How Do You
Control The Quality?
We now grow 100% of the pineapple
and papaya sold
under the Reserva Dorada brand of dehydrated fruit. Because of
the proximity of farm to manufacturing facility
we allow the fruit to develop the perfect
profile for dehydrating.
Why Are Rainforest Dried Fruit Products
The Best?
Our products contain no preservatives, added sugars or juices - dried
fruit that contains preservatives and/or sugars and
juices is typically
not field ripened. Another benefit of our product is no chemical contamination - unscrupulous producers will sometimes use sulphur dioxide to preserve
the color of the fruit. Sugars, cane juice and "natural fruit" juices
give 'green' fruit a more palatable flavor and act as
a preservative. The natural sugars which develop in field
ripened fruit work
just as well.
Healthier School Nutrition For Healthier Children
After contacting the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a joint venture between the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, and confirming that we meet their guidelines for inclusion in healthy breakfast and lunch programs, we have decided to present our products to schools across the country for consideration. We currently offer slices of dried fruit and we are beginning to produce a shredded "ingredient cut", perfect for recipes of all types. Our products can be eaten as they are, or re-hydrated and used in the same ways as canned fruit. We are a family-owned Midwest-based business, though we distribute throughout North America. Our Central and South American partners have been in business for over 60 years; we met them at the perfect time to bring their products to the North American market.
Our fruit is suitable for inclusion in school meal programs, vending machines and for fundraising purposes. School cafeterias can purchase our products in bulk and portion them out when serving meals, or purchase single serving 1 ounce packs. Our 2.8 – 3.5 ounce packages are the perfect size for vending machines and are a convenient between-class snack. School bands, clubs, teams and other organizations often sell candy bars, pizza or other food items to raise money for necessary equipment and supplies. Why not offer an option that supports not only the organization, but also the health of its members and their families and friends? We can even offer private labeling – your school’s logo and contact information on the package!
We sincerely believe that our products will appeal to your students and staff, and that they offer outstanding health benefits. We are currently taking orders for the 2007 – 2008 school year.
Breakthrough Product Mango Vivo Makes World Debut!
A dried fruit product which qualifies as live or raw has made its world debut in North America - Mango Vivo from Frutos do Eden, Juazeiro, Brazil.
For the past 14 years Leicester, North Carolina resident Ric Goodman and his Costa Rican partners, Max and Diego Gonzalez, have been processing tropical fruits. Currently, processors of tropical fruits have had to deal with the high humidities inherent in the regions where the fruit is produced. The only way to remove the moisture is to heat the air. The most commonly used fuels are diesel and propane. Energy costs in some regions are higher than the cost of the fruit.
For the first time modern dehydration techniques have been combined with the arid conditions of Bahia, Brazil. The results are spectacular; fresh fruit taste and appearance, an enzymatically active food, produced in an environmentally sound manner. A home run in every sense!
"Taste is the paramount characteristic of any food product" says Ric Goodman, director of US operations. "Now we have the added bonuses of a healthier product and one which conserves energy when compared to other tropical dried fruit products. Our initial trials indicate that we will use an average of 80% less energy to produce Mango Vivo when compared to conventional dehydrators. And for several months of the year we will be able to produce with a zero carbon foot print."
Superior Nutrition Made Economical And Convenient
As we all know, fruit is a great source of essential vitamins and minerals. Nutritionists recommend eating at least two servings of fruit each day. Fresh fruit spoils quickly and can be messy. Rainforest Dried Fruits are a great alternative to fresh fruit because they have a shelf life of at least 18 months and are very tidy foods. Our dried fruit has the great flavor and high vitamin content of fresh fruit, because our fruit is field ripened and never picked green. Our dried fruit doesn’t have sticky juices to dribble down your chin or peels and cores to discard. All Rainforest Dried Fruits are 100% natural; they contain no preservatives or added sugars. They are every bit as healthy as fresh fruit.
Our dried fruit is also an economical alternative to fresh fruit which can be expensive, especially in winter. Our organic banana is a great example. Fresh organic banana sells for an average of eighty-nine cents per pound; our dried organic banana retails for seven dollars per pound. At first glance the dried fruit seems much more expensive; however most of the weight of fresh fruit comes from its high water content. One pound of dried banana for seven dollars is the equivalent of fifteen pounds of fresh banana which would cost over thirteen dollars at eighty-nine cents per pound.
Social Responsibility - Sustainable Agriculture And Fair Trade
The Costa Rican finca, or farm, where our bananas are grown has practiced sustainable agriculture and rainforest preservation for over 60 years. Our SKAL-certified organic bananas are grown in small clearings amidst a 23,000 acre rainforest preserve. The finca even generates its own electricity with a small, low-impact hydroelectric plant fueled by a river on the preserve. By consuming as little fossil fuel as possible and protecting the rainforest, which converts carbon dioxide into oxygen, the finca leaves no carbon footprint. It was even declared to be a World Heritage Site and part of the World Biosphere reserve by the United Nations and UNESCO. The finca workers and neighboring farmers are taught organic production techniques and are paid fair wages. The del Eden farms of Costa Rica produce our dried mango, pineapple and papaya. Though these fruits are not yet certified organic, they are all-natural and held to the same quality standards as our organic bananas. We have also recently acquired a 260-acre mango farm in Brazil, which will shortly be producing more of our most popular fruit. The Brazilian mango farm also employs a hydroelectric plant as the source of its electricity - using little or no fossil fuel and thereby leaving no carbon footprint. A portion of our proceeds also goes towards cleaning and preservation of North American rivers. Almost all the waste from our production (peels, cores, seeds, etc.) is recycled into animal feed or compost.
Rainforest Dried Fruits believes that vertical integration -- controlling every step of production from growth to packaging of our fruit -- is the best form of quality control. Because we grow, harvest, dehydrate and package all our fruits, we can ensure that every package we sell meets our high standards. None of our products contain additives of any kind. The one and only ingredient is natural, field-ripened fruit. Our facilities process only fruits. There is no risk of cross contamination from the processing of nuts or other allergens.
As part of our commitment to saving our environment we will offset our carbon footprint by donating a portion of our profits to organizations working to keep our water and rivers clean and safe, or research to develop technologies to aid the aforementioned.
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