Doral, Fla.-based J&C Tropicals has developed a tropical fruit jerky that vegans will have no beef with.
Called Fruitavore, the product is made with white and yellow dragon fruit, papaya, mango and strawberries sourced from tropical ecosystems, company officials say.
The product, sporting the tagline “Mother Nature’s Favorite Jerk,” is the first of what is expected to be several innovative packaging products in the company’s first foray into the consumer goods category. The tropical fruit jerky is 100% vegan, non-GMO, with zero preservatives, colorings or any added sugars, according to the company.
The company unveiled the item at the Southeast Produce Council’s Sept. 14-16 Southern Innovations event in Charlotte, N.C., said Christian Hosford, brand creative and marketing director for J&C Tropicals. Fruitavore is currently targeted for an early 2024 launch, said Hosford, who added that the launch will be supported with a robust sampling program.
The product has been under development for more than two years, Hosford said, and it was handcrafted with the company’s in-house executive chef Luis Del Hoyo under the direction of company CEO Jessie Capote and Vice President of Sales Adrian Capote, along with Hosford.
“We’re excited to bring Fruitavore to market. This is an effort that we have invested over two and a half years, identifying and developing quality products to bring to market,” Jessie Capote said. “We’ve done a lot of research; we've held focus groups even with key retailers in an effort to develop a quality product that everyone believes will be successful.”
J&C Tropicals was founded in 1965 and is one of the few vertically integrated fresh produce growers and distributors of tropicals. The marketer sells to six of the top 10 retailers in the U.S., and markets to 15 out of the top 50 U.S. retailers, company officials say. J&C Tropicals is also the No. 1 grower and distributor of Dragon Fruit selling to the U.S. market, Hosford said.
“We identified an opportunity to educate consumers on the health benefits of tropicals,” Hosford said. Many consumers don’t understand that many tropicals have some of most potent antioxidants, vitamins, fiber and protein values available in fresh produce.”
“We already have a lot of retail interest, so we are very excited about that,” Adrian Capote said.
Fruitavore is the first item J&C Tropicals is bringing to market from that focus on innovation. “We worked to handcraft and perfect this tropical fruit jerky both in taste, texture and look,” said Jessie Capote. In addition, J&C Tropicals worked with Rocketdog Creative Studio to develop the branding, packaging, and tone of voice for Fruitavore.
Fruitavore was designed in Florida and is manufactured in Ecuador, the country of origin of the tropical fruits used in it.
“We leveraged our own footprint in Ecuador, as a tropical fresh produce company to work with the right individuals in order to make this the best product possible,” Adrian Capote said.
The Fruitavore retail pack, at 1.75 ounces, has five sticks of jerky with each strip containing 30 calories and 7 grams of carbohydrates. Company officials think Fruitavore will ideally sell in the produce section where consumers can make the connection between tropical fruit and the fruit jerky Adrian Capote added. Fruitavore could also be sold in the snacks and nuts department in retail stores, he said.
The suggested retail price is $5.99 per package, he said, but retailers will make their own pricing decisions.
“Fruitavore will give you the boost of energy your body craves and it will thank you for it afterwards,” Jessie Capote said.
Adrian Capote believes Fruitavore is a category-changing item.
“Fruitavore will bring an enhanced exposure, awareness and education to tropicals because it's an entry-level product that will be enjoyed by mothers, fathers and children,” he said. "Fruitavore is portable and can be enjoyed at any time of day. It feeds that little monster inside of you when you're hungry but without that crash."
J&C Tropicals has other tropical jerky products in the pipeline, Hosford said, in addition to other tropical snacks. The products are designed to rejuvenate the snack category. The fruit used for Fruitavore is organic and the marketer is looking at potential organic certification, he said. Tentative Fruitavore taglines include, “Finally a jerk that makes you feel good about yourself.”