Australia set to go bananas for super potassium snack - Barnana
- Written by Grace Lee
Over five million bananas are consumed everyday in Australia, so it’s no surprise that they are Australia’s number one selling supermarket product, outselling every other fruit and vegetable product. However, despite their popularity, many consumers tend to find bananas brown quickly, are unable to be refrigerated to prolong their life and can be easily squashed in bags when on the go.
Barnana, the super potassium snack, was created to solve these flaws. It is crafted from chewy organic bananas that have been dehydrated for consumers to enjoy. The dehydration means that the naturally occurring sugars caramelise and condense. This bite-sized product is organic, gluten and dairy free and non-GMO. Barnana has no refined sugar, preservatives or cholesterol and has 18 months of shelf life. The delicious flavours in the range currently include Original, Coconut, Chocolate and Peanut Butter.
20 per cent of bananas are wasted at the farm as they don’t meet retailer expectations. Barnana ensures there is zero waste farming by sustainably upcycling these bananas, resulting in additional income for organic banana farmers.
In 1981, Joao Suplicy took a large broken skylight from a construction project to the hills of Curitiba, Brazil. The next morning he discovered that the grass beneath the skylight had died, sparking a simple revelation. Joao constructed a natural dehydrator and tested it with fresh, peeled bananas that were browning quickly in the hot summer heat. After just five days, he had raw, dehydrated bananas that tasted sweet and lasted for months.
His eldest son, Caue enjoyed the dried organic bananas so much that he continued creating and sharing the banana superfood with his friends and athletes across the country. In 2010, Caue and two friends co-founded Barnana.
“We are so excited to be launching Barnana across Australia,” says Pam Wilson, Marketing Director of Pacific SMM, the Australian distributors of Barnana. “Not only is each flavour tasty, but it is a healthy snack and suitable for all ages. The Original and Coconut flavours are very healthy and for those who enjoy treats that are a healthier alternative to sweets, the Chocolate and Peanut Butter varieties are perfect for them. Following Barnana’s success in North and South America, we know that it will also be well received here in Australia,” says Pam.
Barnana is available at Wholefoods House, independent health food stores and organic grocers. For stockist information, contact (02) 9959 1014.
RRP $8.99 per 100g packet for Original and Coconut, $9.99 per 100g packet for Peanut Butter and Chocolate.
Barnana is pioneering the natural foods space as the brand synonymous with banana-based snacks.
The company is on a mission to end food waste on organic banana farms by upcycling the fruit that used to go to waste. About 2 of every 10 bananas that are grown never leave the farm. Barnana turns these "imperfect" bananas into delicious organic snacks.
The idea for Barnana’s very first product was sparked in 1981 when Caue’s father began dehydrating bananas their backyard in Southern Brazil.
The company was founded by Caue Suplicy (CEO), Nik Ingersoll (CMO) and Matt Clifford (COO) on the shores of La Jolla, California in late 2012.
For more information on Barnana, please visit www.barnana.com