A Case Study

on the
“Challenges in the Processing of Coconut Wine (Tuba)”

CHE EF12 Processes in the Beverage Industry

Submitted to
Executive Summary

The aim of this case study is to determine the processing challenges observed in the
processing of coconut wine at Bahal Max Sukarap. Four problems were observed such as the
improper wine aging storage, improper waste sediment disposal, poor inventory system and raw
material unpredictability. Solutions were proposed and selected through a decision matrix
analysis. The optimum solution for wine storage is by placing wine in a constructed underground
basement where the temperature and humidity is controlled. The optimum solution for waste
sediments disposal is selling it as a feed additive. It is recommended that the establishment improve
their inventory system and increase their pool of reserves for their raw material source.

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 I. Introduction

Coconut wine or Tuba is a sweet, fresh or mildly fermented sap taken from tapping the
young expanded flowers of the coconut. It is popularly known locally as “Jungle wine,” it is
also called coconut toddy (Philippine Islands, 2015). Tuba is a general term used for coconut
wines. Upon harvest of the coconut sap, it is called “dawat” which is still a sweet liquor ready
for fermentation. After 1-2 days, it is then called “bahal”. Further aging then produces
“bahalina” which is the red coconut wine.

The main raw material for the production of tuba is the coconut nectar from the unopened
coconut flower of a coconut tree. The nectar or coconut sap is gathered by a “mananggiti” (a
coconut tree climber) by attaching a bamboo container (sugong) at the tip of the unopened
coconut flower. The harvested coconut nectar is a sweet white liquid. An antioxidant is added
which gives the tuba a red color, prevents spoilage and kills undesired microorganisms. The
antioxidant is called “Tungong” which is a bitter red bark from a mangrove tree (Katunggan).
The addition of the antioxidant could be done before or after the collection of the coconut sap.
The harvest is done every day. The collected coconut sap inside the bamboo container is then
harvested by the coconut climbers and is then transported to the site where it will be trans ferred
to air-tight containers for the fermentation process. The fermentation is anaerobic facilitated by
air-borne yeasts which starts once the bubbles subsides. The process of alcoholic fermentation
requires careful control for the production of high quality wines. Requirements include
suppression of the growth of undesirable microorganisms, presence of adequate numbers of
desirable yeasts, proper nutrition for yeast growth, temperature control for prevention of
excessive heat, prevention of oxidation, and proper management of the cap of skins floating in
red musts (University of Utah, n.d.). Palms are tapped for 8 months of the year and rested for 4
months. The average daily yield per palm is about 2 liters. The fresh sweet toddy contains 15
to 20% total solids, of which 12 to 17.5% is sucrose

During the fermentation process sediments will start to accumulate at the bottom of the
container. These sediments are called “lalog” which is separated from the mother liquor by
decantation. The sedimentation and decantation process is done on the 1st, 3rd and 7th day of the
fermentation process. This process can be continued up to two months to have a clear red wine

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free from sediments. The collected sediments or “lalog” is collected and stored in another
container for further sedimentation to collect more of the fermented liquor thus making most of
product recovery. These sediments are then disposed of properly to the ground.

The collector will then season the product with hot peppers and is preserved for at least 2
months right before he serves it to his friends or sold it to the market (Cebu Tourism, 2018).

The case study was done in a well-known tuba producer in Barangay Talaytay, Argao,
Cebu which is the Bahal Max Sukarap owned by the Sedon family. Their family has been in
this business for so many years since the early ‘70s and for their generation, they have been
producing tuba for 17 years. Coconut plantation owners deliver their coconut saps every day
wherein the Sedon family will be responsible for the fermentation and aging process. They also
have their own coconut plantation however it wouldn’t be able to compensate for their
production so they sourced out most of the coconut sap from other farmers or “mananggiti”.
Their production area is just behind their own home where they also entertain visitors in their
so-called Chico Bar just beside their house.

A general process flow in the production of tuba is presented in Figure 1.

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Unopened
coconut EXTRACTION
flower
Coconut sap

Air-borne
yeasts FERMENTATION

Fermented Liquor

SEDIMENTATION

DECANTATION Sediments (Lalog)

Fermented Liquor

AGING

Bahalina

PACKAGING

STORAGE

Figure 1. Tuba Making General Process Flow

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 II. Problems and Issues

The problem-solving model utilized in this case study is the Min Basadur’s Simplex Process.
The Simplex Process was created by management and creativity specialist Min Basadur, and was
popularized in his 1995 book, "The Power of Innovation."

The process is made up of eight steps (See Appendices), grouped into three stages: Problem
Formulation, Solution Formulation and Solution Implementation. It is a versatile tool that can be
used in organizations of all sizes, and for almost any type of problem.

Problem Formulation (SWOT Analysis)

Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats (SWOT) Analysis is a useful technique for
understanding the strengths and weaknesses, and for identifying both the opportunities open to the
organization and the threats they face. In order to identify the problems to be solved, a SWOT
analysis was conducted for Bahal Max Sukarap. The said analysis if shown in Table 1 below.

Table 1. Bahal Max Sukarap SWOT Analysis

 The source of raw material (coconut tree) is
available all year round.
 Raw material (coconut sap) transport is easy due
to close proximity of the coconut plantations
 Customer satisfaction (Many clients are coming
Strengths for personalized bottles of wine for various
events)
 They have explored another fruit wine (Mango
Wine) which is one of their best seller.
 Low cost production
 Affordable wine
 Raw material unpredictability, varying
production volume
 Unable to keep up with consumer demands
Weaknesses
 No proper wine aging storage
 Improper disposal of waste sediments (lalog)
 Poor product inventory
 Growing trend of wine tourism to boost
Opportunities  Social media promotions
 Supply wines for events
 Many competitors around the town
Threats  Law on the ban of using mangrove bark
 Established reputable wineries

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Problem Definition

From the established SWOT analysis, the problems with regards to the processing of the
coconut wine can be found under the weaknesses observed.

The first on the list of the processing challenges in the production of tuba is the
unpredictability of the raw material – the coconut tree. There was no way of measuring how much
coconut sap is produced from a single coconut tree therefore they have varying volumes of product
per day. Also, there will come a time when the coconut tree will definitely stop producing coconut
sap. The time of this too, is unknown and unpredictable. When a coconut tree stops producing sap,
it would be replaced with a new tree which takes about 15 – 20 years to grow for full production
(Kelly, n.d.). There was no way for coconut farmers to demand more from a coconut tree. There
were days that it can only produce one cup of coconut sap while there were days it could produce
one liter of coconut sap. This gave tuba producers a problem when they have a production volume
target for a certain season.

Another processing challenge encountered in the production of tuba is the aging and
storage of the fermented product. In the olden times, tuba was further fermented, aged and stored
under the ground where the temperature is constant and cool enough. It also avoids the exposure
of the product to the sun’s UV rays which could cause wine spoilage. However, as of today, with
the use of air-tight polypropylene containers, they could be stored in a room provided that it is
dark and a constant temperature is maintained. In Bahal Max Sukarap, most of the aged tuba were
just stored outside the house under the shade of trees. This is a problem since there is the presence
of light as well as variable temperature throughout the day. According to the Reader’s Digest, wine
should be stored in an area that is cool, but not cold (45-65 degrees Fahrenheit); humid, but not
too humid (50-80% humidity); and relatively dark. Temperatures above 70 degrees could cause
the wine to “cook,” which affects its flavor and longevity. When wine is stored below 45 degrees
or in too arid a location, the cork may become dry and allow air to enter the bottle. Too much
humidity, on the other hand, can lead to mold, while too much sunlight can cause the wine to age
too soon (Reader’s Digest, 2017).

Another processing challenge is the disposal of waste sediments known as “lalog”. These
are the sediments obtained throughout the course of the fermentation process. As of the moment,

7
the establishment disposes the wastes directly to the ground. There was no existing
characterization of the waste produced however they noted that they don’t dispose them near the
plants since it would cause them to die.

The last problem observed was in the aspect of product inventory. They only have a chalk
board wherein they take note the volume of coconut saps delivered by the coconut climbers every
day along with their corresponding names. The varying age of the coconut wines were written on
the surface of the container. The wines weren’t also stored and sorted out according to their age.
As observed, it was not orderly and most of the notes were just written using chalk along the sides
of the container as seen in Figure 2 below.

Figure 2. Sample Inventory of Coconut Wine Aging Process

III. Solution Formulation

The four major processing challenges in the production of tuba laid out in the previous
sections have effects in the economic and ecological aspect as well as the product quality and
quantity. It is very important that the scale and extent of the problems are assessed as well as its
cause and effect. This would provide a better understanding as to what extent does the problem
impact the whole production process as well as being able to identify the cause of the problem.
Developing a sound understanding of the extent, scale, cause and effect of problems provides a
strong evidence-based foundation for developing options. Failure to do this may result in a
mismatch of problems and solutions and/or solutions that don’t adequately or effectively alleviate
the problem in the long term.

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Problem Prioritization (Decision Matrix Analysis)

Prioritization is the essential skill that is needed to make the very best use of efforts, time
and resources. It's particularly important when time is limited and demands are seemingly
unlimited. With good prioritization (and careful management of reprioritized tasks) you can bring
order to chaos, massively reduce stress, and move towards a successful conclusion. Without it,
you'll flounder around, drowning in competing demands. The tool used in the problem
prioritization here is the Decision Matrix Analysis which aids in prioritizing tasks taking into
consideration the different factors such as product quality, health and safety, environmental and
business impact. The factors are given their equivalent weights and rated based on an established
rubric shown in Table 5 (See Appendices). The results of the analysis are shown in Table 2 below.

Table 2. Decision Matrix Analysis on Problem Prioritization

Product Health and
Environmental Business
Quality Safety
Factors: Impact Impact TOTAL
Impact Impact
(25%) (25%)
(25%) (25%)
PROBLEMS
Raw material
unpredictability 0 0 0 2 0.50
Storage area for
aging 3 3 0 3 2.25
Waste
sediments
0 3 3 2 2.00
(“lalog”)
disposal
Product
Inventory 0 0 0 2 0.50

From the results, it can be seen that the top two problems that should be prioritized is the
storage area for the aging process followed by the waste sediments disposal, and then the raw
material unpredictability and product inventory at equal footing. This shows the problems that
should be solved first with regards to its product quality, health and safety, environmental, and
business impact.

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IV. Proposed Effective Solutions and Strategies

Appropriate possible solutions to the problems were mapped out. Three (3) solutions were
proposed for the major problems based on the results of the prioritization analysis. The minor
problems only had one suggested solution since it’s not as complex as the first two problems and
also because of the lack of other possible options.

The proposed solutions for the first major problem pertaining to the storage area for the aging
of wine includes (1) storing the wine underground the soils in boxes, (2) storing the wine in an air-
conditioned room, and (3) storing the wine in a constructed underground basement. Wine should
be stored at optimum conditions to avoid spoilage. The important parameters to be considered
include temperature, humidity and presence of light (Modern Wine Cellar, 1999). Heat increases
the rate at which wine ages or is oxidized. Oxidation is a chemical process and like every chemical
process, heat increases its reaction rate. For every 18°F increase in temperature, the aging rate of
wine doubles. So, storing wine at room temperature (23 °C) cuts its aging potential in half
compared to 13 °C. Temperature fluctuations must be avoided (Doman, 2015).

The proposed solutions to the wine sediments disposal include (1) utilizing the pressed and
dried cake for animal feed additive, (2) utilized as plant fertilizer, and (3) valorization of the
biomass by producing a valuable product (β-glucan). The accumulated spent yeast from the wine
fermentation, also called fresh lees, is a waste generated from the sedimentation process of wine
making (Hocking, 1998). It should not be disposed in bodies of water since it will increase the
Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) of the water due to the fact that the decomposition of yeast
requires oxygen. The increased BOD creates an oxygen shortage for other organisms in the water
and can throw off the delicate balance of associated ecosystems. Another concern of dumping
yeast sludge into water systems is that the yeast increases the TSS in the water which is costly to
treat and remove from wastewater (Youngblood, 2014). The proposed solutions justify with the
concept of a sustainable, green and environmentally oriented wine industry. It could be used as an
additive to animal feed since yeast is high in protein (~40%) (Winkler et al., 2011). It could also
be used as a plant fertilizer however it could not be directly used as it is and techniques have to be
devised to achieve consistent benefits in field conditions. Plant growth-promoting microorganisms
are increasingly applied as bio fertilizer, yet causal understanding is lacking and has been
hampered by the variability and inconsistency of results obtained in laboratory, greenhouse, and

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field studies (Lonhienne et al., 2014). The spent winery yeast could also be valorized as a potential
source of value-added product such as β-glucan. b-Glucans are called biological response
modifiers (BRMs) due to their ability of enhancing and stimulating the human immune system. β
-Glucans obtained from the cell wall of yeasts can also be used in food industry as fat replacers,
emulsifiers and dietary fibers. Yeast b-glucan extract is considered as safe for oral applications
and recognized as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) (Varelas et al., 2016).

The minor problems which include poor product inventory could be solved by implementing
an appropriate detailed and organized inventory system. On the other hand, the unpredictability of
the raw material in terms of variable volume produced could be solved by planting more coconut
trees which could increase the reserves of raw material source. A summary on the proposed
solutions is shown in Table 3 below.

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Table 3. Proposed Solutions and Strategies Summary

Solution Options: 1 2 3

PROBLEMS
Traditional wine Store the wine inside Construct an
storage: store the a room where it is underground
wine not hit directly by basement wine
underground. It sunlight (dark). The storage for aging.
typically stays room must be
cool, dark and maintained at a
humid constant temperature
Storage area for aging underground, (13– 16 °C) and
perfect for wine relative humidity
storage. (~70%). This could
be achieved through
air conditioning the
room at the specified
temperature.
Collect the The collected spent Yeast waste biomass
sediments and yeast could be used can comprise a new
since this as plant fertilizers. and innovative
contains spent source for β-glucan
yeast which is production.
high in protein,
Waste sediments (“lalog”) this could be used
disposal as food additive
for livestock. The
sediments is
pressed, dried
and could be sold
as animal feed
additive.
Implement an
appropriate
Product Inventory - -
detailed
inventory system.
Plant more
coconut trees to
Raw material
ensure reserves - -
unpredictability
of the source of
coconut sap.

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 V. Selection and Evaluation of Effective Solutions and Strategies

In the process of arriving at an appropriate, cost-effective and efficient solution to the presented
problems, an options and selection process is done wherein the options are rated with regards to
the important considerations to be taken which include the ease of implementation, reliability and
cost of the proposed solution. The options and selection process is done through the decision matrix
analysis shown in Table 4 below. . The factors are given their equivalent weights and rated based
on an established rubric shown in Table 6 (See Appendices).

Table 4. Decision Matrix Analysis on Evaluation of Effective Solutions and Strategies

Ease of
Reliability Cost
Factors: Implementation Total
(20%) (50%)
(30%)
Storage area for aging
Option 1 2 2 2 2.0

Option 2 2 3 1 1.7

Option 3 1 3 3 2.4
Waste sediments (“lalog”) disposal
Option 1 3 3 3 3.0

Option 2 2 1 1 1.3

Option 3 1 2 1 1.2

As shown from the results above, the optimum solution for the storage area intended for
wine aging is through placing them in a constructed underground storage (basement). This is the
widely used technique for wine aging and storage. The underground temperature and humidity is
constant and could be controlled and monitored by simple, cheap, and dispensable instruments.
The total cost is lesser compared to the other options since the cost of building this is much cheaper
compared to the operating costs of using an air-conditioned room. For the waste disposal, the
optimum solution is by drying the collected spent yeast and selling them off as feed additive. This
could generate addition income. As for the other options, further studies should be done to prove
its effectiveness and reliability.

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 As for the minor problems, the solutions are straightforward. A simple inventory system is
needed to aid in the wine quality control which include utilization of data sheets software such as
Microsoft Excel. The wines should also be labeled properly for proper monitoring. The label must
be protected with a plastic covering. The wines should be monitored daily and should be segregated
according to the targeted aging time.

Since the raw material unpredictability is inherent to the crop (coconut) itself, an increase
pool of reserves should be done by planting more coconut trees. It will always be part of the
limitations of the raw material.

VI. Recommendations

The establishment, Bahal Max Sukarap, should improve their inventory system and utilize
modern technologies of product inventory. The establishment should also increase their pool
of reserves of raw material source.

Studies on winery spent yeast utilization should be explored more. For small wine
production businesses, there should be an accredited establishment that could further process
and valorize the spent yeast produced in the processing of wine.

The completion of the simplex process was not completed in this report. The planning,
selling of idea, and action processes were not delved into. A feasibility study then could be
performed in order to implement the presented solutions to the problems. This could in turn
greatly help the Bahal Max Sukarap business of coconut wine production.

VII. Conclusion

The problems observed on the wine production of Bahal Max Sukarap impose challenges
on the overall processing of coconut wine. These problems were divided into the major ones
which include the storage for wine aging and waste sediments disposal. The solutions to the
major problems were evaluated and selected based on the ease of operation, reliability and
costs. The optimum solution for wine storage is by placing wine in a constructed underground
basement where the temperature and humidity is controlled. The optimum solution for waste
sediments disposal is selling it as a feed additive. On the other hand, the minor problems
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 including the poor inventory and raw material unpredictability were given direct and concise
solutions.

VIII. References
 Cebu Tourism (2018) Cebu’s Tuba. Available at: http://www.cebu-
tourism.techcellar.net/cebus-tuba/.
 Doman, E. (2015) 7 Tips for Storing and Aging Wine. Available at:
https://learn.compactappliance.com/storing-and-aging-wine/.
 Hocking, M. B. (1998) Handbook of Chemical Technology and Pollution Control,
Handbook of Chemical Technology and Pollution Control. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-
350811-9.50021-1.
 Kelly, J. (no date) How Does a Coconut Grow? Available at:
https://www.hunker.com/13428050/how-does-a-coconut-grow.
 Lonhienne, T. et al. (2014) ‘Yeast as a biofertilizer alters plant growth and morphology’,
Crop Science, 54(2), pp. 785–790. doi: 10.2135/cropsci2013.07.0488.
 Modern Wine Cellar (1999) How to Store Wine With or Without a Wine Cellar. Available
at: http://www.mowinecellar.com/how-to-store-wine.
 Philippine Islands (2015) Health Benefits of Tuba or Coconut Wine. Available at:
http://www.phil-islands.com/health-benefits-of-tuba/.
 Reader’s Digest (2017) How to Properly Store Wine. Available at:
https://www.rd.com/food/fun/how-to-properly-store-wine/ (Accessed: 29 December
2017).
 University of Utah (no date) ‘Fermentation’. Available at:
https://www.cs.utah.edu/~tahbaz/winesite/tasting.htm.
 Varelas, V. et al. (2016) ‘Valorization of Winery Spent Yeast Waste Biomass as a New
Source for the Production of β-Glucan’, Waste and Biomass Valorization. Springer
Netherlands, 7(4), pp. 807–817. doi: 10.1007/s12649-016-9530-4.
 Winkler, B. et al. (2011) ‘Dried yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisae) as a protein source for
horses’, Livestock Science. Elsevier B.V., 137(1–3), pp. 168–177. doi:
10.1016/j.livsci.2010.11.004.

15
  Youngblood, J. (2014) WHEN YEAST GOES DOWN THE DRAIN. Available at:
http://thebeerdiaries.tv/yeast-goes-drain/.

IX. Appendices

A1. The Simplex Process

Figure 3. The Simplex Process

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A2. Options and Selections Rubrics

Table 5. Decision Matrix Analysis on Problem Prioritization Rubrics

Rating 0 1 2 3
Strongly affects
the quality of the
product which
Minimal or Noticeable effect
could alter the
Does not affect unnoticeable on the quality of
Product Quality original or
the quality of the effect on the the product but
Impact expected
product quality of the could still be
characteristics of
product consumed
the wine and
should be
disposed of
Threats on
Medical
health and safety
attention
Does not pose Minimal effect, may need
required, but
Health and any threat to no medical immediate
recovery of the
Safety Impact health or safety attention medical
affected
of the facility required attention with no
individual/s
chance of
is/are expected
recovery
Noticeable
Minimal effect
Does not have effects on the Adverse
to the
Environmental any negative environment irreversible
environment and
Impact implications on which could still effects on the
effects could be
the environment be reversed but environment
reversed
with a high cost
Noticeable loss
Does not affect Minimal effect
in sales, large Loss or closing
Business Impact the business to sales, or costs
expense for of business
operations for recovery
recovery

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Table 6. Decision Matrix Analysis on Evaluation of Effective Solutions and Strategies Rubrics
Rating 1 2 3
Moderately easy to
Not easy to implement. The
Very easy to
implement. It may implementation could
Ease of implement. It would
require a lot of time be done at a
Implementation only require less than
(months) and reasonable time
a week to implement.
manpower. which does not affect
the overall operation

Not very reliable. Very reliable. It has

Moderately reliable.
Studies should be been implemented by
It has been studied
Reliability done on research and many facilities and is
but not very well
development to prove proven to be very
established.
its effectivity. effective.

Very costly. The Moderately costly. Not very costly. The

overall costs The overall costs overall costs
including including including
Costs implementation, implementation, implementation,
monitoring and monitoring and monitoring and
operational costs is operational costs is operational costs is
high. moderately high. not very high.

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A3. Wine Sensory Analysis
Table 7. Wine Score Card
APPEARANCE RATING SCORE
Clarity 1=Cloudy; 5=Clear color
Note: most wine scores full 5
mark on clarity
Color 5=Aligns with expected color
5
based on varietal and age
AROMA RATING SCORE
Intensity 1=Light, can only smell with
nose in the glass;
5=Pronounced, can smell aroma 4
with glass held at a shoulder
level
Nose 1=Oxidized/corked/foul nose;
3=Acceptable aroma;
4
4=Aromatic and attractive;
5=Dynamic and Intriguing
Complexity 1=Simple; 3=Interesting;
5=Intriguing, luring, with layers 3
of flavors
TASTE RATING
Balance 5=Perfect balance among fruit,
tannin, acidity, sugar, alcohol, 4
delicacy and structure
Complexity 1=Simple, mono-flavor;
3=Interesting; 5=Dynamic, can
3
taste a wide range of flavors on
the palate
Finish 1=No finish;
2=Short/unpleasant finish;
3=Medium finish; 4=Long 3
finish (10+ seconds); 5=Long
and delicious finish
TOTAL SCORE 31/40

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