SOLARFRUIT
By Graeme Olsen
The story of Steve and Sue Collis is the kind
we have grown to love here at South West Life. Giving
up jobs and an established life in Perth, they moved
to the south west and set up what is now a successful
and unique small business.
Sue was a medical technologist
and Steve was a warehouse supervisor. But
then in 1994 they decided to move to the south
west and try their hand at the fruit leather
business. Sue's mum had been making it for
the family for years, and it had received
rave reviews by everyone who tasted it during
a recent trip around Australia.
Needing an area that produced a lot of
fruit, Donnybrook was the final choice to
set up shop.
The traditional method of making fruit
leather had been to place pulped fruit out
on baking trays in the sun, covered with
mesh to protect it from contamination. This
technique was the inspiration for Steve and Sue's
unique way of creating sun dried fruit leather,
and so "Solarfruit" of Donnybrook
was born.
Around 10% of harvested fruit in the south west cannot
be sent to market simply because it is too ripe for
transport. This tree ripened fruit, however, is at
the height of its flavour and nutritional content
- delicious to eat, and ideal for making into fruit
leather.
Solarfruit purchases this tree ripened fruit and
turns it into a premium quality dried fruit product,
and the local farmers benefit by receiving extra income
for the fruit they harvest.
Solarfruit then go about removing the stones and
pulping the fruit. The thick fruit juice is then placed
on big trays on specially designed tables that have
protective coverings to hygenically seal the table
and fruit and protect it from contamination. After
around 10 days of drying in the sun, you have fruit
leather, free of added colours and flavours. This
system of sun drying fruit is unique in the industry,
where other producers use dehydration or commercial
ovens.
At the end of the day, what you get is a snack that
is loved by kids and adults alike, equivalent to a
piece of fresh fruit, can be stored without refrigeration,
can be kept for up to two years, fits conveniently
in lunch boxes and bags, and so on.
There's more than one fan of the Solarfruit range
here in the office. Nectarine seems to get snatched
up first, but the apricot, plum, peach and mango also
disappear quickly.
Solarfruit have a new look web site at www.solarfruit.com,
which gives you all the information you need to know,
plus you can conveniently order from their site. Enquiries
can also be made to info@solarfruit.com.
February 2002.
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