Pineapple

In the southwest of Colombia, the Cauca department features the mountainous region of the Colombian massif and a pacific coast. The region is amongst the ethnically most diverse and counts with 22% of afro colombians and indigenous people respectively. Around Santander de Quilichao, a town 97km north of the capital is where our farmers grow their pineapples.

Santander is known for its Holy Week parades and the Jugas de Admiración, dances inherited from liberated slaves that came to the region several hundred years ago. The Jugas, which often last from the afternoon until the next morning always have a representation of the Virgin Mary, Joseph, and Jesus dancing, attesting to the mix of cultures in the region.

Community

César
Balanta

Cesar is one of the three Balanta siblings who are part of the small-scale organic pineapple association Asoagronorca.

The association Asoagronorca counts with 38.9 hectares of certified organic soil.
Twenty-four producers and 48 families are involved in the organic cultivation.
It also benefits from the experience of Jorge Mina, who has been a pineapple farmer for over 36 years.
He receives a lot of support from his community, especially from the Balanta family. Susana, Cesar, and Gustavo are siblings and have dedicated their lives to organic pineapple farming.

Pineapple plants are part of the Bromiliaceae family and grow up to 1.5 m tall. Trough-shaped leaves surround a thick stem in the middle, which produces up to 200 little flowers, whose combined fruit later grow into the pineapple. This fruit is harvested year-round by cutting it from its stem. Once the fruit reach our facility, it is washed, peeled, cored and cut into small wedges. Once dried, yet succulent, it is packaged and shipped for you to enjoy. There are about 1.5 pineapples in 100 g of dried product.