It’s one of Australia’s fastest-growing grocery categories – but not all coconut milk is created equal

Coconut milk is one of the fastest growing grocery categories in Australia, with an estimated $340 million expected to be spent on it for cooking in 2026 alone. But when it comes to quality and cost, variations between the brands are vast.

Consumer group Choice has examined 10 of the country’s most popular supermarket coconut milk products, including Ayam, Trident, Aldi, Coles, and Woolworths brands, to decide which offers the best value.

The group looked at coconut content, with some brands containing as little as 45 per cent coconut and as much as 89 per cent. The findings also showed higher prices didn’t always reflect better quality.

So which brand will give you the best bang for your buck?

Ayam’s 100 per cent Natural Coconut Milk was found to have the highest percentage of coconut at 89 per cent, with the only other ingredient being water. It is one of the pricier products, selling for $5 for 400mls.

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In second place is Aldi Asia Green Garden coconut milk with 75 per cent coconut. Additional ingredients include water and the stabiliser 412, which is guar gum. This is also one of the most affordable coconut milks on the market, priced at just $1.69 for 400mls.

The products containing the third-highest amount of coconut were two organic products – Coles Organic Coconut Milk and Woolworths Macro Wholefoods Organic Coconut Milk.

Both contained 74 per cent coconut extract, and both also contain guar gum. Coles’ product costs $2.10 for 400mls, and Macro costs $3 for 400mls.

The next products tested contains much less coconut in them compared to these first four. Trident Coconut Milk contains just 60 per cent coconut and costs $3.43 per 400mls. Black & Gold contains 54 per cent coconut and sells for $1.75 for 400mls.

TCC Premium Coconut Milk is made with 53 per cent coconut and retails for $3.20 for 400mls, Coles Simply contains 50 per cent coconut and sells for $1.70 for 400mls, and Pandaroo includes just 45 per cent coconut and retails for $2.25 for 400mls.

Next, Choice tested the taste of each, although it should be noted coconut milk is primarily used as a cooking ingredient rather than as a beverage.

Choice home economist and expert taster, Fiona Mair, sampled the 10 varieties of coconut milk we compared in a blind tasting, sampling each for texture, taste and aroma, and appearance. 

Fiona’s pick was Aldi’s Asia Green Garden Coconut Milk, which she described as having “lovely thickness and good flavour”, adding that it had a good aroma and a good amount of solid cream.