Substrate producer Cocogreen® has received a King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade, recognizing a continuous period of exceptional global expansion. “Cocogreen substrate already accounts for 75% of UK berry cultivation, while over half of our revenue comes from international markets, partnering with a diverse portfolio of fruit and veg growers, from berries and citrus to salad and tree-grown crops,” says Sudesh Fernando, CEO and co-founder of Cocogreen.
The company was first recognized with the award for its international business prowess in 2018, after finding success with exports across southern and northern Africa, Southern Europe, Australia, and the Far East. Since then, the company has shown resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges posed by Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the outbreak of global conflicts such as those affecting shipping routes in the Red Sea. Despite this, the business has grown in “all its existing regions,” particularly in Australia and South America, with a similar trajectory forecast in Mexico. Cocogreen’s next phase of growth is already taking shape, having established pathways into northern and Central Europe, and delivering its first containers to Canada and the USA, all markets that show appetite for further adoption.
Cocogreen credits the success to its vertical supply chain, and to its technology helping the food production industry make vast savings on water and fertilizer. “This is thanks to our patented Moisture Control Technology (MCT®), which allows substrates to retain and distribute moisture more effectively, leading to vastly better root growth, occupying up to 95% of substrate,” says Sudesh. “It means growers can reduce water and fertilizer wastage by up to 30% while also increasing crop yields and quality.”
He adds the latter point is vital, as agriculture accounts for 70% of global water usage annually. “As a peat-free product made from a renewable source, this further qualifies Cocogreen® substrate as a leading resource in the future of crop production.”
He also expressed appreciation for the award, stating: “We’re honoured to accept this award for the second time. Our continuous investment in new technology and building a highly skilled, in-house team has strengthened every link in our supply chain, which has been vital in supporting the rapid international growth we are experiencing. Despite the challenges of global unrest, we have been able to adapt and maintain quality products and services, meeting high and growing demand in the face of a peat-free future. What’s more, we’ve done so in a way that is ethical and sustainable, and therefore true to our founding principles.”
Cocogreen’s® business is “entirely circular”, with full control of its end-to-end supply chain. In Sri Lanka, the company owns 11 sites that grow, process, and engineer coconuts into the final product, with operations now growing outside of Sri Lanka to meet the needs of a client base spread across the six continents.
In the UK, the company is also a founding partner of the Kent-based Water Efficient Technology Centre, which it leverages as a pillar to investing in new technology and industry improvement.
Established in 2010 by Dr. Sudesh Fernando and Thomas Ogden. “Cocogreen has experienced rapid growth. With a workforce exceeding 600 employees, Cocogreen is committed to pioneering sustainable practices in the agriculture industry. This is the second time the company has won this award, after doing so previously in 2018.”
The King’s Awards for Enterprise, previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, were renamed last year to reflect His Majesty The King’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s by recognizing outstanding UK businesses. The Award program, now in its 58th year, is one of the most prestigious business award in the country, with successful businesses able to use the King’s Awards Emblem for the next five years.
For more information:
Andrew Hudson
Cocogreen
Senior Brand Marketing Manager
+44(0) 161 242 6852
+44 (0) 7398 656 278
[email protected]
www.cocogreen.co.uk