THE NEW YEAR BEGINS <BR> EXOTICALLY SWEET

THE NEW YEAR BEGINS
EXOTICALLY SWEET

A supermarket in January. Normally, Óscar Salgado travels with the sun. Today Peru, tomorrow Spain and so on. Óscar is a quality manager at SanLucar and is partly responsible for ensuring that our fruit tastes just as fresh as from the field. But today he’s on an exotic mission with us.

Mangos, avocados and pineapples are taking center stage, because one of the good New Year’s resolutions for lots of people is to eat light and fresh. But where do these exotic fruits actually come from? And what makes them so special? Óscar is in his element. »For example, these mangos here,« he says, taking a fruit from the display. »This one comes from Peru and it’s just heavenly.« To prove it, he peels it and offers a piece. »Look,« he enthuses, »the color and above all the fragrance, and it’s completely without fiber.«

The ones responsible for this exotic sweetness are the growers, who let the fruit ripen in the sun longer than usual and make sure they are always watered sparingly, but increasingly. And since they are so delicate, they are harvested by hand and packed by hand.

»All our fruits ripen completely naturally. We respect the ripening time of the fruit without accelerating its natural process,« Óscar explains, moving on to the avocados.

»These come from Spain and are wonderfully creamy and slightly nutty in flavor.« The farmers regularly check the fat content of the fruit on site. Only when that’s perfect are the pickers allowed to gently separate the avocados from the stalks. »This is how they prevent mold from forming,« our guide elaborates.

The Sweet Tropical Queens, which lie next to the oranges, conclude the small exotics tour. »Ah, pineapple, that’s a great fruit. Sweet, juicy, refreshing – pure sunshine,« Óscar thinks. And we learn: they are allowed to bask in the warm, humid climate of Costa Rica for 12-14 months before they come to us in the stores. Much longer than usual. Finally, Óscar gives us something to take with us: »Everything happens here in harmony with people and nature. And you can taste it.«

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