Tropical dried fruit from Peru

The organic enterprise Greenbox supplies Rapunzel with pineapple, bananas and other fruit

Suppliers Portrait: Dried Fruits from Peru

Pineapple, bananas, mangos or physalis: Rapunzel sources especially fruity-sweet, dried tropical fruit from Greenbox in Peru. The organic enterprise and their small peasant partners make use of the advantageous microclimatic conditions in the region between the Andes and the Amazon. Systematic organic farming, social engagement and gentle on-site processing of the fruit are the hallmark of Greenbox.

Banana farmer Yilvi Cruz delivers bananas to the organic Peruvian Greenbox company

The Tarma valley in central Peru is located between the icy peaks of the Andes and the steaming, damp Amazon lowlands. Here, the Greenbox headquarters are located at an altitude of 3,000 meters. The valleys are extremely fertile and more than that: the geographical and microclimatic conditions with high sun intensity are responsible for the delicious flavor of the Rapunzel sun fruit.

Greenbox respectfully takes up this natural abundance. With their focus on ecological and social responsible agriculture, Greenbox takes the entire processing and supply chain into consideration: from the cultivation to the harvest, from the processing to the packaging and the storage all the way to the transport of the products to Rapunzel.

All this shows in the high quality of the fruit. "We work hand in hand with the local farmers giving them support and training in order to ensure sustainable production methods and high yields", describes co-owner Johannes Da-Fieno the commitment of Greenbox.

The company

Behind the founders of Greenbox S.A.C., Christian Suarez and Johannes Da-Fieno, stand generations of family farming tradition. The business plan of the Peruvian company focuses on social responsibility. Greenbox has the goal to protect the environment, to promote the regional economic development and to create safe jobs in a structurally weak area in order to support a rural population that faces poverty and rural exodus.

Since its foundation in 2011, Greenbox has been working pursuant to organic criteria. Rapunzel has been cooperating with Greenbox since 2015. Greenbox's tropical dried fruit include pineapple, bananas, mangos and physalis.

Today, the company is also focusing on the development of the local market and works on persuading the Peruvians of the benefits of organic products.

Banana farmer Inders Rojas

Cultivation

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The Tarma Valley and its surrounding regions have a fascinating micoclimate. The transition from cool and dry areas to a hot and humid climate are rapid.

These conditions allow for the cultivation of various plants within a reasonable geographical space and result in a diversity of different cultures - an advantage for the farmers and for biodiversity.

Physalis belongs to the Greenbox products

Compost from own production enhances soil health

„The Junin region is a unique valley where the Andes mountains meet the jungle and where we find exceptional conditions", explains Christian Suarez, one of the Greenbox owners . "This, combined with the way how we care for the land and our work with the regional farmers differentiates us from the global food supply chain."

Because Greenbox stands for sustainable, organic and climate friendly farming methods. Pest management is done exclusively with biological methods. Organic wastes from cultivation and the harvest is made into compost. The compost is used to fertilize company-owned plots and it is also given to the cooperating small peasant. This way, some of the energy that is removed from the production areas is recycled in the nutrient cycle. In addition, prior to planting new trees, Greenbox and their partners grow legumes and sweet grass (Graminae) as intermediary crops.

Processing

Central to the on-site processing of the fruit is a drying plant. In the drying plant, Greenbox is processing the fruit according to a traditional method that has been similarly used for centuries.

Thanks to the gentle drying in a hot air stream at relatively low temperature the natural colors of the fruit can be preserved for a longer time. Compared to other processing methods, the moisture content of the dried fruit also remains higher giving the dried fruit a better flavor.

For Greenbox it is self-evident to hire employees in accordance with local legal standards because the company focuses on sustainable and fair employment relations. It is mainly women who benefit from this employment policy, as local job markets have only few opportunities for women.

80% of the Greenbox staff are females; the company promotes gender equality and the advancement of women. But Greenbox also invests into its employees: internal trainings are offered regularly and employees are encouraged to progress.

Most of the processing of the aromatic fruit at Greenbox is done manually

Dried fruit from Peru

Cape gooseberry

Recipes with dried fruit from Peru

Red Dandelion Salad with Melon and Walnuts

chocolate-coated dried fruits