I live in the Southeastern US. My closest grocer normally carries 3 brands of coconut milk. In the last 10 days or so 2 of the 3 were out of stock. Now the last remaining (Thai Kitchen brand, not my favorite but will use in a pinch) is also completely out of stock. I checked a couple of other stores (other corporations) and they had similar shortages, although at least one had a few cans left (also TK brand).
Anyone seeing a similar shortages?
Our local (Pollock Pines, CA) Safeway carries three brands (their house brand, several offerings from Thai Kitchen, and JFC). All appear to be in stock.
I don’t know that anecdotal evidence from other places will help… I usually buy coconut cream from Trader Joe’s, and they had scant cans of both milk and cream last week, but they go in waves on supplies of everything.
Amazon has Thai Kitchen at a decent price (also Coscto).
No shortage here in Houston, but the prices are double a year ago. I guess 8%+ inflation starts sneaking up on you after a while, eh?
Find an Indian grocery store. I can’t believe they’d run out of inventory on coconut milk, plus they are likely cheaper than a standard supermarket.
I often make my own in the Vitamix. Just checked Safeway to see if they had them… they’re SIX DOLLARS EACH!!!
I buy it by the case at Costco.
Chaokoh is the brand I like that is very hard find now; I read an article once that some stores stopped carrying it because In Thailand trained monkeys were used to harvest the coconuts. I get it at one store in SF that sells it for $2.50 a can.
Chaokoh is $2.29 right now at H Mart. I don’t use a whole can at a time so I freeze it.
Good thought, but the nearest Indian mart (also to @Steve, H Mart) is 25-30 miles. I do hit it from time-to-time for spices, though, and could load up when I’m there. Thanks!
Also @Aubergine - interesting. Chaokoh was my preferred brand (highest fat content, assuming this means highest coconut content of the supermarket brands). It was (when it was here) about $1.60 per can.
I wonder if once it reappears it will be closer to the $2.5 per can you all see.
Same - I used to buy it at Restaurant Depot regularly but they were subbing a different (and inferior) brand for months. I finally broke down and ordered some from Amazon, but then RD started stocking it again! Murphy’s law, lol.
Haven’t seen any issues in FL
To clarify: animal rights groups protested that the monkeys shouldn’t be used as slave labor.
I also like these small Aroy-D boxes; less waste. They are available sporadically at the Burlington, Mass. HMart.
I’ve never seen any brands here boxed like that, just canned. Also, I’ve never seen Aroy-D at stores around here but used to keep on the lookout for it after several people at CH recommended it as one of the best. Eventually I stopped paying attention and just kept buying Chaokoh, although nowadays given the incredible relationship my wife has with Amazon, I might as well add that to her lists.
Years ago I had roommates from Sri Lanka who taught me how to make coconut milk. You start with fresh or dried grated coconut in a blender with boiling water. After blending on high speed for a couple minutes, you strain it into a bowl. That is the “first milk.” Then you put the coconut back into the blender and repeat with more boiling water yielding the “second milk.”
I keep packets of powdered coconut milk just-in-case. I think the brand name is Grace. Not expensive, you can evidently get a bulk container, too.
And you like this? how is it to real milk?
