Flake coconut is the preferred cut for the retail grocery and foodservice markets. With uses ranging from sweet to savory, flake is the most popular cut of sweetened coconut.
Fancy shred coconut is described as long strings or threads of coconut, which give the maximum "shaggy" appearance when used as a cake topping.
Short shred coconut is a shorter version of fancy shred. These short strings or threads of coconut are also referred to as "pie shred".
Medium shred coconut is a more granular, coarse cut of coconut, and is used largely in a dessicated (dried) form throughout the confectionery industry. Medium shred is also used throughout the baking industry in many of the same applications as Macaroon. Medium shred is selected when a heavier or chewier consistency is desired in the finished product.
Macaroon is a finely ground, granular cut used throughout the baking industry.
