Hi-tech substrate pioneer Cocogreen® has received a King’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade, recognising a continuous period of exceptional global expansion.
Cocogreen® substrate already accounts for 75% of UK berry cultivation, while over half of its revenue comes from international markets, partnering with a diverse portfolio of leading tech-focused fruit and veg growers, from berries and citrus to salad and tree-grown crops.
The company was first recognised with the award for its international business prowess in 2018, after finding success with exports across southern and northern Africa, southern Europe, Australia, and the far east.
Since then, the company has shown resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges and the outbreak of global conflicts. Despite this, the business has matured into a market leader in all its existing regions, particularly in Australia and South America, with a similar trajectory forecast in Mexico. Cocogreen®‘s next phase of growth is already taking shape, having established pathways into northern and central Europe, and delivering its first containers to Canada and the USA, all markets that show appetite for further adoption.
Cocogreen® credits the success to its unique vertical supply chain, and to its exclusive technology helping the food production industry make vast savings on water and fertiliser. This is thanks to the company’s patented Moisture Control Technology (MCT®), which allows substrates to retain and distribute moisture more effectively, leading to vastly better root growth, occupying up to 95% of substrate. It means growers can reduce water and fertiliser wastage by up to 30% while also increasing crop yields and quality.
The latter point is vital, as agriculture accounts for 70% of global water usage annually. As a peat-free product made from a renewable source, this further qualifies Cocogreen® substrate as a leading resource in the future of crop production.
Dr Sudesh Fernando, CEO and co-founder of Cocogreen®, expressed appreciation for the award, stating:
“We’re honoured to accept this award for the second time. Our continuous investment in new technology and building a highly skilled, in-house team has strengthened every link in our supply chain, which has been vital in supporting the rapid international growth we are experiencing. Despite the challenges of global unrest, we have been able to adapt and maintain quality products and services, meeting high and growing demand in the face of a peat-free future. What’s more, we’ve done so in a way that is ethical and sustainable, and therefore true to our founding principles.”
