Vita Coco screengrab

Vita Coco is launching an online hub designed to be the ‘go-to’ site for information on coconut oil use.

Developed by creative agency Gravity Road, online publishing platform #Swearbyit would offer recipes and health & beauty advice relating to coconut oil, said the brand, which is aiming to make itself synonymous with the ingredient. Sales of coconut oil have more than tripled in the past year, from £4.4m to £13m [Kantar 52 w/e 13 September 2015].

The hub will be separate from Vita Coco’s main site, with content optimised for the brand’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter channels.

“With the rising popularity of all things coconut oil, we saw a real opportunity to create a centralised authority whether it be beauty, food or health,” said Pip Brook, Vita Coco marketing director for EMEA. “Our aim is for Swear by it to become a go-to resource for consumers interested in the multitude of uses and benefits of coconut oil.”

Coconut oil has become a significant trend in both food and beauty in recent years; it is often regarded as a healthier cooking oil, due to its content of medium-chain triglycerides, a type of fatty acid. It is also popular as a skin treatment and hair conditioner with celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Khloé and Kourtney Kardashian. 

Vita Coco launched its coconut oil last November in three pack sizes: 250ml (rsp: £5.99) and 500ml (rsp: £9.99) glass jars and a 750ml PET jar (rsp: £14.50). The 250ml size is listed in Tesco and Asda, while Ocado stocks all three.

With a share of more than 70%, Vita Coco dominates the coconut water category, which in grocery is worth £36.3m, and is growing at 73% [IRI 52 w/e 20 June 2015].