“Plain” is almost never a compliment, nor a desirable description. The word evokes a certain homeliness, blandness, a lack of zeal or zest. Even worse than “basic,” which suggests a comforting familiarity, there’s little to say in defense of plainness.
Applied to yogurt, however, “plain” is the holy grail, the standard by which all cultured non-dairy products are to be held, and so few make the cut. Rare is the company that will even venture to offer such a demanding flavor in the first place. Without added fruits or flavors for embellishment, there’s nowhere to hide a lackluster base, marred with unpleasant sour notes or strange aftertastes. What’s even more elusive is a blank slate without sweeteners, making savory applications all but impossible. Despite the abundance of new vegan options on the market now, you still have to plan on making your own or finding a suitable substitution. If you happen to live in the bay area, however, you now have another option: Yoconut.
Yoconut is a small but rapidly growing startup created by self-described foodie Bonnie Lau. If you voted in the recent Veggie Awards, you may have noticed this brand on the ballot, right alongside industry giants like Silk and So Delicious. That alone should say volumes about the product- Not yet distributed in mainstream markets, but already competing with the big shots. What sets Yoconut apart is its focus on quality, which is immediately apparent from a cursory glance at the label. No weird gums, no preservatives, no sugar at all; just smooth and creamy coconut, plain and simple. The Original is a cook’s dream, able to blend seamlessly with dips and dressings of all stripes, finally giving “plain” a good name.
Granted, what most eaters will want to know about are the flavored varieties, and I’ll have you know that they’re held to those very same high standards. Vanilla simply shimmers with seeds from the whole bean, without any syrup sweetness to diminish from its glory. Chocolate is admittedly still under development, but the latest rendition I sampled was a revelation; nothing like the pudding I had come to expect from such a title, but a legitimate cocoa-tinted cultured snack. Nothing else on the market comes close to this sort of highly sophisticated approach, and I for one hope the final formula doesn’t stray too far from this exquisite initial taste.
Right now your best bet for scoring a few of these precious containers is directly from Bonnie herself, at the Fort Mason Farmers Market held every Sunday from 9:30am to 1:30pm. Keep a close eye on local grocery store shelves though, because I have a feeling it won’t be long before this small business strikes out in a big way.
I’ve been bowled over by ~plain coconut yoghurts in the last year or so. I absolutely love them, and luckily for me, my partner is not so keen so I get to guzzle them all.
Oh yay yay yay! I have been searching for an excellent plain yogurt to use in my cooking and baking. I will request it at our local grocery stores to start a demand. Thank you!!!!
I’m so glad I’m not the only one stocked about a plain yogurt option! Thank you for helping to create that demand, too!
Only thing I eat which is coconut is a bounty chocolate bar haha :D
This is wonderful, can’t wait to try in recipes and creamy sauces. Thanks!
How do they taste on their own? Super coconut flavored? How sweet?
They definitely don’t try to hide the fact that they’re coconut-based, but by the same token, it’s not a totally overwhelming flavor. They’re not sweet at all, but so well-balanced that you don’t even realize it until you’re done eating. Seriously! Everything works together so harmoniously that no single element stands out unless you’re really working to pick it apart.
I’ll need to keep an eye out for this! I miss eating yogurt after I stopped eating Dairy, and most of the dairy free yogurts just don’t do it for me.