Coconoil is marking 10 years in business in 2015 with a brand new charitable project.
Coconoil was founded by Gary Stiven (pictured right) to support devastated communities in the aftermath of the Boxing Day tsunami, as a way to help rebuild the livelihoods of Sri Lankan farmers.
Gary, who was a former Field Director for the charity Save the Children, visited the island in the aftermath of the disaster and recognised the untapped resource that coconuts presented and their potential as a tool to help those affected by the tsunami.
He started buying coconuts on a small scale, which led to the creation of the brand and today, more than 100 Sri Lankans are in employment.
To mark the 10 years in business, Gary has set up a new project with 200 smallholders from five villages in Ghana and aims throughout 2015 to replicate some of the success in Sri Lanka by creating new jobs and income streams for those involved.
“It’s been a wonderful adventure over the last 10 years, but we’ve never forgotten why the brand was started and I hope consumers and retailers will get behind our latest project and help build on what we’ve created in Sri Lanka,” Gary commented.