When people try our plantain chips for the first time, one of the questions we hear most is:
"Why do you use coconut oil?"
Most people expect us to talk about nutrition, but for us, the answer starts somewhere else.
It starts with flavor.
For generations, Kerala has been famous for its plantain chips. Walk into almost any town and you'll find fresh chips being made right in front of you. One thing has never changed — they are always cooked in coconut oil.
Not because it was trendy.
Not because it was expensive.
Simply because that's how Kerala chips have always been made.
When we started Desi Flavors, we wanted to bring that same authentic taste to the United States. We never considered using any other oil.
Coconut Oil Is Part of the Recipe
Our chips have just a few simple ingredients:
🌱 Organic plantains · 🥥 Organic coconut oil · 🧂 Sea salt · ✨ Turmeric
That's it.
With so few ingredients, every single one matters.
The coconut oil isn't just used for cooking — it becomes part of the flavor. It gives the chips a light tropical aroma, a subtle sweetness, and the rich taste that people associate with authentic Kerala chips.
If we switched to another oil, the chips simply wouldn't taste the same.
Why We Don't Use Other Oils
Many snack companies use oils such as sunflower, canola, palm or soybean because they are widely available and less expensive.
Those oils work well for many foods. But for our chips, we wanted to stay true to the recipe that has been enjoyed in Kerala for generations.
Our goal has never been to make the cheapest chip.
Our goal has always been to make the best-tasting, authentic plantain chip we possibly can.
Why Organic Coconut Oil?
We also use USDA Organic coconut oil because quality matters.
Besides the unique flavor, coconut oil performs very well during cooking and helps our chips stay fresh and crispy. Every bag has the same clean crunch and satisfying texture that we wanted from the very beginning.