The banana and plantain family, genus Musa, has provided man with
not only food, but clothing tools and shelter since long before
recorded history. Among the earliest varieties of wild edible bananas
were those both with and without seeds. Originating in southeastern
Asia, they were probably spread by Filipinos into other Pacific
islands, including Hawaii, and likely introduced to Africa by Indonesian
settlers of Madagascar more than 2500 years ago. European colonial
interests took the banana plants from African colonies to South
American settlements in the 16th century. Because the plant matures
quickly, early propagation naturally favored the seedless variety,
although many of these species were sterile.
Banana trade in the U.S. started after a Cape Cod sea captain,
Lorenzo Baker, brought several bunches to Boston where he found
that he could make good money selling them as individual fruit.
They soon became part of his regular trade, and in the late 1890s
he established United Fruit Company by merging his interests with
a Costa Rican company to import bananas. With the development of
refrigeration, banana distribution expanded in the mid 1920s throughout
the U.S. and beyond.
Description:
Bananas are probably the most easily digestible and well loved
of fruits available. They offer one of the highest concentrations
of potassium of any fruit, and are a good source of vitamin C, riboflavin
(B2) and pyridoxine (B6). Their sweet, mild taste is used in a multitude
of products from baby foods to sophisticated confections, desserts
and bakery products. Dried bananas offer a wide variety of new potential
applications, and we are working with manufacturers, snack and cereal
companies to explore many of these new possibilities.
Harvest:
Bananas are harvested year round.
Types & Sizes:
All products are available Sulfured, Unsulfured & Organic
Whole Bananas
Banana Chunks
Diced Bananas
Banana Pieces
Banana Chips
Packing:
Bulk Packing – 5 kg. bags / 4 per carton = 44 lb. net per
case
Origin: