Dried Organic Banana
LatBio
Ecuador is famous for its lush landscapes and tropical climate, which provide ideal conditions for growing a variety of fruits and vegetables. As many people know, we enjoy discovering new ingredients. Given that Ecuador is the largest exporter of bananas, we saw a great opportunity to explore the region in search of the best organic bananas and to meet the farmers who cultivate them.
We traveled through Ecuador’s historic and vibrant rainforests to visit Kawpa Farm, which produces both cacao and bananas. We are partnering with LatBio, an organization that supports and collaborates with organic farmers in this region, including those at Kawpa. When we met the farmers, we were thoroughly impressed by their operation, which relies primarily on manual labor.
Before our arrival, we drove through the streets of local communities and observed the traditional lifestyles of farmers, which are rooted in hard work and self-sustainable living. We gained valuable insights from these experiences, which were truly inspirational, showcasing a resilience and dedication that resonated deeply with us. Many of the farmers we met shared how organic agriculture provides a sustainable source of nutrients for rural communities.
LatBio, founded in 2019, is an organization dedicated to sustaining ancestral practices that promote healing the earth through responsible and respectful agriculture and reducing food waste.
What sustainable methods are the farmers using on Kawpa Farm? This farm was covered with enormous brown and green leaves, and the farm manager Klesman mentioned how these leaves add essential nutrients back into the soil, which is great for the banana plant.
Another sustainable farming method involves covering bananas with clean plastic bags instead of spraying them with chemicals, as conventional farmers do. This technique protects the bananas from pests and acts as a mini greenhouse, allowing them to ripen better and taste sweeter. It is a less invasive way of managing pests that do not harm the environment or introduce toxins and chemicals into the food.
This rainforest which is home to this organic farm is prone to power outages, which can last up to 12 hours, affecting local businesses. Kawpa, as mentioned before is a manual operation which means that these power outages oftentimes don’t affect their work, and they can still peel or dry the bananas during these outages. Ever wondered what a freshly harvested banana looks like? Well, its green and sticky on the outside and when cut open it releases an oozy sap, basically banana juice. This banana sap is a good source of nutrients; however, it is very bitter.
Green bananas are less sweet and contain less sugar than the ripe ones found in the grocery stores. 1
How long does it take to grow organic bananas?
Each cycle from bulb to harvest takes 9 months. However, it can take longer from seed. A banana tree can grow between 10-30 feet tall. 2
The banana flower (see below) is truly a remarkable sight that not too many consumers get to see. The brown pins with yellow tips coming out of the green root, are the actual baby bananas. Eventually, those pins will grow bigger and form a banana bunch that we see in grocery stores. The purple leaves grow into big green banana leaves that can be seen on the ground in the background of the picture below.
Growing bananas is a labor-intensive job that requires understanding and knowledge of the land. Did you know that a teaspoon of organic soil contains thousands of millions of microorganisms? This is because farmers for example the ones at LatBio work hard to not only nurture the crops, but also the soil that helps grow healthy plants.
Once the bananas arrive at the facility, they are soaked in water before being sorted. Most of the bananas grown here are exported to Europe, where organic regulations and standards are high, leading to a significant amount of waste for some farms.
But what happens to the organic bananas that are not exported? We support organizations like LatBio, which transform non-exported crops into valuable natural ingredients. This practice helps prevent food waste and increases farmers’ income. These products are naturally dense and of exceptional quality, meeting the most rigorous organic regulations and standards.
About 80 farmers work on Kawpa Farms. Below is an image of workers organizing the bananas into crates that have just been harvested from the farm. Some might be shocked to see green bananas being harvested; however, this early harvesting method helps ensure they remain fresh by the time the reach the grocery store. When these organic bananas arrive at their destination, they will be bright yellow and ready to eat!
Since everything is done by hand, a group of workers at Kawpa Farms can take the entire day to peel and dry bananas. Below is what the ripe dried bananas look like before being cut, tested, and packaged.
In this region of the world, farming is a way of life helps sustain families in local areas. LatoBio and the farms that they manage in Ecuador are located at the closest point to the sun from the earth which makes it the best place to produce organic, biodynamic, and regenerative foods.
When it comes to growing organically, its co-ops like LatBio who uphold the standards of organic farming through their ancestral practices that they have used for generations and continue to use today.
We are proud to partner with LatBio to source our organic ripe bananas. We hope to share more of their story with you. Until then, you can savor the sweet goodness of this organic ingredient for breakfast in our Sprouted Instant Protein Oatmeal!
REFERENCES
- Are Green Bananas Good or Bad? Benefits for Digestive Health. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/green-bananas-good-or-bad#benefits-forg-digestive-health Accessed on: January, 2025
- All about Bananas Available from: https://www.bananalink.org.uk/all-about-bananas/Accessed on: January, 2025