FAQs

Due to its thick, creamy consistency, you’ll find that Raglan Food Co yoghurt is very versatile and makes an excellent dairy-free substitute in recipes. Baking, curries (although be aware that high temperatures will kill the probiotics), smoothies, in iceblocks, with breakfast, and mixed with herbs as a dip are all potential ways to enjoy it … get creative in your kitchen and let us know what you make with the hashtag #raglanfoodco. For vegan desserts, breakfasts, and general vegan meal ideas using our yoghurt – head here. We have plenty of easy vegan recipes!

Yes! We are very proud of our procurement process. All our ingredients are ethically and sustainably sourced and our suppliers need to meet our strict code of conduct terms. Our coconuts are harvested by humans, not monkeys!

We get our yoghurt micro-tested frequently and the probiotics count (acidophilus & bifidobacterium) is consistently greater than 15,000,000 cfu per gram. Approx 70-230 grams of yoghurt per day meets the recommended daily intake for probiotics.

We are actively looking for a recyclable paper label that is both moisture-resistant and still easy-peel without using glues or adhesives, as we know how much our customers love being able to remove take off the label easily and reuse their jars. We are hoping to have this sorted soon! You may also notice that sometimes our labels are easy to peel and at other times not. This appears to be as a result of the surface of the glass jar (rather than the label itself which has not changed). You find some tips for removing our labels here. Note – we do recycle the rolls of paper that our labels are attached to. 😊

We can’t accept returned jars directly due to hygiene risks, but we encourage you to reuse your jars in creative ways at home – make your pantry plastic-free, use them as smoothie glasses, reusable coffee cups, flower vases, fill them with delicious bliss balls and give to your friends! And then of course if you put them in recycling they’ll get remade into new jars by NZ’s largest glass recycler. We are excited that the NZ government is working towards a nationwide glass return scheme and we have expressed our desire to be part of this as soon as it is ready to go ahead.

When we first started making yoghurt back in 2014, all yoghurt in NZ was packaged in plastic. On average, only 7-9% of plastic used in NZ gets recycled, the majority ends up in landfill or gets shipped overseas. We didn’t want to contribute to the plastic problem, so became the first yoghurt brand to package in glass. 75% of glass used in NZ is recycled here. Glass can be endlessly recycled without reducing in purity or quality and is made from natural materials (sand, soda ash, and limestone), not petrochemicals. There are many reasons we love using glass and if you’ve found some creative ways to reuse your jars, we’d love to see them!

No, not yet, but it will be. For now this paperboard pottle does need to be disposed of in the bin. Learn more about our rationale behind this packaging choice and our next steps towards a fully recyclable solution here.

We brew our vegan coconut yoghurt multiple times a week for deliveries – and the consistency can vary a little as we don’t use gums or emulsifiers. Our yoghurt is spoonable, pourable and often thicker at the top. We recommend gently folding any separation through to ensure the consistency is nice throughout the jar – not just at the top. Avoid shaking or stirring the yoghurt vigorously as this breaks the natural coagulum that yoghurt forms when it sets, which can actually cause it to go runny. If it’s too thick you can thin it out by stirring in coconut water or almond milk. It is a sensitive product, so storing at the correct temperature is important for keeping it a nice consistency. At really cold temperatures (below 2 degrees) the fatty acids in the coconut cream freeze and make it thicken a lot, almost going ‘hard’, so be careful not to keep it right at the back of the fridge.

If you’ve forgotten you had a jar in the fridge and let it expire, you might be wondering if your coconut yoghurt is still okay to eat, or if it’s gone bad! We’ve all been there, and we’re here to help. If it’s showing signs of mould, or tastes super fizzy, we’d recommend you cut your losses and grab a new jar! This isn’t how our vegan coconut yoghurt is meant to be enjoyed.

You can keep coconut yoghurt (and kefir) in the fridge at or below 4 degrees, for up to 4 weeks unopened. How long does it last after opening? Once opened it’s best eaten within 7 days. You’ll notice it gets slightly thicker and more tart over time.

Freezing the yoghurt changes the consistency, it gets a bit dry and crumbly, like cottage cheese. It DOES freeze really well in raw cheesecake recipes or if you make icecream/iceblocks out of it (see vegan recipes on our blog for ideas), but that’s because of the combination of other ingredients.

Our coconuts come from local growers all around Java & Sumatra in beautiful Indonesia where they’re grown without the use of fertilisers, sprays or pesticides. Many growers we source from do have organic certification, but for some of the smaller growers this certification process is too cost-prohibitive but we feel it’s important to support these smaller growers regardless. Here’s a blog post about a trip we did to learn more!

Yes, it’s completely safe to eat and drink our products while pregnant, as we pasteurize our coconut cream to ensure it doesn’t contain any harmful bacteria. Just be sure to consume our products within the best before date and to not let them get warm.

Each of the 4 vegan Kefir flavours has a different health benefit aimed to get you through the day, but what they all have in common is that they’re 100% plant-based and made using organic coconut milk. The sweetness only comes from fruit – not added sugar. Each bottle is packed with billions of live probiotics, they also have the added health benefit of Vitamin C, to help boost immunity!

We’ve found that it’s comparable to a yoghurt smoothie / lassi. It’s very drinkable – goes down smoothly and isn’t too acidic or intense – which is what some people may associate with kefir.

Each 500ml bottle is 2.5 servings. We tend to have half a bottle with our breakfast (it’s great with granola in place of milk), but there’s nothing wrong with drinking a whole bottle as a yoghurty smoothie in between meals either – especially if you already have probiotics in your regular diet (otherwise work your way up). Just shake & enjoy!

Kefir originated in the Northern Caucasus region of Russia – and was kept as a closely guarded secret before being enjoyed all over the world (they believed it was one of the keys to longevity and well-being). The potential health benefits of our vegan Kefir include – improved digestion, bone health and the reducing of inflammation. Ours also has the added benefit of Vitamin C!

Don’t worry – you’re not alone! It’s so yummy that it is very easy to keep eating spoon after spoon, however, be aware that this plant-based yoghurt is ALIVE and full of probiotics. Your tummy may not be prepared for a big dose of probiotics all in one sitting! Our recommended serving size is around 100g.

Although coconuts are relatively high in fat, they contain medium chain saturated fatty acids instead of long chain fatty acids – making it easier to digest! Coconut oil is thermogenic (tends to produce heat), which increases the amount of energy potentially speeding metabolism. The probiotics in our vegan coconut yoghurt also supports digestive health. Lauric acid (which is found in coconut cream) is also known to naturally boost your immunity, and if you notice your skin and hair feeling healthier… that’s because of the vitamins found in it too! So enjoy – knowing it’s not only better for the environment, but for your body too.

That is the ‘whey’ – in any natural yoghurt making process you’ll find it separates from the protein. It’s packed with good stuff, so make sure you very gently stir or fold it back into the yoghurt before serving. We don’t add gelatins or gums to our yoghurt to make it all stick together artificially, so sometimes you might spot this natural separation. A gentle stir will resolve this.