Pineapples taste like tropical sunshine. Is that why they’re the most fun-loving fruit of all? From Carmen Miranda’s hats to Hawaiian pizzas to eccentric pop songs, pineapple loves a good time. But like a party animal, it quickly loses its freshness as the night (or day) wears on. Bulk freeze-dried pineapple solves all that by retaining the flavor and nutrient density of fresh pineapple… but only if it’s done right.
Pineapple is one of the thorniest fruits to freeze-dry
We’ve seen all kinds of fruits and vegetables being freeze-dried in our time, and pineapples are one of the prickliest to freeze-dry. Depending on ripeness, up to 20% of the fruit can be sugar. It’s paradise as a pureed syrup inside a frosty piña colada. However, it’s hell when it’s still inside the pineapple since sugar molecules bind with water molecules, making the moisture harder to extract without harming the pineapple’s structure.
For this reason, freeze-drying pineapples can take up to 40 hours (much longer than usual), leading to uneven results. Pre-freezing can help with this by partially freezing the pineapple’s water, which is the kind of insight we share when working with our pineapple vendors across Costa Rica, Brazil, the Philippines, and China.
Is freeze-dried pineapple healthy for you?
Pineapples may taste as sweet as candy but are also phenomenally good for you. Freeze-drying pineapple retains all the nutritional value of the fresh variety, including vitamins A and C, thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, magnesium, potassium, folate, bromelain, beta-carotene and other antioxidants.
Pineapple is the biggest single source of bromelain
Bromelain is a mixture of enzymes concentrated in the stem and core of the pineapple. Curiously, pineapples are the only fruit that contains significant amounts of this super helpful enzyme known to reduce inflammation, pain, and swelling. It also helps wound healing and digestion by breaking down proteins and boosting nutrient absorption. In vitro studies have exhibited that bromelain has anticancer properties. However, more research is needed to determine its full potential as an additive agent for anticancer therapy.
Pineapples build strong bones (no, really)
Manganese is one of the trace minerals preserved when freeze-drying pineapples. Our bodies only need tiny amounts of this mineral, but its contribution to the health of our bones is huge. Manganese aids collagen synthesis, mineralizes bone tissue, defends against oxidative stress, and supports enzyme functions essential for the body to build strong bones.
More vitamin C than oranges
A cupful of freeze-dried powder pineapple in your smoothie packs more vitamin C in every sip than the same amount of orange juice. Pineapple’s immune-boosting tropical goodness is nothing to sneeze at.
Benefits of freeze-dried pineapple
Favored by astronauts for its portability, easy rehydration, and release of the taste of tropical sunshine on space missions, quality freeze-dried pineapple has the superpower of injecting joy into the routine of our daily diets.
From mocktails to tropical candles
Enhance the zestiness of your favorite mocktails or infuse them into salsa for fish tacos. Start a new homemade body scrub private label, where the gentle abrasiveness of freeze-dried pineapple adds a tropical touch to your skincare routine. For a different sensory experience, make freeze-dried pineapple the star fragrance in a scented candle to bring the optimism of the tropics into homes. The possibilities of freeze-dried pineapple are limited only by our imagination.
Natural flavor enhancement
Freeze-dried pineapple powder is a natural flavor enhancer without artificial additives. It replaces stabilizers like guar gum, carrageenan, and xanthan gum in ice cream, maintaining shape even at room temperature.
Tropical-powered nutrition
Bromelain, the miracle mixture of enzymes found mostly in pineapple, offers potential health benefits, including anti-inflammatory effects for reducing pain and swelling, aiding digestion by breaking down proteins, supporting cardiovascular health by preventing blood clots and cholesterol deposits, helping wound healing, and showing potential anti-cancer and anti-thrombotic properties as indicated by in vitro studies.
Basil Smash Pina Colada
Pineapple’s talent for starting a carnival on your tastebuds makes it an ideal ingredient for savvy retailers looking to tempt customers with exciting new products. For example, this cocktail recipe mixes the licorice and herbiness of basil with the tropical flavor profile of freeze-dried pineapple for a one-of-a-kind cocktail.
“This Piña Colada contains all of the following…
- plenty of lime… because no Piña Colada of mine is complete without the lime.
- lots of basil…but you could also use mint, which I know would be equally delicious.
- white rum… an obvious must.
- dark rum… not always included in a Piña Colada, but I love the flavor it adds.
- sweet pineapple… so much pineapple. Fresh or frozen works, but I recommend frozen for the creamiest Piña Colada.
- coconut cream…for creaminess must be either canned coconut cream or full-fat canned coconut milk. You need that coconut cream.
Source: Half-Baked Harvest
Finding the sweet spot of private-label branding
The private-label surge into supermarkets shows no signs of slowing in 2023. A closer look at the numbers reveals that private label dollar volume jumped by 10.3% this year across all U.S. grocery channels, almost double the gain of national brands. Packaged food is a great industry for private labeling, as it’s cheap to produce and super easy to put your own spin on an established product or to market-test a new one. Perhaps you’re starting a private label business or expanding an existing catalog. Having been on this journey with many top US brands, we’ve learned a thing or two about teaming up on private-label branding.
Look for a partner on your private label journey
How do you know when a private labeling partner is right for your business? Look for those who handle the grunt work. The best freeze-dried pineapple wholesalers know how to help you craft custom formulas for your signature products. They should also be able to design packaging based on your input, handle the production, and reduce the intermediaries in your supply chain so that you can keep more of your profit.
Hot niches for freeze-dried to-fill
This year’s hottest private label niches include keto, gluten-free, vegan, and organic baby food, just in case you were brainstorming new revenue streams for your brand.
Sourcing private label products
Once you’ve chosen your products, it’s time to find the manufacturer. There are traditional and non-traditional ways to reach them. An approach that’s cost and time-effective is to work with a sourcing company that will send quotes for the products that need sourcing from worldwide vendors who can provide high-quality ingredients at competitive prices.
Low-risk, high-reward
Our global team is happy to work with you to create small-batch orders if you want to test new product ideas with your customers. Your business can adjust and test products for a small investment. Then, once you find a product that hits your customer’s sweet spot, you can scale at will and increase your profits.
If you need a bulk supplier to buy wholesale ingredients, our catalog offers freeze-dried fruit and much more. Ingredient Brothers is an importer and strategic supply partner able to source wholesale ingredients more efficiently and cost-effectively than outdated supply models can. If you’re looking for a long-term partnership on your journey, don’t hesitate to connect with us!
