The origin of coconut is found in the tropical zone of Asia and the Pacific Ocean. Upon encountering coconuts in his travels, Marco Polo named them "Pharaoh's nuts".

The name for the coconut palm in Sanskrit is kalpa vriksha, which translates as "the tree of life". It is told that Portuguese Vasco Da Gamma's mates called it "Coco", when in 1498 they encountered it in the Indian shores. Its round and hairy shape, as well as its three surface holes, reminded them of the head of the horrible "Coco" from their childhood fancies, a mythical character that has scared children throughout the generations.

In an almost natural way we associate coconut (Cocos nucifera) with the Caribbean, but surprisingly this fruit did not exist in our shores when Europeans came into America. There were palm trees, but not all palm trees are coconut palms.

Coconut is the fruit of coconut palm, a tree of the palm family, growing to 30 meters tall. From 10 to 20 coconut clusters can hang from each palm tree, each cluster having up to 20 coconuts. Ripe coconut is about 30 cm long, and its hard peel protects the pulp (called copra when dried). Inside is the tasty coconut water. Juicy palm heart or palmito is taken from the palm tree trunk.

Coconut pulp is rich in fat, therefore it can be toasted naturally. Its flavor reminds of milk, so it is perfect for sweet preparations. It can soften hot and very spicy flavors, as characteristic in Tai, Malayan and Indonesian food.

Coconut is a taste of tropic and its roots go deeply into this region. Besides its great docility, of multiple culinary and domestic uses, coconut is a refreshing source of surprises. It large nutritional, alimentary and medicinal richness provides our body with a countless variety of energetic sources.

Our Cream of Coconut product (of sweet flavor) is precisely the basis to prepare the famous beverage: Piña Colada.