Elefante Green Gold™ Pineapples
Estimated Inventory, ea : 0
Description/Taste
Elefante Green Gold™ pineapples are recognizable for their distinct shape and coloring. The composite fruits average 30 to 34 centimeters in length, including the leaves, and 10 to 12 centimeters in diameter, and each pineapple is individually sold in its own packaging. Elefante Green Gold™ pineapples typically weigh around 1.4 to 1.5 kilograms and showcase a conical, triangular, bottle-like shape. The fruits are mostly upright and straight, sometimes tapering slightly toward the leaves. This shape is characteristically taller and skinnier than other commercial varieties. The fruits are topped with a crown of short, firm, and fibrous, pointed green leaves, also known as bracts, which have sharp spines bordering the edges. The exterior is covered in flat hexagonal eyes that have fused to form a uniform, waxy, firm, and textured surface. It is important to note that Elefante Green Gold™ pineapples are a variety that retains emerald green hues when ripe. The fruits are sweet and edible when the surface is still green, and depending on the growing environment, some fruits may develop golden tones in the center of the green eyes, while others will transition into shades of gold and brown. Underneath the surface, the flesh mostly appears in shades of white to ivory, varying in hues from the type of soil in which the fruits are cultivated. The flesh is soft, tender, aqueous, and succulent, sometimes bearing a melting consistency when ripe. Elefante Green Gold™ pineapples are known for their low-fiber flesh and also have an edible core. Some fruits may have small holes in the flesh, just below the surface, and the flesh is aromatic, releasing sweet, tropical, and floral nuances. Elefante Green Gold™ pineapples are edible raw when ripe and should feel heavy for their size, indicating juice and sugar content. The variety is high in sugar, ranging from 14 to 18 Brix, combined with low acidity, creating a refreshingly sweet, honeyed, tropical taste.
Seasons/Availability
Elefante Green Gold™ pineapples are available year-round.
Current Facts
Elefante Green Gold™ pineapples, botanically classified as Ananas comosus, are a specialty variety belonging to the Bromeliaceae family. The pineapples are exclusively grown by Elefante Farms in Ghana and were released to commercial markets in the early 21st century. Elefante Green Gold™ pineapples are a type of Sugar Loaf pineapple, a rare species only grown in a few select regions worldwide. Sugar Loaf pineapples were named after the famous refined sugar of the 18th and 19th centuries. This sugar was labor-intensive and was formed into a cone shape, commonly called a loaf in markets. Sugar Loaf pineapples have a similar shape to the cone sugar, eventually acquiring the same name. Elefante Green Gold™ pineapples are advertised as “the pineapple that melts in your mouth” and are shipped from Ghana to markets in the United States and Europe. Each pineapple is hand-harvested when the fruits are ripe, and the variety requires less water and fertilizer during cultivation, making it a more sustainable, environmentally friendly type. Consumers favor Elefante Green Gold™ pineapples for their sweet taste, juicy, tender nature, and unusual appearance. The pineapples are typically consumed fresh as a delicacy but are also versatile and can be used in a wide array of fresh and cooked preparations.
Nutritional Value
Elefante Green Gold™ pineapples are a source of fiber to regulate the digestive tract, vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, calcium to protect bones and teeth, and potassium to balance fluid levels within the body. The variety also provides phosphorus to repair tissues, vitamin E to guard cells against the damage caused by free radicals, magnesium to control nerve functions, and other nutrients, including manganese, copper, folate, B vitamins, niacin, thiamine, vitamin K, and riboflavin. Pineapples, in general, are believed to help stimulate the digestive tract in natural medicines and are also thought to help lower inflammation.
Applications
Elefante Green Gold™ pineapples have a sweet, tropical taste suited for fresh and cooked preparations. The variety is customarily consumed out of hand and is appreciated for its flavor, texture, and edible core. The crown of the fruits and skin should be sliced from the flesh and discarded, but once prepped, the flesh can be chopped and tossed into fruit salads, mixed into salsa, used as a topping over tacos, or sliced and served on appetizer platters. Elefante Green Gold™ pineapples can be layered into parfaits, acai bowls, and overnight oats, scattered over pancakes, or mixed into grain-based dishes. The fruit’s sweet taste complements beverages, including various smoothie recipes, cocktails, and punches, and the juice can also be frozen into popsicles. In addition to fresh preparations, Elefante Green Gold™ pineapples can be cooked into stir-fries, grilled and layered on sandwiches, baked as a side dish, or cooked and served with various meats. The fruits can also be simmered into sauces, glazes, and jams or incorporated as flavoring in cakes, muffins, bread, bars, and crisps. Elefante Green Gold™ pineapples pair well with fruits such as bananas, mangos, coconuts, papayas, strawberries, and citrus, brown sugar, bell peppers, green beans, nuts including hazelnuts, peanuts, and walnuts, and herbs such as mint, rosemary, basil, and tarragon. Whole, unopened Elefante Green Gold™ pineapples will keep for a few days at room temperature in a cool, dry, and dark location. Once opened, the flesh will keep for around one week when stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Pineapple can also be sliced and frozen for up to six months.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Elefante Green Gold™ pineapples are the signature product of Elefante Farms. The name Elefante is a combination of the words “elephant” and “fante,” a well-known language spoken in the Fante region of Ghana. It is said the country of Ghana contains a breed of elephants that are reported to be some of the friendliest in Africa. An elephant is featured in the company’s logo, along with a pineapple on top of its back, which are both symbols of Ghana. Elefante Green Gold™ pineapples are also packaged in sustainable materials that embody Ghana. Each fruit is placed in a decorated box and is given a second label with an Adinkra Symbol from Ghanaian culture. These symbols are visual representations of various values shared among the Akan people of Ghana and have been a treasured aspect of Ghanaian culture for centuries.
Geography/History
Elefante Green Gold™ pineapples are native to Ghana and are descendants of pineapples originally introduced from the Americas. The center of origin for pineapples is thought to be in Brazil and Paraguay, and in ancient times, the species was spread throughout the Americas, including Central America and Mexico. Pineapples were later planted in the Caribbean and were taken by Portuguese and Spanish explorers to other regions worldwide in the 16th and 17th centuries. The Portuguese likely introduced pineapples to West Africa sometime around the early 17th century, and the species was planted as a specialty crop. In the mid to late 20th century, pineapples were selected as one of the first non-traditional crops to be exported to Europe from West Africa. In Ghana, three types of pineapples are grown commercially: Sugar Loaf pineapples, MD2, and Smooth Cayenne, but most Sugar Loaf pineapples are sold domestically and not exported. Elefante Green Gold™ pineapples are a type of Sugar Loaf that is exported, and the variety is cultivated on Elefante Farms, a specialized grower located in Ekumfi Abor, a few hours west of Accra, the capital of Ghana. Elefante Farms is passionate about creating sustainable farming communities within Ghana, and the variety is grown year-round in nutrient-rich, volcanic soils. In 2023, Melissa’s Produce from the United States partnered with Elefante Farms and introduced Elefante Green Gold™ pineapples to American markets. The distributor met Elefante Farms at the Fruit Logistica trade show in Berlin in February of 2023 and appreciated the pineapples' distinct appearance, flavor, and packaging. Elefante Green Gold™ pineapples are also exported to Europe and are sold through specialty retailers and distributors.
