Blog — Dried Goods

Learn about the origins and process of our organic, Fair Trade cane sugar. The story of cane sugar touches two communities.   In Huila, sugar cane farmers have come together to setup a processing facility for their cane juice. Fresh, organic, whole stalks of cane are pressed and the juice goes through stages of boiling and evaporation to produce the delicious granules of sugar. 

Don Israel is the face of our dried mango. Don Israel (‘Don’ is the Spanish prefix to show respect) grows organic mango on his land in Vereda Guacana, Colombia. He owns approximately eight hectares of land which supports the work of two farming families and eight additional families during harvest time. Through converting to organic practices, Israel says he has gained a new sense of appreciation for sustainable practices and an increased environmental awareness. Most notably, he is motivated to continue to grow sustainably for the future! Don Israel sells his mangoes to Fruandes, receiving a fair price for his crops. Visiting Don...

Learn how pineapple cultivation in the Cauca region of Colombia has helped to bring peace to an area previously disrupted by drug production and unrest. Cesar (Nilsen Lucumi), Susanna, and Gustavo (Amaifi Bonilla) Balanta grow pineapple from their farm in Cauca. Even though they have formal education, and hold other jobs in Law and Human Resources, they never left agriculture. This family has deliberately chosen to stay in Cauca, through conflict and war. They advocate for pineapple production, a welcome alternative to coca, and are passionate members of the pineapple farmers' association - Asoagronorca (Agriculture Association of Northern Cauca). 

Find out more about this fun and delicious fruit which is grown in South America! It's a dragon! No, it's a fruit! Well, actually ... it's a cactus. Dragon fruit is the delicious, yet dangerously spiky, yellow fruit that comes from cactus varieties in South America. In North America, we're accustomed to a bright pink dragon fruit, which typically comes from Asia.  In China the fruit is referred to as huǒlóng guǒ (火龍果), which translates to 'fire dragon fruit'! The juicy yellow dragon fruit we have is grown in Colombia - its real name is Pitahaya, but in English its nickname 'dragon fruit'...