Is coconut vegan?

Created on: 12/01/2025
Last edited on: 12/01/2025

This question probably seems strange to many at first – after all, a coconut is a plant. But as is often the case, it’s worth taking a closer look. Don't worry, we'll explain what you need to pay attention to 🤝

What does vegan mean - and why is it relevant for coconuts?

Veganism is a stance that aims to avoid animal cruelty – as far as possible and practicable. It's about making responsible choices whenever practical alternatives are available.
This is exactly where coconuts come into play. Because the question of whether coconut is vegan is not about the fruit itself, but about the production conditions.

The core of the debate: Are monkeys used in coconut harvesting?

What many don't know: In some regions of Thailand, monkeys are used for coconut harvesting. The animals are either caught from the wild or sold as young animals and then trained with strict drills to loosen coconuts. During training, the monkey is tied to a leash or chain, must react to commands or tugging on the leash, and learn to twist coconuts until they detach from the stem. Training can take weeks or months, often with harsh measures to enforce obedience.
Once a monkey is considered "fit for work," it often has to harvest hundreds of fruits per day. Away from work, many of these animals are also kept chained and have limited opportunities to move or interact with each other.

This cruel practice is increasingly criticized internationally and is therefore no longer practiced everywhere in Thailand.
It is also important to note: The majority of global coconut production comes from countries like Sri Lanka, Indonesia, or the Philippines, where monkeys are traditionally not used.

So – is coconut vegan?

Since monkey harvesting traditionally only occurs in Thailand, most coconut products are vegan. However, the origin and exceptions are often difficult or impossible to determine: What actually happens in individual cases in countries outside Thailand is not fully transparent - nor are actual supply chains. Even if you ask the manufacturer about the origin, it cannot be ruled out that the supplier will change with the next batch.

Adding to the difficulty: it's not just about pure coconut products like vegan coconut milk, because coconut appears in all sorts of compositions - from coconut yogurt to muesli to cookies and much more. When coconut is a non-obvious ingredient in restaurant dishes or an ingredient in cosmetics, transparency usually comes to an end. Asking questions is always good, and with coconut that does not come from Thailand, you are usually better off - but you almost never have a definitive guarantee.

🤫 We have researched: At Rewe Bio, we can rule out harvesting by monkeys (not an advertisement).

Conclusion and recommendation for action

If you are looking for vegan coconut products, you can proceed as follows:

1. Check the country of origin: The country of origin is noted on some foods. Countries outside of Thailand are usually safe regions.
   
   
2. Research online: For many products, there is information on the internet about the origin or manufacturer information and value statements on the website.
   
   
3. Contact the manufacturer: This is a good option if you don't need the product immediately.
   
   
4. If in doubt, choose an alternative: In many cases, coconut can be replaced by oat, almond, cashew, or soy. For example, instead of coconut milk, you can use plant-based cream.
   

👉 Important: Coconut fats consist of over 80% saturated fatty acids. From a nutritional perspective, they are therefore not a good choice – regardless of ethics. For health and cardiovascular well-being, we therefore recommend vegetable oils with unsaturated fatty acids (e.g., rapeseed, olive) or other plant-based alternatives.

Examples: Vegan coconut products that do not come from Thailand (not an advertisement) 🥥✅

Vegan coconut milk, available at Rewe

Vegan coconut milk, available at Müller/Rossmann/organic stores

Vegan shredded coconut, available on Amazon/Kaufland

Vegan coconut yogurt, available at Rewe

If you cannot find a country of origin and there is no suitable alternative, ask yourself: Do I really need this product right now? If not, you can simply choose not to buy it. As described, transparency regarding supply chains is often low anyway, so avoiding coconut products is the most consistent and sometimes easier solution.
If you really need the product, you can still buy it within the framework of practicable veganism. You have done your best and are still acting in accordance with the principle of avoiding animal cruelty as far as practicable.

Finally, it is important for us to emphasize that even long-time vegans continue to discover new depths of animal cruelty. In a non-vegan world, it is impossible to completely avoid pitfalls. Therefore, don't get lost in details, but do your best and keep going. Otherwise, we as a movement will stagnate, and that is exactly what the opposition wants. Let us collectively show that dilemmas that go into the detailed and opaque, like the coconut issue, are by no means a justification to continue building slaughterhouses. NOT BEING VEGAN IS NOT OK - and that remains the case.

➡️ Share our answer: