Patented Coconut Processing Technology as Powerful Social Impact.
DME enables smallholder and small scale coconut growers to convert their fresh coconuts to high value products, particularly Virgin Coconut Oil (VCO).
CKC holds the global rights to promote and support the deployment of the ‘DME System’ including manufacturing rights. This arrangement is structured under our Not-for-Profit platform status as a social impact engagement within coconut sector.
Direct Micro Expelling is a small-scale processing system designed to
convert fresh coconuts into oil and other products within 60 minutes of opening a fresh whole coconut.
DME technology was designed for coconut producing regions dominated by smallholders. A typical DME production unit:
product
aggregation
quality control
packaging
export logistics
brand
development
This model allows coconut value to be captured locally while still participating in global markets.
While Virgin Coconut Oil is the primary product, the DME system is designed around full coconut utilisation. A single DME facility can generate multiple value streams including:
Virgin Coconut Oil (food, cosmetic, wellness markets)
Coconut shell charcoal or biochar
Coconut meal (food or animal feed)
Coir and fibre products
Even the process energy is circular where shells and husks are used as fuel in the drying stage, creating a low-waste system.
The copra system dominates most smallholder coconut today. However, it has several structural limitations.
Copra System
Centralised mills
Long drying times
Commodity oil
Farmer price taker
Limited by-product value
DME System
Distributed processing
Rapid fresh processing
Virgin coconut oil
Farmer value participant
Multi-product utilisation
The DME System transforms coconut from a raw commodity into a local manufacturing activity.
Since its development, hundreds of DME units have
been deployed across multiple coconut producing
regions including:
And hundreds of small businesses and community enterprises have been established using DME technology, demonstrating its viability in remote coconut regions.
DME technology is deployed through three pathways:
Technology Demonstration
Operational pilot facilities and
training centres.
Entrepreneur Units
Small-scale production units
operated by farmers or local
businesses.
Commercial Hub Networks
Aggregated production systems
connected to regional processing
or export markets.
This modular deployment approach aligns with CKC’s broader vision of a distributed system of coconut value creation.