Monthly Archives: July 2011

GROW Student Abroad

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I have recently returned from my visit to San Diego. It was a great experience that I will never forget. First off, it gave me the opportunity to fly on a plane for the first time and to visit out of my home state of Colima! When I boarded the plane, I was excited yet nervous at the same time. Mostly, I was thrilled about starting my adventure in San Diego.


When I arrived in San Diego, my host families, Judith and Daniel Muñoz and Bev and Dan Ornelas, warmly greeted me and welcomed me to their town.


My host families took me all over San Diego and I was able to make some incredible memories and take tons of pictures. I loved seeing all the seals perched on the rocks in La Jolla, riding the roller coaster in Mission Beach, visiting the beautiful campus of UCSD, watch the “Shamu Show” at SeaWorld, attend a Padres baseball game and observing the majestic exotic animals at the World Famous San Diego Zoo. I was able to try lots of different cuisines, including Vietnamese, Italian and Chinese. I learned how to use chopsticks and sampled some amazing dishes that I’ve never eaten before. I was also able to eat some American food like hamburgers and fries. They were SO tasty! Plus, San Diego has some delicious Mexican food. It is definitely authentic and it was great to have something small that reminded me of home.


One of the days, I was able to visit Organics Unlimited’s site. Being a GROW scholarship recipient, a worker in the banana fields and an agronomy major at the University of Colima, it was great to see this side of the business. I learned so much by shadowing Mayra and Manuel Velasquez de Leon for the day. It was so interesting to see what happens to the bananas after we pick them!

The experience was one I will never forget. Thanks to all the people who made the trip possible and to all the new friends I’ve made in San Diego.

New Packaging Options

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New packaging includes taping hands of bananas as they are initially packed for shipping. This tape includes a GS1 DataBar™ barcode, allowing the coding to carry information such as the source of the produce and pricing in a smaller space, adding visibility to the value chain. Retailers can now weigh and scan bananas at the register, and for retailers who can use Databar technology, it will eliminate the need for individually stickered bananas. It also encourages the sale of hands containing four to six bananas, rather than picking individual bananas from displays. All bananas from Organics Unlimited also continue to be available with PLU stickers as well.

In addition to the new scannable tape, Organics Unlimited now offers two box sizes. The new box is a 28 lbs. box versus the standard 40 lbs, providing a benefit to small footprint markets.

Need to order bananas? Email mayra@organicsunlimited.com or call Organics Unlimited at (619)710-0658.

RECIPE: Easy Chocolate Banana Oatmeal

Customers are always looking for new and different ways to use Organics Unlimited and GROW bananas. New recipe ideas are a great way to get customers to purchase more bananas. Why not give them this recipe for Easy Chocolate Banana Oatmeal?

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup Steel Cut Oats
  • 1 1/4 Water
  • 1 3/4 Almond Milk
  • 1 tablespoon Vanilla

  • 1 teaspoon Cinnamon

  • 2 tablespoons Agave Syrup

  • 3 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

  • 1/4 cup Raisins
  • 1 Small Organics Unlimited Banana
  • Handful of Organic Chocolate Chips
  • Handful of Walnuts (if desired)

Directions:

Mix oats, water and Almond Milk together and microwave for 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla, cinnamon, syrup and cocoa powder, then microwave again for 3 minutes. Top with sliced bananas, chocolate chips, raisins and walnuts.