Industrial bottling of the coconut water like mineral water with the technique of cold pasteurization (microfiltration) and intensive production of coconut in rural area.

A coconut water in bottle looks like a mineral water. The coconut water is biologically pure, with savour very pleasant and rich in salts - mainly sodium and potassium - and carbohydrates (sugar), whose loss causes fatigue. Up to now, the remedy for the fluid loss was simple: to drink water. But since the Sixties, the fanatics of the sport have another solution: the “drink of the effort” containing not only water but also electrolytes and other salts, more of the complex vitamins, polymeric sugar and amino-acids.

The natural coconut water being more complete than these industrial drinks, Morton Satin (Director of the services after harvests of FAO) regards coconut as a natural contender in sport drinks market.

"It's a natural isotonic beverage, with the same level of electrolytic balance as we have in our blood (according to FAO). Here are the solutions sold to the consumers: refreshment, salts and vitamins, therapeutic Virtues (cure the intestinal troubles for child; very hydrating; restores quickly the composition of thin blood); It becomes a drink on table (this is new)… The coconut water now in bottle is simply the natural coconut water (bio product) pasteurized coldly which preserves its organoleptic characteristics. It seems as new product on the market owing to the conditioning. It will be known under the name “Cocofrais” conditioned with transparent plastic bottle or glass in volume of 30 centilitres (wished by the restaurants owners) with a label which lets the product adhere to the row of exportable products standards. It is destined for an everyday consumption of groups such as the users of restaurants/ refreshment bars /hotels, the joggers of cities/athletes, scholastic/youthful environments, the organizers of events.

Our targets are the restaurants/ refreshment bars /hotels; joggers of cities/athletes; educational/youthful circles; organizers of events. Strategy marketing: installation of a network of restaurants/ refreshment bars /hotels which are spaces of promotion and sale of the product. The objective is to reach at the end of year3, 75 well-known restaurants/ refreshment bars / hotels and to have there 8% of share of market. The schools/youthful circles will be used as amplifiers of our advertising efforts. We will do similarly in the neighbouring countries like Mali, Nigeria.
The potentials competitors are: Coca-Cola, mineral water … These firms have a defensive competitive strategy which protects their shares of market. The beer occupies 40,3% of drink consumption, the mineral water 40,3%, Coca-cola 8%… Coconut water has many recognized therapeutic attributes: salts, cures malaria, eliminates tiredness, hydrates…. Our advertising argumentations will be based on these therapeutic virtues that the others competing products do not have. We will do door-to-door selling to show the best quality the product has. Our price is the same as the competitors’ ($0,5).

It is the 1st time that the coconut water is bottled in Africa, unique on the market. Pasteurized coldly by microfiltration (100% natural, bio), Very rich in salts, vitamins…, with the same level of electrolytic balance as we have in our blood; It is very therapeutic.

1995-1996: I was manager in a unit of juice factory “ROI VERT” and in 2005 I worked as a data processing specialist in a block of management of cement factory LAFARGE in Benin. I learned there how to manage.
This project was subject of my university research: preparation of master degree in enterprise creating.
2005: prize of best entrepreneurial idea awarded by the university of Laval Canada (Reference: Gerard Lemoine, head of IFE gerard.lemoine@auf.org, (230) 4670777 Or Yves PLOURDE, Head of Entrepreneuriat Laval).

2006: Prize of best entrepreneur in Mali at the fair organized by the World Bank under the topic: “driving force of accelerated development of West Africa”, the idea became project. It was within this framework that the Beninese government becomes our partner

The undeniable base of this company’s success is the renewal of the raw material which means the intensive plantation of coconut palm by using the expertise of the planters and their lands. The first two years, the culture of the young coconut palms is associated with the market gardening under a system of irrigation. This allows doing a market gardening all seasons.

This concept makes possible to recoup all our expenditure before the maturity of the coconuts palm plantation (in 3ans). It makes also possible to employ the landowners who are our principal partners. They bring the lands and work forces and we bring the money. It is then an EIG (Economic Interest Groups). They are people without incomes. This project creates to them a source of income. It is a new source of income which will excite the owners of coconut palm plantations to rehabilitate and extend their plantations.

In the 1st year, apart from the farmers employed, 23 jobs are created (mainly in the distribution) and about 45 in year 5. The coconut water is an anti-malaria, anti-tiredness… drink for health brought to the population. Moreover it is the best drink recommended by the FAO.