Caribbean fruits: why should they be part of your raw material?

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Have you ever wondered what makes Caribbean fruits so unique? Besides being exotic and delicious, they provide an exciting opportunity to expand the U.S. market. Now, let us explore the reasons to get serious about including these tropical flavors.

Caribbean fruits: why consider them?

Caribbean tropical fruits can greatly diversify the flavors of commercial products in the United States. Gebre et al. (2023) present relevant data indicating a remarkable opportunity for this raw material source:

  • These fruits have experienced a considerable increase in production. For example, it accounts for 75 % of the world’s production.
  • Bananas, watermelons, apples, oranges, grapes, and mangoes experienced an increase in production during the period from 2010 to 2020. Those were the top six fruits globally.
  • The commercialization of these tropical inputs has substantially developed. That is due to the growing demand and the economic benefits obtained.

Reasons for including these fruits in the U.S. market

According to Panorama Cultural (2022), there are some elements to keep in mind:

  • These functional foods, either in their natural state or after processing, contain elements that provide health benefits.
  • In many places, research is being done on the variety of Caribbean fruits and their properties for food production.

Other compelling reasons also exist to consider them:

  1. The Caribbean is noted for its wide range of exotic fruits and unique flavors uncommon in the United States. These tropical flavors represent a refreshing option compared to the more traditional flavors in the U.S. market. Some types of fruits include:
  2. Sweet fruits: mango, papaya, and soursop.
  3. Some acid fruits: pineapple, guava, and passion fruit.
  4. Caribbean fruits have gained popularity for their abundant content of nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants(Enriquez et al., 2020).
  5. The Caribbean has different growing seasons compared to the United States. This allows obtaining fresh fruit year-round. Simultaneously, companies can consistently offer products with Caribbean flavors. Even when local fruits are not in season (Fred, 2016).
  6. Caribbean fruits can be used to produce novel foods such as beverages, purees, and energy bars.

Great opportunities with the Caribbean

Including tropical fruits holds great promise for enhancing flavor diversity in commercial products in the United States. This is due to their variety of flavors. Also, the demand for healthy foods, and the willingness of the U.S. market to try new experiences. For this reason, consider the use of this wonderful raw material, especially in concentrated purees and in the various products of your industry. Caribbean fruits: High-quality raw materials with lots of flavor!

Bibliographic References

  • Enriquez, S., Salazar, N., Robles, M., González, G., Ayala, F., and Lopez, L. (2020). Bioactive properties of exotic tropical fruits and their health benefits. Archivos Latinoamericanos de Nutrición, 70 (3), 205-214.
  • Fred , C. (2016). Consumer welfare and out-of-season imports. European journal of agricultural economics, 585-608.
  • Gebre, G., Gebremariam, S., Keneni, Y. and Marchetti, J. (2023). Valorization of tropical fruit processing residues and by-products for biofuel production. Biofuels, Bioprod, 17, 1807-1842.
  • Cultural Panorama (2022). Five fruits that grow in the Caribbean and have great health benefits. Cultural Panorama.