Westfalia Fruit’s prime-quality avocados are marketed across the globe throughout the year, thanks to our integrated supply chain, while our technical and commercial expertise is shared with customers on several continents. A ripening specialist, Westfalia supplies ready-to-eat avocados to key retail chains, foodservice operators and other customers.
AVOCADO CULTIVARS
Two types of cultivar groups can be found on the shelf, depending on the season. Green-skinned cultivars like Fuerte, Pinkerton and Ryan remain green once the avocado is ripe. Dark-skinned cultivars like Hass, Carmen-Hass and GEM®, while green in colour when mature, turn dark purple to black when ripe.
Greenskin cultivars have thin skins, which can be easily peeled when the fruit is ripe. When they are harvested, the mature fruit is a green colour and the fruit peel remains green once the avocado is ripe.
Darkskin avocados are also green in colour when mature, at the time of harvest. As they ripen, the fruit’s skin turns dark purple to black, indicating ripeness.
The darkskin’s textured, ‘pebbly’ skin is thicker than a greenskin’s and cannot be as easily peeled. The harder skin protects these avocado cultivars from bruising easily, and facilitates scooping of the flesh with a spoon.
Darkskins are easy to handle and merchandise, making them the ideal cultivar for ready-to-eat fresh retail fruit.
Greenskin avocado cultivar
Darkskin avocado cultivar
Nutritional benefits of avocados
- Avocados contribute good fats to one’s diet, providing 5 grams monounsaturated fat and 1 gram of polyunsaturated grams fat per 50g serving. They are a great substitution for foods rich in saturated fat or added sugars.
- Avocados are a good source of plant sterols (phytosterols), containing 38 milligrams of beta-sitosterol per 50g serving. Plant sterols have been scientifically shown to have cholesterol-lowering effects in humans as they compete with dietary cholesterol during absorption by the intestines.
- Avocados, like some other fruits and vegetables, are a good source of fibre and thus may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Dietary fibre adds bulk to the diet and can help one feel fuller fast, which can increase satiety and help manage weight.
- One cup (4.6 servings, 230g) of pureed avocado has:
- 368 calories
- 4.6g of protein
- 19.62g of carbohydrate
- 1166mg of potassium
- 23.0mg of vitamin C
- 175mg beta-sitosterol
- 0mg cholesterol
(Source: Hass Avocado Board)
FROM RIPEN-AT-HOME TO READY-TO-EAT
Westfalia supplies prime-quality, ready-to-eat avocados to many of its retail and foodservice customers. Being a specialist in the ripening process means being able to provide fruit at exactly the correct level of ripeness, depending on when the fruit must be ready to eat.
