By Ravini Perera
Coconut oil, a daily essential in every Sri Lankan household, was the subject of much discussion in the recent past. With some of our big manufacturers being accused of producing substandard and unhygienic coconut oil, the consumption and quality of coconut oil, for a time, became highly questionable.
In this time of uncertainty, one couple, Harith Manuja Perera and Onalie De Silva Ariyabandhu, the co-owners of “Haritha Products” stepped up to the plate, winning the hearts of many with their organic coconut oil. With the uncertainty surrounding store-bought coconut oil and consumers being unable to produce their own at home, this duo was restoring hope in this staple product.
Eager to learn more about this brand that has been making waves and winning hearts, Brunch chatted with Harith about the Haritha Products story and how he and Onalie went about building a successful homemade coconut oil brand.
A business venture that took off unexpectedly
Many people found themselves in between jobs owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. Harith, formerly a commercial pilot by profession, was one such individual. Upon being sent on “no pay”, Harith returned home, leaving Onalie to be the sole breadwinner of the family.
Keen to embark on a new adventure, he tried his hand at expelling coconut oil. Realising the good quality of this extraction, he and Onalie began to flesh out the idea of producing an experimental batch of oil to be distributed among their friends and family. Having received positive feedback from their initial consumers and with the support of their parents, they decided to take the plunge and launch Haritha Products.
“We used the basic methods of dehydrating and expelling the oil. The extraction and consumption of one bottle was an eye-opener. We immediately realised a difference in all its features, such as its colour, odour, and taste. This made us question our decision of consuming store-bought oil,” Harith shared.
As they were doting parents of a precocious four-year-old, their daughter formed the cornerstone of their desire to launch Haritha Products. “Following the issue of aflatoxin being found in edible coconut oil in the past, we were worried about the oil we were using domestically,” Harith explained. “We did not want our daughter to consume any food that could be a potential danger to her health. Hence, we would not produce nor sell any oil that would not be fit to be consumed by our daughter, to our clients.”
Paying attention to the current trends in the market and upon self-education, Harith and Onalie mastered all that they needed to know about the industry, with Harith saying: “We did extensive research on various areas such as the good and bad, current trends, common problems, and the manipulation of the market by coconut oil mill owners. To our amazement, we learned more than we had hoped to.”
Store-bought coconut oil: Cancer in a bottle?
It is no secret that, around the world, customers are constantly kept in the dark with regard to the many techniques used in producing what they consume on a daily basis. Speaking about large-scale manufacturers, Harith stated that many of these manufacturers follow a variety of procedures to make the oil last longer, look more presentable, and to maximise production. One such method, Haritha found, is the usage of sulphur during the dehydration process of coconuts. Having gathered this information from an oil mill owner, Harith explained that sulphur smoke is sent through the coconut to enhance the colour of the coconut oil produced.
The mixing of coconut oil with other oils is also a method used by large-scale producers. Harith recalled visiting an oil mill and learning that some of the coconut oil sold to consumers sometimes was 70% palm oil and only 30% coconut oil. Hence, the coconut oil was mixed in only to obtain the authentic smell of the coconut. A layer of foam appears when pure palm oil is used for deep frying. Therefore, an unidentified medicine is dissolved in the palm and coconut oil mixture, to avoid the creation of the foam that can lead to any suspicion. “The consumption of such substandard oils is the root cause of many life-threatening diseases within society,” Harith stressed, adding that these practices are something Haritha Products actively avoids.
Legally, manufacturers of food products are under obligation to provide information to the consumers on their products. This includes information on the ingredients and the various procedures followed to manufacture the end product. To meet this requirement, coconut oil bottles display the letters “RBD”. However, not all customers are able to define this abbreviation. “RBD” simply represents the terms “refined, bleached, and deodorised”, and the use of these terms are mere marketing tactics of sellers to cover their bases, Harith explained.
The RBD process of large-scale producers is carried out chemically, making the final product unfit for human consumption, claimed Harith, highlighting that one may never know the quality of the original oil that was put through the RBD process. Most producers use the oil that was leftover from the production, for this process. This leftover oil, which resembles a tar-like texture, is bought and put through the RBD process before being released to the market. Hence, when following the RBD process, no differentiation can be made between the genuine and replicated oils, as it physically appears to be of the perfect colour and odour and also has a clear and fine texture.
Rekindling traditional local methods
The traditional Sri Lankan method of expelling coconut oil was carried out with the use of the sekkuwa (ox-driven expeller). Haritha Products utilises an electrically driven oil expeller to suit the current production methods. “We often use the terms ‘traditional production methods’ when referring to our style of production. By the words ‘traditional production methods’, all that we intend to highlight is that we do not employ any artificial or chemical means to expel the natural oil from the coconut. Hence, this oil is as natural and as fit for human consumption as what was used in the past,” said Harith.
The difficulty of dehydrating the coconuts for the extraction process is the foremost problem faced by coconut oil producers. Copra can be produced in many ways. Dehydrating with the use of smoke and fire is one such method. However, a shortcoming of this method is that the smoke leaves debris and ash deposits on the coconut, which turns the oil extract into a dark red colour. This dark red oil is thereafter bleached to obtain either a pale yellow or white-coloured oil. Direct sun drying is another method of dehydrating. This method too has proven to be problematic given the unpredictable weather conditions of the island.
The most sustainable method of producing copra is by using the solar tunnel dryer. India and Indonesia, the world’s largest copra suppliers, have also integrated this method into their line of production. Due to the closed tunnel shape and the materials used to build it, the internal temperature is thrice that of the external temperature.
After intense research, Harith was able to build the first-ever solar tunnel dryer in Sri Lanka through which he obtains clean copra which requires no added steps for purifying. Explaining its benefits further, Harith said: “It is such a simple and incredible method and I find it difficult to understand why it is not being used islandwide. As per my research, we are the only coconut oil producers using this method.”
The deshelled coconuts are tunnel dried for approximately a week for the moisture content to reach ideally 4%, down from 70%. Thereafter, the oil is expelled with the use of an oil expeller, physically filtered, packed, labelled, sealed, and sold. Hence, this is a completely family-run business with no external labour force engaged in the main production line.
Purpose beyond profit
From its inception, Haritha Products has not been a profit-oriented business but rather focused on taking healthy and edible coconut oil to as many consumers as possible. Harith further stated that “anyone can visit our production site. We have maintained high transparency and assure that this oil has no added preservatives nor other chemicals. Thus, nothing is taken away nor put in to change even the simplest of details such as its natural odour or taste. We basically expel the oil and bottle it. From the deshelling to the packing, nothing has been done chemically. It is 100% pure coconut oil.”
Pure coconut oil expelled from a natural nut is known to possess an odour. However, most oil sold in markets does not contain such an odour, as it is deodorised during the extraction process. This neutralises the unpleasant smell people may encounter during consumption.
“The oil being produced by Haritha Products is the exact oil that was available in Sri Lanka nearly two decades ago. With many multinational companies entering the industry and spreading false rumours on the unhealthiness of consuming coconut oil, this industry started changing. Evidently, this change was not for the better,” emphasised Harith.
Explaining how they maintain quality, Harith shared that whenever a new batch of coconut oil is extracted, a cup of the same is consumed by his family. In his view, this is the most effective method of guaranteeing that the quality stays consistent.
At present, the duo manufactures new batches of coconut oil every two weeks. Though this small-scale business manufactures approximately 200 bottles per month, each batch is guaranteed to be sold out completely. Using social media platforms to their benefit, Harith and Onalie have made their product highly accessible to their present and potential clientele. “At present, we cannot match the demand with our supply,” Haritha shared, adding that in the future, he and Onalie hope to expand gradually, taking a step in this direction by introducing their coconut oil to several organic stores in Colombo.
This move is also a step towards penetrating the local market, Harith explained, something they are yet to do properly because of their limited capacity. Regardless of how much they grow, however, Harith emphasised that quality will always be Haritha Products’ top priority. “The quality and the hygiene of our product will be consistent. Though I expect to return to my profession when things normalise, we will continue to bring healthy coconut oil from our back garden to our clients and everyone interested.”
In this time of uncertainty, one couple, Harith Manuja Perera and Onalie De Silva Ariyabandhu, the co-owners of “Haritha Products” stepped up to the plate, winning the hearts of many with their organic coconut oil. With the uncertainty surrounding store-bought coconut oil and consumers being unable to produce their own at home, this duo was restoring hope in this staple product.
Eager to learn more about this brand that has been making waves and winning hearts, Brunch chatted with Harith about the Haritha Products story and how he and Onalie went about building a successful homemade coconut oil brand.
A business venture that took off unexpectedly
Many people found themselves in between jobs owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. Harith, formerly a commercial pilot by profession, was one such individual. Upon being sent on “no pay”, Harith returned home, leaving Onalie to be the sole breadwinner of the family.
Keen to embark on a new adventure, he tried his hand at expelling coconut oil. Realising the good quality of this extraction, he and Onalie began to flesh out the idea of producing an experimental batch of oil to be distributed among their friends and family. Having received positive feedback from their initial consumers and with the support of their parents, they decided to take the plunge and launch Haritha Products.
“We used the basic methods of dehydrating and expelling the oil. The extraction and consumption of one bottle was an eye-opener. We immediately realised a difference in all its features, such as its colour, odour, and taste. This made us question our decision of consuming store-bought oil,” Harith shared.
As they were doting parents of a precocious four-year-old, their daughter formed the cornerstone of their desire to launch Haritha Products. “Following the issue of aflatoxin being found in edible coconut oil in the past, we were worried about the oil we were using domestically,” Harith explained. “We did not want our daughter to consume any food that could be a potential danger to her health. Hence, we would not produce nor sell any oil that would not be fit to be consumed by our daughter, to our clients.”
Paying attention to the current trends in the market and upon self-education, Harith and Onalie mastered all that they needed to know about the industry, with Harith saying: “We did extensive research on various areas such as the good and bad, current trends, common problems, and the manipulation of the market by coconut oil mill owners. To our amazement, we learned more than we had hoped to.”
Store-bought coconut oil: Cancer in a bottle?
It is no secret that, around the world, customers are constantly kept in the dark with regard to the many techniques used in producing what they consume on a daily basis. Speaking about large-scale manufacturers, Harith stated that many of these manufacturers follow a variety of procedures to make the oil last longer, look more presentable, and to maximise production. One such method, Haritha found, is the usage of sulphur during the dehydration process of coconuts. Having gathered this information from an oil mill owner, Harith explained that sulphur smoke is sent through the coconut to enhance the colour of the coconut oil produced.
The mixing of coconut oil with other oils is also a method used by large-scale producers. Harith recalled visiting an oil mill and learning that some of the coconut oil sold to consumers sometimes was 70% palm oil and only 30% coconut oil. Hence, the coconut oil was mixed in only to obtain the authentic smell of the coconut. A layer of foam appears when pure palm oil is used for deep frying. Therefore, an unidentified medicine is dissolved in the palm and coconut oil mixture, to avoid the creation of the foam that can lead to any suspicion. “The consumption of such substandard oils is the root cause of many life-threatening diseases within society,” Harith stressed, adding that these practices are something Haritha Products actively avoids.
Legally, manufacturers of food products are under obligation to provide information to the consumers on their products. This includes information on the ingredients and the various procedures followed to manufacture the end product. To meet this requirement, coconut oil bottles display the letters “RBD”. However, not all customers are able to define this abbreviation. “RBD” simply represents the terms “refined, bleached, and deodorised”, and the use of these terms are mere marketing tactics of sellers to cover their bases, Harith explained.
The RBD process of large-scale producers is carried out chemically, making the final product unfit for human consumption, claimed Harith, highlighting that one may never know the quality of the original oil that was put through the RBD process. Most producers use the oil that was leftover from the production, for this process. This leftover oil, which resembles a tar-like texture, is bought and put through the RBD process before being released to the market. Hence, when following the RBD process, no differentiation can be made between the genuine and replicated oils, as it physically appears to be of the perfect colour and odour and also has a clear and fine texture.
Rekindling traditional local methods
The traditional Sri Lankan method of expelling coconut oil was carried out with the use of the sekkuwa (ox-driven expeller). Haritha Products utilises an electrically driven oil expeller to suit the current production methods. “We often use the terms ‘traditional production methods’ when referring to our style of production. By the words ‘traditional production methods’, all that we intend to highlight is that we do not employ any artificial or chemical means to expel the natural oil from the coconut. Hence, this oil is as natural and as fit for human consumption as what was used in the past,” said Harith.
The difficulty of dehydrating the coconuts for the extraction process is the foremost problem faced by coconut oil producers. Copra can be produced in many ways. Dehydrating with the use of smoke and fire is one such method. However, a shortcoming of this method is that the smoke leaves debris and ash deposits on the coconut, which turns the oil extract into a dark red colour. This dark red oil is thereafter bleached to obtain either a pale yellow or white-coloured oil. Direct sun drying is another method of dehydrating. This method too has proven to be problematic given the unpredictable weather conditions of the island.
The most sustainable method of producing copra is by using the solar tunnel dryer. India and Indonesia, the world’s largest copra suppliers, have also integrated this method into their line of production. Due to the closed tunnel shape and the materials used to build it, the internal temperature is thrice that of the external temperature.
After intense research, Harith was able to build the first-ever solar tunnel dryer in Sri Lanka through which he obtains clean copra which requires no added steps for purifying. Explaining its benefits further, Harith said: “It is such a simple and incredible method and I find it difficult to understand why it is not being used islandwide. As per my research, we are the only coconut oil producers using this method.”
The deshelled coconuts are tunnel dried for approximately a week for the moisture content to reach ideally 4%, down from 70%. Thereafter, the oil is expelled with the use of an oil expeller, physically filtered, packed, labelled, sealed, and sold. Hence, this is a completely family-run business with no external labour force engaged in the main production line.
Purpose beyond profit
From its inception, Haritha Products has not been a profit-oriented business but rather focused on taking healthy and edible coconut oil to as many consumers as possible. Harith further stated that “anyone can visit our production site. We have maintained high transparency and assure that this oil has no added preservatives nor other chemicals. Thus, nothing is taken away nor put in to change even the simplest of details such as its natural odour or taste. We basically expel the oil and bottle it. From the deshelling to the packing, nothing has been done chemically. It is 100% pure coconut oil.”
Pure coconut oil expelled from a natural nut is known to possess an odour. However, most oil sold in markets does not contain such an odour, as it is deodorised during the extraction process. This neutralises the unpleasant smell people may encounter during consumption.
“The oil being produced by Haritha Products is the exact oil that was available in Sri Lanka nearly two decades ago. With many multinational companies entering the industry and spreading false rumours on the unhealthiness of consuming coconut oil, this industry started changing. Evidently, this change was not for the better,” emphasised Harith.
Explaining how they maintain quality, Harith shared that whenever a new batch of coconut oil is extracted, a cup of the same is consumed by his family. In his view, this is the most effective method of guaranteeing that the quality stays consistent.
At present, the duo manufactures new batches of coconut oil every two weeks. Though this small-scale business manufactures approximately 200 bottles per month, each batch is guaranteed to be sold out completely. Using social media platforms to their benefit, Harith and Onalie have made their product highly accessible to their present and potential clientele. “At present, we cannot match the demand with our supply,” Haritha shared, adding that in the future, he and Onalie hope to expand gradually, taking a step in this direction by introducing their coconut oil to several organic stores in Colombo.
This move is also a step towards penetrating the local market, Harith explained, something they are yet to do properly because of their limited capacity. Regardless of how much they grow, however, Harith emphasised that quality will always be Haritha Products’ top priority. “The quality and the hygiene of our product will be consistent. Though I expect to return to my profession when things normalise, we will continue to bring healthy coconut oil from our back garden to our clients and everyone interested.”