"The quarantine process required by the United States has always been a major obstacle to the export of cape gooseberries, as this fruit requires special care and specific cold chain conditions for its proper storage. Colombian exporters have been working hard and we have invested heavily in the control of flies in order to gain better access to this market. Eventually, since last year, the requirement was removed solely for the cape gooseberry grown in the areas of Cundinamarca and Boyaca, thus opening a market with great potential," affirms Daniela Manjarres, representative of Ocati.
Given that Colombia has the capacity to produce cape gooseberry basically all year round, and the culinary potential that it has in the United States, the Colombian company Ocati has been introducing a new concept in the consumption of this exotic fruit. "The goldenberry contains umami, which is the fifth taste, after sweet, sour, salty and sour, which, given its subtlety but prolonged taste, results in an explosion of palatable flavours, so it has been used for many centuries in Japanese, French and Italian cuisine in order to enhance the flavour of foods. Based on this prominent feature, we decided to create a new concept: The Umami Berry, with great potential for chefs and food lovers seeking innovative culinary experiences," continues Manjarres.
This fifth taste is the most difficult to describe, and since it was discovered relatively recently, it is unknown to many people, despite the fact that finding foods that enhance taste is a tradition that dates back millennia. In short, the culinary and gastronomic world could benefit with the expansion and better knowledge about the cape gooseberry, whose umami taste derives from Japanese and can be translated to "delicious". It achieves a synergy between flavors that could be applied to various gastronomic combinations in haute cuisine that will create unique sensations.
"We have many years of experience in the European market, both with physalis and other exotic fruits we produce. This has allowed us to create an innovative and user-friendly concept for our potential customers. When a dealer or buyer wants to do business with us, we provide support across the entire production, distribution and marketing chain, including training and the provision of information about the consumer. The process has already started; we had a visit from representatives of US supermarkets, who were at the plant receiving an experimental tour focused on Umami Berry. This innovative concept was received with great enthusiasm," adds Manjarres.
"With this new concept, we expect to promote Umami Berry as a fruit with many possibilities and give our potential customers the opportunity to work together with us. We will work hand-in-hand with our future customers throughout the whole process, as they will have our constant support, notable investments in social media campaigns and the necessary sales tools in order to get the Umami Berry concept off the ground," concludes the representative of Ocati.
For more information:
Daniela Manjarres
Umami Berry (Ocati)
+57 18844433
info@umamiberry.com
www.umamiberry.com