Coconut water packaged au natural...

Buko juice—the refreshing water found in young coconuts—is finding a niche as "nature's sports drink." Popular in Latin American countries, especially Brazil—the drink is being targeted by the likes of Pepsi and Coke to replace bottled water, whose sales are lagging. In 2004, after enjoying coconut water as a Peace Corps volunteer, Mark Rampolla started Zico which sells coconut water in Tetra Paks in the US. Touted by Rampolla as "an important alternative agricultural product for the developing world," the drink is gaining in popularity. The Wall Street Journal reports that coconut water sales doubled this year to about $20 million. (Source: Beverage Marketing Corp.) What might be the most interesting packaging around was found by reporter Boo Chanco in Singapore: coconut water sold in its original package—a coconut shell sitting on the shelf "trimmed down for a more uniform look and ease of display."

Source: www.philstar.com, www.zico.com/about