06/01/08 - Coconut Culture Clash Creates New Dairy Free Yogurt
Turtle Mountain launches the world’s first yogurt made from coconut milk.

Eugene, OR – This is a tale of two food scientists. One was developing a new soy yogurt and the other a new coconut milk ice cream. Together, almost by accident, they created something completely new: coconut milk yogurt. Their creation, So Delicious® Coconut Milk Yogurt, was launched the summer of 2008 by Turtle Mountain, makers of America’s most popular dairy free ice creams and frozen desserts.

The new yogurt is made by adding beneficial bacteria cultures to organic coconut milk. Six live and active cultures turn the naturally sweet coconut milk into a thick and creamy yogurt. The two scientists, Ken Viscidi and Dolly Mok, were working on their separate products when they decided to mix things up by adding the yogurt culture to the coconut milk. The results surprised and excited them and they knew immediately they had created something special. “Even after the first try it tasted great. We knew we were on to something,” says Ken.

The new yogurt is 100% soy and dairy free and fortified to be an excellent source of calcium, magnesium and vitamin B12, an essential vitamin many vegetarians have trouble getting enough of.

For centuries coconut has been a staple for cultures around the world. Tradition attributes healing and life-giving properties to the coconut, which is why the palm is often called, ‘Tree of Life’. In western society, the health benefits of coconuts are just beginning to be understood. The mystery appears to be in the type of fats found in coconut milk, namely Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFA). MCFAs such as lauric and capric acid are recognized for their antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. Unlike long chain fatty acids, which are stored in the body as fat, MCFAs are utilized as energy by the body.

So Delicious Coconut Milk Yogurt is available in nine flavors: Plain, Blueberry, Raspberry, Vanilla, Strawberry Banana, Passionate Mango, Pina Colada, Strawberry and Chocolate. The suggested retail price is $1.89 for a 6-ounce container and is available at Whole Foods Markets and other select grocery stores nationwide.

About Turtle Mountain
Based in Eugene, Oregon since 1990, privately held Turtle Mountain provides consumers with healthier alternatives to dairy-based foods. All products are 100% plant based with no artificial sweeteners, trans-fats or hydrogenated oils, and most are made with certified organic ingredients. For full product offerings and complete nutritional information, please visit: www.turtlemountain.com.

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