Merlita Teng is turning virgin coconut oil into more than just a wellness product. She is building a business that combines beauty, health, and farmer livelihood support in one growing enterprise.
A longtime entrepreneur with ventures in travel services and packaging manufacturing, Teng recently revived her passion for virgin coconut oil nearly two decades after co-founding a short-lived VCO supplement company in 2005.
The pandemic gave the business fresh momentum. As virgin coconut oil gained popularity as a possible COVID-19 remedy, Teng began producing homemade batches for relatives and friends. Demand quickly spread through word of mouth.
Sensing a larger opportunity, Teng launched The Place Cocozel Inc. and secured Food and Drug Administration registration, allowing the company to sell its products commercially. By the third quarter of 2025, production had become regular and continuous.
What started as a food supplement line has since grown into a broader wellness and personal care brand. Cocozel now offers eight VCO-based products, including massage oil, hair and scalp oil, face serum, and insect repellent.
Though still operating on a modest scale with only five employees, the company already supports around 100 coconut farmers from Teng’s hometown of Sta. Elena, Camarines Norte, alongside harvests from her own coconut farm.
Cocozel processes roughly 3,000 coconuts every four days, with around 15 to 18 coconuts needed to produce one liter of oil. Using organic essential oils and natural fermentation methods, the company markets its products as smooth, clear, and pure.
For Teng, the challenge is no longer selling the products but securing enough coconut supply to meet demand. Cocozel products are sold through the company website and promoted through trade fairs.
Teng said the business is about more than profit. She hopes to teach coconut farmers how to earn more from value-added coconut products and eventually establish a cooperative that would integrate them directly into the production chain.
