Fruit blog

Fruit Buyer’s Report | Fruitful Office Autumn 2018

Dear All,

Autumn is largely regarded “the season of change”, and this holds true with regards to fruit. We move away from exciting varieties such as berries, nectarines and peaches (spring and summer varieties), and welcome winter varieties such as clementines, British apples and pears. Whilst less exciting perhaps, this is the time where these more “essential” varieties to really shine: improved taste, improved sweetness levels, improved freshness and improved overall quality.

• British apples

The well-known Welsh proverb “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” is not by chance: apples are rich in antioxidants, flavonoids (phytonutrients with anti-inflammatory and immune system benefits) and dietary fibre. They are nutritional powerhouses, rich in Vitamin C, B-complex vitamins, and minerals such as calcium, potassium and phosphorus.

The British apple season is finally starting and we LOVE them! Availability is improving each week: look out for British Cox apples, which were historically England’s most famous apple. They are crunchy with a great balance of sugars and a delicious honeyed aroma.

• Pears

Conference pears are one of our favourite pear varieties. They were first developed in Britain back in 1885. They are a variety of Pyrus Communis, or European pear. Conference pears are best eaten ripe to maximise their flavour. Fruitful Office works hard on ripening fruit before delivering it to clients, since we believe all fruit should be delivered ripe and ready-to-eat.

In our seasonal mix we have also been including Ya Pears. Otherwise known as the Asian or Chinese Pear, Ya Pears have been cultivated in Northern China for over 2,00 years! There, it is one of the country’s most popular fruits. Due to their high water content, they help keep you hydrated.

• Other seasonal varieties

We tend to include a number of less-common varieties in our seasonal mix baskets during this period, including:

• Kaki fruit: an excellent source of fibre, Kaki have been shown to protect against heart disease, aid in digestion and may reduce the risk of colon cancer
• Kiwi fruit: contain about as much potassium as bananas, 1.5x your DRI of vitamin C, and also contain vitamin E (particularly good for your skin)
• Dates: a Christmas festive-season treat which taste like honey from the gods, whilst being incredibly nutritious, high in fibre, and high in anti-oxidants

Stay warm and healthy everyone.

Fruitful Office team