3 exotic Ecuador fruits with big-time export potential

“Damn, that’s good.” I remember thinking when I first tried it upon arriving to Ecuador.

“Really good.”

It was sweet and sour at the same time and really refreshing.  And not like any other fruit flavor I had ever tried in North America, Asia or Europe.

1. The “Naranjilla”.  Or “Lulo” as they say in nearby Colombia.  I don’t think there is even an English word for this fruit like most of these things in Ecuador that don’t exist in North America or Europe.

It grows in the rainy foothills of the Andes and along the edges of the Amazon and are not eaten raw but made into juice by the locals.

It has HUGE local demand, but I think could also be exported.

It’s true, like a lot of fruits, they might not make it to their destination without spoiling or getting bruised up.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t export it!

What about as a canned jam, or as a frozen pulp for juice mixes, or even dried fruit?

The possibilities are endless.

Here are two other fruits I think could have a BIG impact abroad if exported widely.   See pics at the bottom of this email of all three.

2. “Tomate de arbol” or Tree tomato, this fruit doesn’t actually taste like tomatos at all and looks like a mini-nerf American football.  They are not eaten raw but made into juice here by Ecuadorians.  The taste is unique, truly indescribable.  This fruit is grown in the highlands near the big cities like Quito and Cuenca.

3. The “Ovo”.  Many ecuadorians don’t even know about this one.  There is only ONE PLACE in all of Ecuadorwhere this fruit is grown, in the dry Chota Valley north of Ibarra.  They are sold usually along the highway that passes through the valley on the way to Colombia and every time I pass I get some.  They look similar to the coastal variety called “Ciruelas” but the taste is completely different.  The Ovo when ripe is bright orange and sweet with a seed inside like a grape.  The taste is unique and delicious.  On the other hand, the Ciruela on the coast is sold green or red and is bitter and often eaten by locals with salt.  The Ovo is the one I think has BIGexport potential.

Of course, Ecuador has MANY more fruits with big export potential but these were the first three that came to mind.

At the very least on your next trip to Ecuador be SURE you try these three fruits as juice or in their native form.