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The Ripening Room
Banagrumes ripens bananas, avocados and mangos, certified ICPE (Installation Classified for the Protection of the Environment). These fruits – known as climacteric fruit – require “refinement”, or “degreening” for the optimal development of their organoleptic qualities. New technologies and expertise in our field guarantee a constant and irreproachable quality adapted to the needs of each of our clients.
Ripening , an indispensable step ?
Bananas, for instance, can still ripen after being cut from its plant. But once they’re ripe, they can no longer be transported over long distances. This is why they are harvested green, then transported while still “asleep” by boat (never below 13°C). Upon reception of the containers, they are put in storage where the temperature is increased in order to “wake them up”, while recreating a natural process of maturing in the tropical milieu. This is what we call the ripening process. Banagrumes has been a specialized ripener for three generations. This stage takes from four to six days. It is therefore indispensable to anticipate the clientele’s demand.
We have full control over our ripening process, a vast choice of colours among the seven shades on the colour scale, a clientele satisfaction rate close to 95%, …our reputation precedes us!
Our know-how is to satisfy the client’s demand
At Banagrumes, the ripener is also in charge of the supplies and sales of our products. As such, he thus masters processes from A to Z, which enables him to guarantee his clients the very best. Ripener is a “custom made” profession, developed with passion for all those who want to participate in the adventure of delicious fruit. This expertise can be transmitted and learned “on the job”. This kind of work requires precision and constant attention as fruit is a living product. The action of the ripener is indispensable for this process. The art of the ripener is to provide fruit to the client at the desired state of maturity. One has to accumulate at least five years of experience to become a good ripener.
To be a ripener is part of our global experience
Before being present on the Market of National Interest, we ripened our bananas in the arched basements of the old “Halles” (central Paris market). This work – aside from the delicate expertise it required – was quite physical. Situated in basement facilities, implying laborious handling, it was tiring work as you had to hook high on the ceiling banana bunches which weighted more than 25 kg (250 lbs) !
