Monthly Archives: May 2011

All About Plantains

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Organics Unlimited plantains are a unique food item that can be a great addition to your store’s exotic fruit selection. Depending on your region, customers may not know what to do with the banana-like fruit. Here are some helpful tips and tricks about plantains:
· The more ripe the fruit is, the sweeter it tastes
· Green plantains are great for savory recipes, while ripe (or brown) plantains are perfect for sweet recipes
· Green plantains are very hard to peel. Share this method: Slice off ends of plantain and use the tip of a paring knife to slice through the skin along the curved side
· Green plantains can often be used like a potato. Add chunks to soups or fry rounds in oil and sprinkle with sea salt for a tasty alternative to a potato chip
· Brown plantains are a little sweeter than a typical banana. They taste great pan fried in butter and served over vanilla bean ice cream
· Yellow plantains can also be used. They’re more tender with a creamier texture than the green plantains and can be mashed, baked or grilled
· Ripen green plantains at room temperature for three days in order to achieve a perfectly sweet brown plantain
Here are a couple easy recipes to share with your customers:
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Tostones

GROW Story: Heriberto

This story could be one your chain starred in merely because of how you purchase produce.  $.60 of every box of GROW (Giving Resources and Opportunities to Workers) bananas goes to help people like Max.

“Hi! My name is Heriberto, but you can call me Max. I’m 15 years old and live in Colima, Mexico with my parents and younger brother. I am in tenth grade and am fortunate enough to be part of GROW’s scholarship program. In order to help support my family, I work five hours a day out in the fields, then after that, I attend school classes from 1:30pm-8:00pm. Even with the little money I do make, I am not able to pay for simple school supplies like books, paper and pencils.”

Thanks to the GROW fund, I’m able to focus on my schooling and work towards my goal of becoming a computer engineer in the future. In order to retain my scholarship, I know I must maintain my good GPA, perform community service, attend weekly homework clubs and always act respectfully to my teachers and peers. I am so thankful for this opportunity and I work very hard each day to do my best in school and be a positive contributor to my community!”

By purchasing GROW bananas, you’re helping children like Max achieve his goals and dreams. Your customers will appreciate the opportunity to support GROW, which not only contributes scholarships, but also helps provide vision and dental clinics to workers and their families. For more GROW stories, helpful point of purchase displays and retailer tips, visit our Facebook page and website.

Summer Merchandising Tips


With spring underway and summertime quickly approaching, more and more people will trek outdoors to bask in the summer sun. Your customers will want foods that travel well, promote healthy eating and please everyone in their families. Bananas are the perfect snack to take to the beach or tote to an outdoor picnic. They’re nutritious, don’t require refrigeration and are extremely convenient. Increasing banana sales is easy this time of year with some simple cross merchandising tips:

  • Display bananas near summer beach essentials like sunscreen, water toys and beach umbrellas. Encourage customers to purchase bananas for a quick snack that they can toss in their beach bag
  • Set picnic baskets near banana displays and develop some simple POP signage
  • Set a few bananas in a basket near the deli or sandwich case
  • Display bananas by deli salads and cold case
  • Display bananas near specialty and fresh-baked breads and fresh cheeses

Click here to download our current POP. For more merchandising tips, subscribe to our blog and follow us on Twitter and Facebook!