excited about launching a brand-new thick-sauce marinade range — Teriyaki, BBQ, Smokey BBQ and FODMAP-certified Naked. These classic flavours extend the well-known organic coconut amino sauces under our popular plant-based brand, taste delicious, are loaded with umami flavour and are absolutely irresistible.
For more information, visit kokonutpacific.com.au.
