Coco Natur Gift Items Out in the Market

Coco Natur announced that starting October 1, 2006, it is ready to receive and deliver orders from institutions, organizations and individuals for their gifts that they intend to give this coming Christmas season. A number of individuals and institutions including the Small and Business Guarantee Fund (SBGFC) of the Department of Trade and Industry have already asked Atikha/Coco Natur to produce for them gift packages as their individual and institutional Christmas gifts. Coco Natur (which replaced Likhang Atikha) is the social enterprise set up by Atikha in the communities of San Pablo City that produces and markets a variety of coconut products.

Coco Natur has developed gift packages that people can choose from. These packages of various coconut products are designed to be given as Christmas gifts for relatives and friends who are in the country and abroad. Packages combine various products such as virgin coconut oil (VCO), massage oil, soap, lotion and coconut fiber handicrafts.

Ms. Chastity Albayalde of Coco Natur Marketing boasts, "All the products are made out of and packaged using natural ingredients and materials derived in the main from coconut. No harmful chemicals have been used in the production process. " She further added that when people buy Coco Natur, they are not only buying products that will boost their health but they also contribute to the economic well-being of poor people in the communities, who help produce these products.

Coco Natur also helps market the products of young entrepreneurs of Batang Atikha. Children members of Batang Atikha produce Christmas and other greeting cards and various accessories such as earrings, pendants and necklaces. (To view the various Christmas gift packages and items that Coco Natur and Batang Atikha offer and how to place your orders, please visit Coco Natur's website, www.coconatur.com.)

Atikha’s plant in Sta. Isabel, San Pablo City in 2005 up to the early part of the third quarter was only able to produce VCO; now with the establishment of Coco Natur, other coconut products such as massage oil, soap, lotion and coconut fiber handicrafts are being produced. Massage oils are formulated out of combining VCO with pure therapeutic essential oils like patchouli, lemon grass, lavender and ilang-ilang. Coco Natur’s soap and lotion are produced out of VCO and non-harmful ingredients. A number of consultants have been sought and a number of trainings have been attended before the formulations of massage oils, soap and lotion have been finalized by Coco Natur.

Colorful and creative yet very useful coconut shell and coconut fiber products are now being produced by Coco Natur. The mentioned products are currently being produced by people in the communities of Sta. Isabel and San Lucas II in San Pablo City, Laguna.

Atikha will assist in the setting up of the Coco Natur OFW and Producers Cooperative. The plan is to develop it as a distinct enterprise but supportive of the programs of Atikha. It is also planned that a coconut complex production plant will be established to house the production of all coconut products. The plant is intended to produce not only VCO and its derivatives but also products made out of coconut waste like nata de coco, coconut flour and coconut vinegar. The plant is envisioned to be a zero waste, all coconut products plant.