(Food-Beverage-News.Com, December 23, 2016 ) Nata comes from Spanish language and it is translated into Latin word ‘natare’, meaning floating. Nata de coco is a coconut gel product produced from coconut juice by the process of bacterial fermentation. It is a translucent, chewy and jelly food stuff consumed commonly as a candy or mixed with beverages. It is also found mixed in many food items such as drinks, puddings, ice cream, pickles and fruit salads and cocktails. Nata de coco color ranges from creamy white to yellow and is prepared by a microorganism named Acetobacter aceti subspecies Xylinium, on sugar surface, which is enriched with coconut water.
Nata de coco is beneficial as it is rich in fiber, low in calorie, contains no cholesterol and is good for digestive system. In order to reduce sugar level from nata de coco, it is soaked in water first before it is to be consumed. Nata de coco can also be made from sugar syrup, aloe vera, coconut milk and fruit. It has a distinctive texture and flavor, which can be enjoyed separately with a syrup mixture or water. It is generally available as cubes. Nata de coco consists of 67.7 % of water, 12 mg of calcium, 0.2 % of fat, 2 mg of phosphorus, 5 mg of iron and minute amounts of protein, riboflavin and vitamin B1.
The global Nata de coco market is segmented on the basis of end products and distribution channel. End products made from nata de coco are dessert, beverages & syrups, confectionery, ice cream and jams & jellies. It is used mainly in beverages & syrups as it enhances the flavor of the product with its unique taste and it can be mixed with any syrup. Distribution channel is segmented into hypermarket/supermarket, retail outlets, online shops and convenient stores. It is majorly available in hypermarket/supermarket under different brand names and due to the convenient and proper storage offered by them.
Global Nata de coco Market: Regional Outlook
Geographically, the Nata de coco industry can be divided by major regions which include North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa. Nata de coco has highest consumption in Asia Pacific followed by Europe and Africa. It originated in Philippines and is now considered as one of the favorite ingredients while preparing desserts in Asia. It is used as toppings in desserts and ice creams. Its uses varies, as in Southeast Asia it is used in iced teas and in Japan it is used in making fruit jellies. Indonesia, Philippines and India are the leading countries producing coconut and its products. Nata de coco is famous and is widely used as nata mixtures in various range of cold drinks majorly in countries of tropical regions.
Global Nata de coco Market: Growth Drivers
The main driver of Nata de coco market is that it helps in good digestion especially for those suffering from constipation problems. Nata de coco’s regular consumption helps protect from bowel cancer, coronary thrombosis and atherosclerosis. As nata de coco is cholesterol free, it is good for people who wants to lose weight as it is consumed by them who are on low calorie diet. Nata de coco can be coupled with different essence and flavor extracts, such as banana, almond, strawberry, vanilla, orange and others. Due to its low nutrient content it can be consumed by anyone and is considered safe, thus driving demand for nata de coco in the market. One of the major drivers identified is that nata de coco is rich in dietary fiber, especially cellulose. A diet without fiber content have symptoms of colon cancer, constipation, hemorrhoids, diabetes, obesity, coronary heart disease and others. It is also used as a snacks by many people who are fasting, thus driving demand for the product in the market.
Some of the key players identified for the global Nata de coco market includes F&N Magnolia, Nata De Coco Manufacturing Sdn Bhd (NDC), The Prachuab Fruit Canning Co., Ltd. (Praft), Happy Alliance Sdn Bhd., Captain Dolphin Marketing (M) Sdn. Bhd., Jeram Coconut Sdn. Bhd., Choke Mahachai Beverage Co., Ltd., Mogu Mogu Manila and others. The companies are expected to expand their business by enhancing their product portfolio in global Nata de coco market. The companies are projected to frame certain strategies in future in order to gain the competitive advantage in global Nata de coco market till 2026.
