Virgin Coconut Oil is considered as one of the healthiest oils on the planet. Aside from the countless health benefits it gives to humans, VCO is also a wonderful beauty product and is great for cooking and baking. No wonder why the demand for this natural oil is growing globally.
The Philippines is one of the top coconut-producing countries in the world. Our tropical country is also one of the best choices for sources of virgin coconut oil by top international brands. If you’re planning to wholesale or retail VCO, importing virgin coconut oil from the Philippines will definitely give your business a competitive edge.
However, not all VCO manufacturers are the same. To help you pick the best VCO manufacturing partners, not only in the Philippines, but also in the world, here are some tips to guide you.
1. Check the authenticity of the Company
Deal only with a VCO manufacturer that is a duly registered company. A VCO corporation in the Philippines must be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Mayor’s Office, and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the Philippines. A VCO manufacturer in the Philippines can also be registered as a sole proprietorship or partnership business. But among the different forms of companies in the country, a corporation is generally the most preferable if you’re looking for a VCO manufacturer who has more capital, economic power and continuity.
2. Know the process of VCO production
Understand the methods and processes used by your potential partners in producing virgin coconut oil. The cold pressed method is one of the best methods to extract virgin coconut oil since it uses no heat to retain the essential nutrients and antioxidants found in VCO. Unlike the fresh-dry processing, where VCO is produced by first drying the coconut meat, the cold pressed method directly extracts the coconut milk from the coconut meat without drying it. And from the coconut milk, the oil is extracted using a centrifuge. This process produces a superior virgin coconut oil which has a pure colour looking like crystal water, sweet and mild in taste and has retained its natural aroma with a guaranteed shelf life of more than 2 years.
3. Take time to visit your future manufacturing partner
Identify the quality of raw materials, building and machineries used in the production. Are they carefully selecting only the best coconuts as raw materials for manufacturing VCO? Was the VCO plant built according to the highest quality standards? Are they using machineries that can produce clean and pure virgin coconut oil? And more importantly, know the people behind the company. Is the company owned by trustworthy people? Are the workers well-trained in manufacturing VCO? Are they observing proper hygiene inside the VCO plant? These are only some of the important questions you should ask to find the best VCO partner anywhere in the world.
4. Consider the environmental aspects
Find out if the VCO manufacturer is environmentally friendly and is systematically managed for zero waste disposal. If possible, go visit and tour its VCO plant, as well as its surroundings. Are you seeing green meadows and trees outside the VCO plant? A reliable VCO manufacturer is one who has a great love for our Mother Nature. If your VCO partner can’t take care of our environment, then how can he take care of you as a valued partner?
5. Assess the corporate social responsibility
Determine if the VCO manufacturer is taking good care of its employees and the society. Is the company only created to make money or is it formed to help improve the lives of a community? A trustworthy VCO manufacturer is one who has a big heart for the coconut farmers since they are often among the poorest of the population. If you want to find a dependable VCO partner, look for a company who doesn’t stop helping its neighbourhood.
6. See, taste and smell the VCO
See the product for yourself. A pure virgin coconut oil is colorless and free of sediments when in liquid form, while it becomes pure white when in solid form. Then smell it. A genuine VCO has a natural fresh coconut scent. You can also recognize a pure VCO by tasting it. It should have a mild sweet natural coconut taste. Take note that the coconut oil from copra or dried coconut kernel has a strong coconut scent and taste. By tasting, smelling and observing the VCO of a potential supplier, you can already know if he’s telling the truth or not.
7. Make sure if the product and process are organic or not
Check if the products are organic certified or not. However, a product which is organic certified doesn’t necessarily mean it is 100% natural. On the other hand, a non-certified organic product doesn’t also necessarily mean it is not completely natural. Coconut oil has already been produced for centuries in the Philippines and coconut farming is still mostly organic as it has always been. Hence, the best way to check a true organic VCO manufacturing partner is to visit his site and directly observe the process. To learn more, read our organic and fair trade page.
8. Find out if the company is dedicated to manufacturing high-quality VCO
Look for a partner whose main product is virgin coconut oil. This way, you can ensure that your future partner is focused on the production of high-quality virgin coconut oil, not on other products, particularly non-coconut products. Due to the rising demand of virgin coconut oil in the global market, a number of companies have already jumped into the VCO industry to make more money even if VCO isn’t their specialty. To ensure the quality of VCO you will be importing, check the product lines of your potential suppliers or exporters to find out their focus of production.
9. Confirm honesty and transparency
Do business only with VCO manufacturers who are true to their words. Check if the things they promise on their website and other marketing channels match those that they actually deliver. Avoid VCO suppliers who hesitate in inviting you to their place. An open and honest VCO manufacturer will gladly invite you to visit his site and tour you inside and out of his manufacturing plant to guarantee you the quality of his products.
10. Look for the extra service and support
Last but not the least, choose a VCO manufacturer who will not only be your supplier, exporter or seller, but will also be your reliable and long-term business partner. A reliable and trustworthy VCO manufacturing partner is someone who will help you thru the whole business process, from taking your orders to helping your business grow. A dependable VCO partner should also provide you the extra services and support you need thru constant communication and relationship building to ensure success and growth for both businesses.
About Koko Oil
Koko Oil or Leyte Koko Oil, Inc. is a duly registered corporation in the Philippines, which was primarily created to produce the highest quality of virgin coconut oil available for our local and international partners. Our VCO are produced using cold pressed centrifuge method which doesn’t involve heat to produce the best quality of VCO with maximum health benefits. We invest heavily in the supply of raw materials, facility’s, machineries and people to ensure that our finished products meet the highest standards of quality and excellence. We voluntarily strive to our best to fulfil our responsibility with the environment and the society by taking care of our Mother Nature and helping improve the lives of the people in our community.
If you’re looking for an honest and premium VCO manufacturing partner, Koko Oil is here to connect with you and start building a long-lasting business relationship to ensure your growth and success. We will be happy and honoured to discuss our partnership. We are even excited to invite you to visit our place to present to you our VCO plant and how we make virgin coconut oil with utmost quality.