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STARFRUIT
BROOKS TROPICALS
This sweet and tangy fruit varies in size from three to six inches in length and is a good source of vitamins A and C. Starfruit can be enjoyed as a nutritious snack, eaten bite-by-bite, like an apple, or sliced into star-shapes for tossing into salads or topping a dish or cocktail. Cooked, this fruit can be stir-fried, baked, grilled and more. It can also be chopped, a favorite way to enjoy in dishes from its native cuisines of Southeast Asia such as relishes and curries.
In the Western Hemisphere, starfruit finds its way into appetizers, break- fasts, desserts and veggies. Whatever the dish, the cook always saves some star-shaped slices for the top. As the largest grower and shipper of domestic starfruit, Brooks grows this fruit in food safety-audited fields, picked by audited crews, and packed and distributed in audited facilities. Brooks’ starfruit is also non-GMO.
KEY STARFRUIT POINTS
Taste: Similar to that of a tart apple when green, starfruit sweetens as it turns yellow.
Selection: Choose a firm, crisp fruit. Browning on the edges is a sign of ripeness.
Ripening: Store fruit at room tempera- ture until most traces of green have disappeared and ribs turn brown. Ethylene Production And Sensitivity: Low
Shelf Life: One week, depending on temperature and humidity. Once fully
humidity, tracks and scans more easily with UPC coding, and enhances ripening.
POINT-OF-PURCHASE SIGNAGE
• Draw attention to starfruit, since the
fruit may be new to many of your customers. Use signage to educate how the fruit is enjoyed.
• Show how starfruit gets its name with an image of the fruit sliced to highlight the star shape.
• Note that starfruit sweetens as it yellows – brown tips are a sign of ripening.
• Indicate that the fruit’s flavor is sweet, hinting of grapes and citrus.
• Point out that the fruit can be enjoyed bite-by-bite or slice-by-star-shaped- slice. Sliced or chopped, it’s delicious raw or cooked.
• Suggest using starfruit as a topping for fruit salads or a drink garnish.
• Note that if someone has kidney prob-
lems, they should consult a doctor before eating starfruit.
BROOKS TROPICALS
P.O. Box 900160 Homestead, FL 33090 (305) 247-3544
(305) 242-7393 brookstropicals.com info@brookstropicals.com
OUT-OF-THE-BOX PROMOTIONAL IDEAS
 On-the-go lunch displays: Add a starfruit to the brown bag or add slices to most sandwiches tucked inside a lunchbox.
 Add starfruit to your salad bar. A slice can top a salad of a future whole fruit consumer.
 Show how starfruit can play starring roles in salsas, potato toppers, relishes, creamy salads and more. In a supporting role, starfruit can top almost any salad, fruit or vegetable dish.
 Summer holidays (especially the Fourth of July) are all about the stars and stripes. Starfruit has the stars part covered. Make sure your customers know it.
44 / MARCH 2019 / PRODUCE BUSINESS
MASTERS OF MERCHANDISING
ripe, it should be eaten within two to three days.
Brooks’ Availability: July to April Brooks’ Origin: Florida
Storage Temperature: 48 - 55F. Storage Humidity: 88% - 90%
Health Note: Those with kidney prob- lems should check with their doctor before eating starfruit.
DISPLAY IDEAS
• Add star appeal to your produce aisle with multiple displays and proper signage.
• Stock with star-shaped tips out and with one or two fruits on top.
• Think small and many: put small wicker baskets of starfruit not only in tropicals but with citrus, melons and apples.
• Put a basket next to in-store demos where you’ve garnished with starfruit. This sells starfruit and adds glamour to the product being served.
• Add starfruit to the “ready-to-go” aisle, whether sliced into fruit salads, added to party trays or garnishing any take-out container.
• Sell loose or in clamshells called StarPac®. This packaging prevents bruising during transport and customer handling. It stacks easily, reduces shrinkage by controlling