People planning several recipes
You make curries, sauces, soups or desserts and want cartons you can open as you work through your meal plans, rather than a drink to serve as it is.
Who are these pack sizes for?
People buying a coconut plant-based drink
You’re planning a drink for breakfast, cereal or a lunchbox. In that case, the ingredients and how long it keeps after opening matter just as much as the carton size.
People considering several units for click and collect
You want to match the quantity ordered to the meals you have planned and check which product is available at your collection store before adding it to your basket.
What should you check before choosing?
First decide whether you’ll be cooking with or drinking the coconut product, then choose a quantity that suits the number of recipes you have planned.
| Criteria | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Culinary coconut milk | The product name, the proportion of coconut extract and the volume of each unit. | If I’m making several sauces or curries, I’m looking first and foremost for a product made for those recipes. Around 42% of consumers would put this culinary use at the top of their needs. |
| Coconut plant-based drink | The ingredients, nutritional information and after-opening instructions for the product you’re considering. | For my cereal or a lunchbox, I need a drink I can use at the pace that suits my household. This would be the priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Multipack quantity | The number of units, their volume and the dates shown on the packaging. | When I order several units, I want to plan when each one will be opened and used. Managing the multipack would come first for around 25% of consumers. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Confusing culinary coconut milk with a coconut plant-based drink
The products we looked at have different compositions and uses. E.Leclerc lists 51.8% coconut extract for its Eco+ culinary coconut milk, while Carrefour lists 14.1% coconut milk in the Alpro No Sugars drink.
Check the product name and ingredients before swapping one for the other in a recipe or as a drink.
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Choosing a multipack before planning how you’ll use it
Several small units can work well for a series of recipes. A large carton, once opened, needs to be used according to the instructions on its packaging.
Count the recipes you have planned and check the volume of each unit, not just the total volume of the multipack.
A pack that’s too large for your planned meals could leave you with an opened carton you can’t use up.
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Opening several drink cartons at once
For the Alpro No Sugars drink we looked at on Auchan, the after-opening instructions say to refrigerate between +1 °C and +7 °C and use within 5 days.
Open cartons as you need them and follow the instructions for the specific product you’ve bought.
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Assuming a product is available at every click-and-collect store
Product availability depends on the collection store. A product page doesn’t confirm that it’s stocked at every click-and-collect location.
Select your store, then check the product and pack size in your basket before placing your order.
Brands to compare
Alpro
1 L coconut plant-based drinks, intended in particular for drinking or adding to breakfast.
- The No Sugars version we looked at lists 0 g of sugars per 100 g and contains calcium, as well as vitamins D and B12.
- According to Auchan, this version must be refrigerated after opening and used within 5 days.
Eco+
Culinary coconut milk in a 200 ml carton, listed by E.Leclerc.
- The E.Leclerc product page lists 51.8% coconut extract.
- Check availability at your chosen click-and-collect store and how many cartons your recipe needs.
Bio Village
Organic culinary coconut milk in a 200 ml carton, listed by E.Leclerc.
- The product page lists 47% organically farmed coconut extract.
- It lists 18 g of fat per 100 ml. Check the product’s nutritional values separately from its organic label.
Real Thaï
Culinary coconut milk in a 1 L carton, worth considering if you have several recipes planned.
- Carrefour lists 85% coconut extract and water in the product we looked at.
- Before ordering several, check that a 1 L carton suits how often you cook.
Asia Green Garden
400 ml coconut milk featured on an Aldi France product page.
- The 400 ml pack gives you another size to consider for your planned recipes.
- Check locally how to buy this product before adding it to your shopping list.
Joybuy products for cooking
These products are for cooking: multipacks of liquid coconut milk in various sizes, plus an instant mix to reconstitute. For a drink to have with breakfast or pack in a lunchbox, choose according to the product name and ingredients of the product you’re looking for.
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CHAOKOH Coconut Milk 18 % · 6 × 250 ml
This pack contains six 250 ml units, making it easy to portion the coconut milk across several recipes.
The product name states 18%. Check the packaging for the ingredients and after-opening instructions.
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CHAOKOH Coconut Milk for Dessert 16–18 % · 12 × 250 ml
This pack brings together twelve 250 ml units for making recipes regularly. Check that the quantity suits the dishes you have planned.
The product name gives a range of 16–18%, not a single value.
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Kara Coconut Milk Classic UHT 17 % Fat · 24 × 400 ml
This pack of twenty-four 400 ml units is suited to kitchens that use coconut milk regularly. Check you have enough storage space.
The product name states 17% fat.
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CHAOKOH Coconut Milk Instant · 12 × 60 g
This instant version comes in twelve 60 g units, so you can prepare coconut milk as you need it for your recipes.
It needs to be reconstituted before use, so it isn’t ready-to-pour liquid coconut milk. Check the ingredients list if you avoid milk proteins.
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AROY-D Coconut Milk Tetra · 12 × 1 L
This pack of twelve 1 L cartons is intended for frequent or large-scale cooking.
Make sure you have room to store them and check the instructions on each carton for after opening.
Frequently asked questions
Can you replace culinary coconut milk with a coconut plant-based drink?
Not without considering the recipe: the culinary products and drinks we looked at have different proportions of coconut and different fat contents. For a sauce or curry, check the product name and ingredients before substituting one for the other.
When is a coconut milk multipack a good choice for my shop?
A multipack is a good choice if the number and size of its units suit the recipes you have planned. Also check the dates shown and the storage instructions for each product.
How long can you keep an opened coconut drink?
For the Alpro No Sugars drink we looked at on Auchan, the instructions say to refrigerate it between +1 °C and +7 °C after opening and use it within 5 days. Follow the label on the drink you’ve actually bought: this guidance doesn’t apply to every coconut product.
What should you check on the label if you have a food allergy?
Check the ingredients list for the exact product you’re buying: the DGCCRF says allergenic ingredients must be highlighted. Whether it’s an instant preparation or liquid coconut milk, don’t assume what it contains from the product name alone.