Coconut Factory (Albany, North Shore City, New Zealand)

Recently, there has been a buzz around the new Coconut Factory that is trending on TikTok. These new drinks place is a hybrid boba shop that specializes in selling milk tea, but with a focus on coconut products as their main item. From coconut water and coconut milk to coconut ice cream and coconut jelly, this place is a heaven for coconut lovers out there.

Located in Albany’s Corinthian Drive, where many Chinese restaurants are situated, this place opened probably around late January or early February this year. I visited this place a couple of weeks ago with my friends after having our lunch next door.

The minimalistic vibe of the Coconut Factory caught my attention. The green tones, concrete finish, and metal counters and seats create a clean and pleasing aesthetic. When we visited, the place was still on its hype stage, so there were lots of people grabbing their coconut-infused drinks. Orders could be placed either face to face or through McDonald’s style kiosks.

The menu is simple and divided into seven sections, namely Coconut Water infused drinks, Coconut Milk infused drinks, Fresh fruit drinks with sago, Cold Fruit Teas, Coconut Coffee, Coconut Ice Cream, and Handmade Coconut Jelly. During our visit, we tried the Coconut Meet Mango (NZ$11.80) and the Supreme Coconut Ice Cream (NZ$15.00), both of which were pricey compared to other bubble tea styled drinks in Auckland.

The Coconut Meet Mango was good, with mild coconut flavours and not too sweet. It reminded me of the Philippine snack called Tambo Tambo made with similar ingredients but served hot or warm. The amount of mangoes was just right, but it did not look like the one in the photo.

The Supreme Coconut Ice Cream was stunning, served on a coconut shell with meat on. It consisted of two scoops of coconut ice cream, topped with a variety of dried coconuts, such as coconut cubes, shaved coconut, and even toasted coconut flakes. There were also mangoes on the side and two coconut wafer sticks. The quality of the coconut was nice, and the coconut meat was soft, reminding me of the coconuts in the Philippines. The ice cream was not too sweet, making it a perfect dessert. However, the price was a bit steep, and perhaps an additional scoop of ice cream could make it worth the price.

Overall, the Coconut Factory provided a nice experience. It could potentially be the bubble tea that non-Asian Kiwis would love, as up until today, most bubble tea places are dominated by Asian customers. The place was clean, with many Instagram and TikTok friendly corners, and the staff were great. I saw one of the staff members explaining their offerings to every customer who asked for it.

Would I visit again? Most probably, especially if the prices are a bit cheaper.

COCONUT FACTORY
Address: Auckland, Albany, Corinthian Dr, Auckland, New Zealand, 0632
Phone: +649 414 2912