Tropical fruit marketers try to play to 'stay-cationers'

Excerpts from an 5/04/2009 article in The Packer by Abraham Mahshie

Tropicals are the luxury consumers can afford themselves when eating out less often, suppliers said, and it is up to retailers to promote properly and take advantage of this window.

Mary Ostlund, marketing director of Brooks Tropicals Inc., Homestead, Fla., said “our papayas sell easily whole, but when you’ve got more than what you can sell, you chop it up into processed or make delicious smoothies with it.”

Ostlund added most of Brooks’ retailers have good sales when they slice a papaya open and cover it with (plastic) wrap. "Customers see it and realize the papaya can be eaten like a melon.”

Beetle, fungus threaten Florida's avocado industry

Excerpts from an AP story by Sarah Larimer on 5/8/09

A little beetle could cause big problems for Florida's multimillion-dollar avocado industry.

Scientists are tracking the redbay ambrosia beetle as it crisscrosses the southeastern United States, spreading a fungus that is killing avocado trees. The beetle and the fungus it transmits could be devastating in Florida, the country's second-largest avocado producer.

In Miami, Craig Wheeling the CEO of Brooks Tropicals says the impending threat of laurel wilt disease bears a striking resemblance to citrus canker, which struck Florida orange and lime growers years ago, causing millions of dollars in damage. "Having gone through that mess in the early 2000s, we're very concerned when we see the redbay ambrosia beetle coming down," he said.

Fruta Bomba and Belize Fruit Packers participate in government conference

From our Belize offices comes this article about attendance at a government held 'HIV/AIDS in the workplace' conference. These are excerpts from an article in the El Guardian, a Belize newspaper.

Many individuals infected with HIV find that their work colleagues, in their ignorance, are afraid to work with them.

The Labour Department developed a program to combat this problem. Ms. Hertha Gentle, Senior Labour Officer and Program Coordinator recruited companies interested in developing HIV awareness in their work place.

The final part of the program was a two-day Peer Education training session held on May 5 and 6. The session was hosted by the Labour Department in collaboration with the National AIDS Commission. Fourteen companies were represented including Fruta Bomba Limited and Belize Fruit Packers Limited.

Ishmael Gonzalez, Personnel Coordinator of Fruita Bomba Limited, said, "We have approximately 800 people in our workforce, and it was imperative that we develop an HIV/AIDS policy to eliminate any stigma and discrimination that may develop."

Carambola's past

Starfruit's more 'historical' name, carambola has a rich history highlighted in this article on the Fruits and Health blog.

Carambola was originally a Portuguese name, and goes back to the Sanskrit "karmara", which means 'food appetizer'.

To the English living in southern Asia, the carambola was known as the Coromandel gooseberry. The settlers in southern China dubbed it the Chinese gooseberry and learned that the Chinese name for it was "yang t'ao", meaning 'goat peach'.

Carambolas originated in the Malay Archipelago between South-East Asia and Australia. They are now grown in Africa, Brazil, the West Indies, and the US. They are a good source of Vitamin C, along with some potassium, niacin, and phosphorus.

The Chinese and the Indians cook the unripe fruit as a vegetable and eat the ripened fruit as dessert.

The 30 Best Groceries for Ultimate Wellness

Excerpts from an article written by Catherine Lewis, AHJ Editor -- published: May 11, 2009

With all the “best” and “worst” lists out there, here is another list that is bound to get you to sit up and take notice. And the best part is that this time, the list really matters. It’s the list of 30 fruits, vegetables and more you cannot miss out on. It is literally a guide to put good health in your hands (or garden).Make sure you’re incorporating these fruits and vegetables in your diet for the best health:

• Tomatoes
• Carrots, Papaya, Mangoes, and Cantaloupes: In fact many orange and yellow colored vegetables are quite important since they contain beta carotene (the pigment that gives them the yellow color) which the body uses to convert into vitamin A. Vitamin A is an essential cancer-fighting vitamin.
• Apples
• Mushrooms
• Almonds, Pine nuts, Peanuts, Brazil nuts, Sunflower seeds
• Spinach, Broccoli, Cabbage, Lettuce, Green turnips
• Oranges, Lemons, Kiwis, Strawberries, Grapefruit, and Tangerines
• Black beans, string beans, lima beans, French beans, peas, lentils, legumes

If you’re not getting enough of the above fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds in your diet, today is the day to start! Even by incorporating just a few of these into your daily regimen, you will be on your way to better health in no time.

Papaya, how it's served in China

Interesting way of serving a papaya with crushed ice in the seed cavity. Photo courtesy of the China Daily in an article highlighting how the Tang Palace (唐宫) served the fruit for Mother's Day.

Salsa featuring fresh produce could bolster tropicals at foodservice level

Excerpts from an article in The Packer published 4/30/09 by Abraham Mahshie

Despite the dreary economy, tropical fruit suppliers are seeing glimmers of hope and signs that the groundwork has been laid for a robust future.

"The mainstream food service industry first entered into the tropicals' arena as an add-on category," said Mary Ostlund, marketing director of Brooks Tropicals, LLC., Homestead Fla. "They make a salsa, a marinade or a sauce out of papayas, mangos, avocados and other tropicals."

Ostlund said food service has carried the interest in tropicals also to desserts, having just tried a great papaya ice cream. She said she is finding more people are using tropical fruits and vegetables to add a tropical flair to main dishes, like a steak topped with a papaya salsa. "Food service is finding that a menu entree with one or more tropical ingredients is always a winner."