Healthy Avocado: Base of our oil
Botanically, the avocado is a berry. The thick seed of the round to pear-shaped fruit is covered by the green-yellow to golden-yellow flesh. For our organic avocado oil we use the varieties "Hass" and "Fuerte". These avocado varieties provide a particularly large amount of oil, ripen quickly and require smaller cultivation areas compared to other varieties.
The organic avocado grows on a perennial and evergreen tree with blue to dark green leaves and yellow-green flowers. The fruits can remain on the tree for up to six months before they fall off or are harvested from the tree. Up to 1,500 kg of organic avocado can be harvested from one tree. The pear-shaped fruit has a dark, leathery skin, green-yellow flesh and a brown, spherical pit. Because of its buttery taste, the avocado is often called "butter fruit".
Avocado varieties
The avocado is divided into over 400 varieties. For the production of our organic avocado oil we use the varieties Fuerte and Hass. Fuerte is a cross between the Mexican and Guatemalan subspecies, while Hass comes mainly from Guatemala. But what are the differences?
The Hass variety is one of the most popular and widely consumed avocado varieties. It is named after Rudolph Hass, a California mailman who first grew the variety in the 1920s. It is characterized by a green and nubby skin that darkens as it ripens. The flesh is yellowish to orange and has an intense, nutty flavor. They are also known for their nutritional benefits, being a good source of healthy fats, fiber and various vitamins and minerals.
Fuerte has a smooth, thin and shiny skin. In the same way, the flesh is yellow-green in color. Its taste is creamy and mild. Compared to Hass avocados, they are generally larger. Ripening: unlike Hass avocados, Fuerte avocados do not turn completely black when ripe. Instead, they retain a green skin with a slight change in color. To determine the degree of ripeness, we apply the thumb test in oil production.
Avocado is also sustainable!
The avocado is harvested from May to July on the organic mixed farms of our connected smallholder farmers. The cultivation is usually controversial: Huge areas are sometimes illegally deforested and huge amounts of water are used to create enough space for the fruit. We at LIMBUA do it differently!
We get our organic avocado from the small farmers from whom we also get our macadamia nuts and mangos. The production on the organic mixed farm is done in a resource-saving way, without irrigation, without pesticides and with a 100 percent transparent supply chain. The organic mixed farms are located not far from the production facilities , which is why the fruits have only short transport routes to further processing.
In total (as of May 2022), 7,000 smallholders supply LIMBUA with avocados, mangos and macadamias and cultivate a total of 5,200 hectares according to organic or Demeter standards. This enables us to offer the avocado oil obtained from them in a holistic, healthy and ecologically valuable way.
Oil production on the spot
Still on site, the avocados are pressed in our facility in Ena and processed into sustainable oil. The quality of the fruit is a key factor in determining the quality of the end product. For the production of virgin oil, fruit quality, storage of the fruit as well as the perfected and gentle processing are important for a high-quality end product.
Oil production secures an additional source of income for the region and protects small farmers from the effects of climate change. We create jobs in the rural regions and can thus reduce crime and rural exodus in Kenya. The sustainable cultivation and the increasing income could additionally improve the local infrastructure.
LIMBUA organic avocado oil is characterized by its health-promoting effect, environmentally friendly production and intense taste. Not only are your own meals enriched, but at the same time Kenyan rural areas are supported.
Avocado oil use
The organic avocado and the oil pressed from it are used especially in nutrition and cosmetics. Their health-promoting effect is triggered by valuable ingredients, such as folic acid, potassium, calcium and diverse vitamins. The abundant unsaturated fatty acids can be well absorbed by the body and provide healthy cell regeneration. In addition, the avocado is attributed an anti-inflammatory effect.
In cosmetics, especially the avocado oil is used. The ingredients provide moisturized, more stable skin and good cell regeneration. Therefore, the oil is often used in creams. The skin is made more receptive to other active ingredients and soothed by the oil. Thus, the overall effect is intensive skin care. Due to the high content of palmitoleic acid, avocado oil has a good compatibility even with very sensitive skin.