Enzed Exotics says it will have an ample supply of high quality Kiwano this season to meet the growing demand for sustainably farmed exotic produce.
The first sea container of fruit for the season departed the Enzed Exotics packhouse for the US on Jan 19th, with air freight expected to begin next week. Once in port in the US, the fruit is taken to a dedicated warehouse where each tray is quality checked for a final time before being shipped to customers.
Photo Courtesy: Enzed Exotics (@enzedkiwano)
The New Zealand grower has aspirations to ship up to 50,000 trays of fruit in 2018. Sales of the company’s fruit grew by 50 per cent between 2015 and 2017. Owner Vanessa Hutchings said exotic fruits like Kiwano were helping to grow the produce category by capturing the imagination of socially aware shoppers.
“Now is the time for the produce industry to really capitalise on the movement towards wellness and plant based eating. People are seeking out food that makes them feel good," she said. "When a fruit is naturally grown like ours is, consumers have a double win - they are eating something that is full of nutrients, and has been farmed in a way that respects the earth. We’re very excited about this season, and for the future. We’ve expanded our sales and marketing team recently, and we’re using our extra resources to explore new opportunities.”
The company was currently in discussions with importers in the UK, Canada and Hong Kong. Ms Hutchings says the Kiwano coming off their fields was looking great after a very sunny and warm December with just a small amount of rain.
“Because it’s originally a desert fruit, it doesn’t much like the rain," she said. "December was ideal growing conditions to create a lush leaf cover to protect the fruit growing underneath. A storm over the New Year damaged a very small number of fruit on the exterior of the canopy, however the main growth was protected and it’s looking beautiful.”
For those who haven’t tried a Kiwano, Ms Hutchings says the fruit has a unique flavour with notes of banana, passionfruit and lime.
“Because it is not an overly sweet fruit it is really versatile, and is a great match for Asian and Mexican cuisines," Ms Hutchings said. "You can mix Kiwano juice with fish sauce, lime juice and chili to make an amazing vinaigrette for Asian salads. One of my favourite ways to eat it is simply to squeeze out the pulp and dollop it on top of some good quality vanilla ice cream. Adding some pulp is also a great way to add a twist to a classic gin and tonic.”
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Vanessa Hutchings
Enzed Exotics