Most of T2G's products start with coconut sap. Coco Savor, their seasoning sauce, is no different. What makes it unusual is where it sits in the market: a soy-sauce alternative that actually works as a substitute rather than just a novelty.
Soy sauce is the default seasoning in Filipino cooking. It goes into almost everything. For people managing sodium, avoiding gluten, or dealing with soy allergies, the usual answer is to use less of it, which mostly just makes food taste like underflavored soy sauce. Coco Savor was built to replace it properly.
The DOST-ITDI Collaboration
T2G developed Coco Savor with DOST-ITDI, the Department of Science and Technology's Industrial Technology Development Institute. DOST-ITDI handles food technology research, among other things, which meant the product went through real formulation and testing work before going to market.
Gemma Dela Vega-Emata, T2G's Managing Director, credits the partnership with getting the product right. Her background and T2G's existing expertise in coconut sap processing gave them the raw material knowledge. DOST-ITDI provided the food science rigor to turn that into a finished product with consistent quality and a stable shelf life.
"The difference in coco sugar lies not just in its low glycemic index but also in the healthy advantages it offers. Coco Savor, on the other hand, is low in sodium, gluten-free, and allergen-free, positioning it as a healthy alternative to traditional seasonings." - Gemma Dela Vega-Emata
What's in It
Coco Savor at a Glance
- Made from coconut sap, the same source as T2G's other products
- Low in sodium
- Gluten-free
- Allergen-free (no soy, no wheat)
- No MSG
- All-natural, no artificial additives
- Developed with DOST-ITDI
The flavour profile is different from soy sauce, which is part of the point. Coconut sap has a natural umami quality when fermented and processed correctly. The result is a savoury sauce that works as a cooking ingredient, dipping sauce, or table condiment without the sodium load of conventional alternatives.
Where It Is Now
Coco Savor is already at commercial stage. T2G is working toward a dedicated processing facility for it, separate from the coconut sugar line. Gemma says the goal is broad market availability, not a niche health food shelf placement.
"Para mabigyan ng chance 'yung product natin sa pangkalahatan na consumers," she says. For everyone choosing to eat more carefully, not just the people who already shop at premium grocers. Organic certification is on the roadmap too, aimed at making the product competitive for export.
Why It Matters for the Cooperative
Adding Coco Savor to the product line isn't just a business expansion. It means more uses for coconut sap, which means more income for the 25 to 30 coconut tappers T2G partners with in Balingasag, Claveria, and Jasaan. The tappers already supply more sap than T2G's current working capital allows them to absorb. A second product line with its own processing infrastructure creates more capacity to take on additional suppliers.
That is the longer-term logic. Right now the focus is on getting Coco Savor into stores and building the consumer base that will justify the expanded facility.