It’s fair to say avocados are top dog of the produce world at the moment. And with the year’s top Mexican party celebration, Cinco de Mayo, just around the corner – the tsunami of avocado affection is about to be, quite literally, smashed into thousands of guacamoles.
Here at Enzed Exotics, we see the unstoppable popularity of avocado as a big opportunity for all produce growers. It signals that people are seeking fresh, colourful healthy food that makes them feel good; that looks great and tastes great. They’re also seeking food that’s social, with plates to share. It’s one of the reasons why Mexican food, even though the style may change over time, remains enduringly popular.
All of this is behind our decision to launch a new online Cinco de Mayo themed campaign to promote our Kiwano. We think there is opportunity to grow the produce category overall by introducing an exciting new addition to the classic Cinco de Mayo produce line up. Avocados, tomatoes, cilantro, limes, corn, chilis…and now, Kiwano. For us, it’s also a great opportunity to open consumers’ eyes to the versatility of our naturally grown Kiwano. We’ve always said the Kiwano is the “most flexible of fruit” – and Mexican inspired recipes are a great place to showcase that.
Here’s our top five reasons we think Enzed Exotics Kiwano deserves an invite to your Cinco de Mayo produce party:
1. It’s a natural match for Mexican flavours
Because Kiwano is low in natural sugars, it is not an overly sweet fruit. It’s an intriguing flavour – the closest we’ve come up with is a refreshing mix of banana, passionfruit and lime, but people tend to find their own descriptions. It’s a clean, layered flavour which adds a depth and interest to both sweet and savoury dishes. Kiwano pulp can be stirred through fresh salsas, taco salads, guacamole and cocktails to add a delicious natural twist on the usual flavour and colour. A dollop of pulp adds colour and texture for taco toppings. (Visit our website to check out a few of our new Cinco de Mayo inspired recipes).
2. It will spike interest
Excuse the pun! But with its vibrant orange spiky exterior, Kiwano have a habit of stopping people in their tracks. It’s not your everyday sort of fruit and, because it’s special, might cause a shopper to linger longer in the produce aisle or try something new in a colourful Cinco de Mayo produce display. Kiwano get people talking! We provide suppliers with recipe and information cards to help answer questions and get people inspired.
3. It’s got buckletloads of personality
Cinco de Mayo food is all about celebration, flavour and colour – and with the Kiwano’s bright green pulp and quirky orange exterior, it’s a natural fit.
4. It adds flavour, in a healthy way
Adding Kiwano adds a depth of flavour to Mexican inspired food without adding salts or fat. Our not-yet-world-famous-but-should-be Kiwano Pineapple Salsa is a great example. In this recipe just five natural ingredients – all vegetables, fruit or herbs – creates a delicious salsa to load onto organic corn chips (We are currently loving Garden of Eatin’s Blue variety). Adding a healthy dollop of Kiwano pulp on top of grilled chicken or fish is a really easy way to add a fresh “sauce”.
5. It’s sustainably grown
As I mentioned above, Cinco de Mayo food, and Cinco de Mayo produce, is ‘feelgood food’. Knowing that a food like our Kiwano is sustainably grown adds to that factor. Increasingly, consumers want to know the story behind their food. At Enzed Exotics, our farming philosophy is based on respecting the land we grow on, and the people that eat our fruit.
We’ll be posting Cinco de Mayo-themed ideas and inspiration and giveaways over the next two weeks on our Facebook and Instagram pages using the hashtag #kiwanofiesta. Give us a “Hola!” and let us know what you think!
