

We’re all about product, product, product.”Īnd for the first 18 months, working out how and where to make the product and get it to market was pretty much all they worked on, said Guilbert (using pressure instead of heat to pasteurize posh beverages might be all the rage these days, but back in 2009, they were in a field of one). We wanted to reverse that hierarchy you see in consumer goods of brand over product. Harmless Harvest co-founders Justin Guilbert (left) and Douglas Riboud (right)Īs for the HPP: “You taste our product and there is an immediate distinction. When people look at my product and say that’s expensive, I say no, it’s the others that are cheap this is the price for a good product.”īut does raw coconut water really taste so much better?Įr, yes, said Guilbert, although the choice of coconuts is also critical: “We use a specific varietal of coconut specific to a region in Thailand and we contract with our farmers directly.” American consumers want access to better food. He added: “People used to think that food should be cheap but that mentality has changed dramatically in recent years. Some cold-pressed juices retail at nearly $10 and people are willing to pay for them.”

“People ask if there a sweet spot on price, or a ceiling, and I say that there is no negative elasticity of price if there is value to every penny that you are asking for. “ The American consumer, regardless of disposable income or sophistication, is willing to pay more for better quality as long as that quality is tangible, if your product is distinctively superior. In fact, consumers coughing up $4 or $5 for raw coconut water are making a simple decision about what they value, he told FoodNavigator-USA.

Please note that each location carries different items so it may not be sold at your local Costco and some items are only sold for a limited time. This product comes from the Garden Grove, California location.
