The Frozen Acai Pack
The frozen acai pack is the standard form of packaging for acai in the United States. Why is it the best way to package acai? Well, there are several reasons and I will give my opinion and a brief explanation. First, you need to understand that acai must me made into a puree within a short time after harvesting. When I say a short time, I mean 24 to 48 hours. The reason is that acai, like almost anything in the amazon rainforest, begins to oxidize quickly. Acai is a berry that grows at the top of a tall, skinny palm tree in the Brazilian Amazon estuary. The acai berry looks a lot like blueberry, but only the appearance is similar. An acai berry is hard as it is 90 percent seed. The round seed is covered with a thin mesocarp. The process of making the acai puree involves the removal and dilution of the mesocarp. The puree is a purplish liquid of varying thickness depending on how it is prepared. Thereafter, the puree must be consumed or frozen. As such, fresh acai is only available in the Amazon Rainforest where it is harvested. Among the regional population of Para, Brazil, acai has been an important staple food and a vital caloric source for centuries. For domestic transportation in Brazil and for export, acai must be frozen. In the south of Brazil, acai is served frozen, usually in a bowl topped with granola or tapioca. In Rio de Janeiro, it is common to see people eating acai bowls at cafes all over the city. You can get an acai bowl on practically every street and even on the beach. The acai cafes typically use 1 kilogram bars that they chop into pieces and blend with guarana syrup. This is the most efficient way to make bowls in places like Rio because they are constantly blending acai. So, that takes us to the standard frozen acai packs that are used in the United States and not typically used in Brazil. The 100 gram acai bars are popular in the United States for several reasons. First, they are already portioned so that the amount being used does not need to be measured. Additionally, a 100 gram bar is rather thin and small, about the size of an iPhone. In addition to being portioned, it is easier to blend because it isn’t too think and breaks down easier in the blender. Since these frozen acai packs are used for food service, it must be easy and convenient for employees to quickly prepare an acai bowl. The 100 gram bars work well for businesses that sell a moderate amount of acai bowls. However, after the business starts selling high volume, the 100 gram bars become cumbersome because each is individually sealed. In that case, it is necessary to prepare the acai bars in advance so that you can blend the acai quickly during busy times. Frozen acai packs typically contain four 100 gram bars in a resealable pouch. The pouch works well for retail and home use as you can use one or two bars and reseal the pouch and put back in the freezer. So, now you know a lot more about acai, where it comes from, how it’s prepared and why, and why it is in frozen acai packs that you can buy on our website or in Wholefoods markets. To learn more about our products, take a look at our website, Facebook and Instagram pages. If you have a few minutes, please take a look at our video documentary of our harvesting and production of Nativo Acai in Brazil. https://youtu.be/2Vs-q1pD0lE