Carambola

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Carambola

Carambola

Commodity Overview

Carambola, also known as star fruit, is a fun tropical fruit with a great flavor, but many consumers are unfamiliar with it. Raise carambola’s profile with shoppers by promoting its unique star shape and its taste that is popular with all ages.

PLUs

4256 regular
Retail Price Data is based on USDA Specialty Crops Market News surveys. Data collection ends on the report date and encompasses ad pricing good from the Saturday before the report release date through the following Friday. Weekly data - from over 400 retailers, comprising more than 30,000 individual stores with online weekly advertised features - covers over 250 produce items. Registered (logged-in) users, can access weekly reports and additional market information.
USDA Specialty Crops Market News publishes FOB and Movement data on a daily and weekly basis. Pricing and volume information is aggregated by commodity and published weekly, subject to any source-data adjustments. Commodity data is further processed based on origin (domestic vs imports) and type (regular vs. organic). Registered (logged-in) users, can access weekly reports and additional market information.

Facts

  • Like many fruits, carambola has much to offer in the area of health. It is high in vitamin C, which can boost the immune system and help prevent cancer. The low calorie content of carambola makes it a great sweet snack for those trying to lose weight. Carambola also contains folate, which has been shown to prevent birth defects.
  • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the following nutrient content descriptors for carambola: low fat, saturated fat-free, sodium-free, cholesterol-free and high in vitamin C.

Sales Strategies

  • Many consumers may be puzzled by what to do with the unfamiliar fruit. Help them out by offering some cross-merchandising opportunities. Consider pairing carambola with seafood, deli meats, kiwifruit and strawberries.
  • Carambola is available year-round, so be creative in your promotions.
  • Fall: Promote carambola along with other tropicals as a flavorful way to hold onto summer as the days get colder and shorter.
  • Winter: Include carambola in winter fruit displays and encourage consumers to add it to holiday fruit salads. Its star shape lends itself to being a festive garnish on Christmas dinner plates.
  • Spring: Promote carambola as a tasty addition to springtime salads and as a fun snack for kids.
  • Summer: Include carambola in summertime tropicals promotions. Carambola pairs well with seafood, so promote it as a side dish for seafood dishes. Show consumers how to use the fun-shaped fruit as a garnish for summertime drinks.
  • Sampling is the best way to get carambola moving. It introduces consumers who are unfamiliar with the fruit to its sweet taste and shows them how easy it is to prepare.

Dynamic Displays

  • Offer both tart and sweet varieties of Carambola. Make sure they are clearly labeled so no one is surprised at home.
  • Display carambolas with bananas and pineapples to draw eyes to them. Offer information about how to eat carambola on your display.
  • Don’t dump carambola on the display or stack them. The fruit bruises easily.
  • Make sure consumers know that carambola is ripe when it turns yellow with light brown ribs.

Food Service

  • Use carambola’s star shape as a garnish for iced tea or mixed drinks. It can also be a plate garnish.
  • Add sliced carambola to breakfast and salad bars.
  • Include carambola in green and fruit salads.
  • Top meat or seafood with carambola. The taste blends well and its shape makes a visually appealing presentation.
  • Make carambola into a unique jelly or jam.

In the Backroom

Shipping
22-lb. cartons, 1-layer 20-lb. suitcases (60-, 72- and 98-counts) 7-lb. flats (16-, 20-, 25- and 30-counts) 32 2-count and 16 1-count clamshells RPC: not available

Grades
Carambola falls under the guidelines for general grade standards but has no specific grades.

Handling
Temperature: 41 to 50 F, 5 to 10 C Relative humidity: 90-95% Mist: yes Typical shelf life: up to 7 days, when ripe Susceptible to chilling injury. Damage sometimes is not apparent until produce is returned to a higher temperature.

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