Banana Bread to help growers get through tough times
A group of Carnarvon Banana Growers has announced that bananas, salvaged after Tropical Cyclone Olwyn destroyed Banana Plantations in Carnarvon, will be turned into banana bread to sustain growers through the next 12 months.
Launched in Perth today by Minister for Agriculture the Hon Ken Baston, Woolworths will be the first major retailer to stock the Western Australian sourced and made Sweeter Banana Bread, growing its distribution to 30 Woolworth’s stores in WA.
Speaking at the launch of Sweeter Banana Bread into select Woolworths Perth stores, Agriculture and Food Minister Ken Baston applauded the co-operative members for their entrepreneurial response during a very difficult period for Carnarvon growers.
“Cooperative members are not giving up despite the setbacks and they are doing everything they can to provide their customers with a product.” Said Minister Baston.
Owned and operated by 25 farmers on family run farms, The Sweeter Banana Cooperative was formed in 1993 to develop the Carnarvon Sweeter Banana brand, providing delicious local produce to local customers.
The unique environmental growing conditions of the Carnarvon Sweeter Banana make it a sweeter and creamier sub-tropical banana than its Tropical North Queensland cousins. However, these same unique environmental conditions can also result in bananas being damaged with superficial skin markings, rendering the fruit unsuitable for retail sale but still perfect eating. To combat wastage, the farmers came up with a solution; Sweeter Banana Bread.
The all-natural Sweeter Banana Bread contains Carnarvon bananas along with other locally sourced ingredients including flour, eggs and sour cream. The result is a sustainable product that not only minimises wastage but also further supports the wider Western Australian Farming Industry.
Sweeter Banana Co-operative is part of the Buy West Eat Best labelling program, run by the Department of Agriculture and Food.
The program provides Western Australian consumers and the local food industry with a food-specific brand to clearly identify Western Australian grown, farmed, fished and produced food products.
The Sweeter Banana Co-operative Business Manager, Doriana Mangili said, “Our farmers have been producing bananas for more than 30 years but the effects of Tropical Cyclone Olwyn have been devastating to the Western Australian banana industry, destroying nearly all of our crops. We will be out of production for at least the next 9 months.”
“The crops that we were able to salvage have gone into our Sweeter Banana Bread. By buying our delicious banana bread, you’re also supporting the Western Australian banana industry at a time we need it the most.”
Woolworths Local Sourcing Manager for WA, Lynne Vawser said, “The Sweeter Banana Co-operative has been supplying our WA customers with some of the best tasting bananas and our customers love being able to choose local produce. We are extremely pleased to now stock their delicious Sweeter Banana Bread. ”
The 600g loaf of the Sweeter Banana Bread is available in 30 Woolworths stores in WA and retails for $6.99.
Sweeter Banana Cyclone Recovery
It is 6 weeks after cyclone Olwyn. Our growers commenced the clean up immediately and some patches were revived with old trees removed and suckers cleared within two days.
Read more »The Sweeter Banana Bread Pudding
The Fresh Buy West Eat Best magazine attached to the West Australian newspaper on the 27th of November published a very nice recipe made with the Sweeter Banana Bread . Here is the recipe again if you missed it!
River Gold helps Sweeter Banana growers.
ABC Rural reports about the great river flow thats arrived in the Gascoyne river bed.
Read more »Davey Real Estate foundraiser walk Australia Day 2014
Davey Real Estates annual Australia Day Charity Breakfast was a huge success!
Christoffer Persson Sweeter Banana Co-op together with Andrew Davey at the end stop in Sorrento.
Read more »Sweeter Banana Bread Displays
We are very pleased to present this photos of Sweeter Banana Bread sales at Limes in Myaree and Sisters Supa IGA at Lakeside Shopping Centre Joondalup
Sweeter Banana Bread Launch at Perth Royal Show
Carnarvon Sweeter Banana Bread
Tasty, all natural ingredients proudly baked and grown in WA
We have taken WA’s favourite bananas and turned them into a fantastic new all natural banana bread. Here at Sweeter Banana we care about WA farmers and this delicious bread is made with 30% ripe Carnarvon bananas, and all natural ingredients – no preservatives or artificial colours or flavourings. Made in WA with WA ingredients the Bread contains Carnarvon Bananas and WA flour, WA eggs and WA sour cream and it’s made from real bananas not pulp!. Purchasing our Banana bread not only gives you some great options for snacks but it helps to keep our Carnarvon Banana industry sustainable. So not only are you doing a good deed for farmers but you get a tasty reward!
Supply of Carnarvon Bananas this week hit a 20 year low.
Supply of Carnarvon Bananas this week hit a 20 year low, with the full impacts of the heatwave in January being acutely felt.
Sweeter Banana Grower, Bruce Munro, said that the heatwave resulted in an overall loss of 25% of fruit across the district, with the biggest impact being felt now, when the bunches that were formed during the heatwave are due to be picked. “Our records show that the bunches that we should be picking now are the ones that came out during the heatwave or just after” added Bruce “it seems that the extreme heat may have damaged the development of the bunches and we have had a lot of bunches just falling from the trees or not developing at all.
Benny Banana visited the Sweeter Banana shed
Benny Banana came and visited the Sweeter Banana Pack-house!
Have a look at some great photos from his visits around Carnarvon.
Carnarvon banana growers to be compensated for heat damage
Carnarvon banana growers to be compensated for heat damage.
Banana growers in Carnarvon, Western Australia, will get compensation for lost crops during a heatwave in February.
The Carnarvon Banana Industry Fund estimates 25 per cent of the crop was damaged.
Thanks for the great produce!
Comment to our Web page:
Hi Guys,
I live in Perth and get your bananas from Swansea st markets or the local farmers market in Bentley. Id just like to say what a fantastic product you growers have!! The bananas are a perfect size, the perfect price and best of all are local and spray free.
Myself, my family and friends are very health conscious, growing most of our fruit and veg. Bananas are in integral to our diet. Produce like this is sometimes hard to find, and I'm glad you have a good team that's doing a great job growing and distributing such a great product. Thank you!!
Kind Regards,
Claire from Bentley
Western Australia bananas catching up with Queensland
In Western Australia extensive trials are underway to work out why Carnarvon bananas have a shorter shelf life than bananas grown in the north.
The research has prompted a major investment by Western Australia's Sweeter Banana Cooperative to bring the latest technology to its cooling systems and packing sheds.
Congratulations Amanda - winner of bicycle promotion in Gwelup
Congratulations Amanda Hansen from Stirling, you have won the bicycle from the in store promotion at Gwelup Fruit & More. 
Sweeter Banana Co-op supported 400 young WA swimmers.
The Sweeter Banana Co-op are proudly sponering the West Coast Swimming Club event at the Challange Stadium for the second year in row.
Increadibly 400 competitors with families gathered for a whole day competition on the 10th of November.
Read more »Lunch Box Banana delight recipe
We love to hear from our customers, so thanks to Geoff from Hazelmere who said “I enjoy your lunchbox bananas and enclose an original recipe for you” you can check out the recipe on our recipes section. www.sweeterbanana.com/contents/fun-stuff/recipes.htm
Read more »Gwelup Fruits & More Promotion
Double dosage of Potassium and Magnesium in Sweeter Banana
Curtin University study indicates that West Australian bananas have double the dosage of Potassium and Magnesium then other bananas.
Tasting the difference at the Royal Show 2012
The Sweeter Banana growers and their families travelled from Carnarvon to Perth and offered the Royal Show visitors to taste the difference in a tropical grown banana compared to a sub-tropical banana and the result was overwhelming.
Sweeter Bananas at the Perth Royal Show 2012
Starting this weekend!
The Sweeter Banana growers and their families welcome you to come and be convinced that 9 out of 10 people prefers the taste of a Carnarvon grown sweeter banana instead of a fast growing tropical banana!
Please come and visit our stand at the Pavilion monitor between the 29th of September and 6 of October 2012.
Welcome!
Buzz Aldrin over the moon with Carnarvon bananas
The competition was called "Give the Buzz a Bite" and the rules were simple.
Get a photo of US astronaut Buzz Aldrin eating some fresh produce from Carnarvon in Western Australia.
Dr Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, was in Carnarvon on the weekend to help open the town's new Space and Technology Museum.
Read more »Perth Marathon 2012
The Sweeter Banana Co-operative is proudly sponsoring the Perth Marathon 2012 going off on the 17th of June.
Some 375 kids, 600 runners and 175 teams of 4 runners are expected to participate.
People prefer WA bananas over Queensland
An age old rivalry has been settled with a Curtin University study finding 4 out of 5 people prefer Western Australian bananas.
Read more »Good news for growers as banana prices look to rise
An oversupply of bananas that has been keeping prices down for the last month looks to be easing up, which is good news for WA growers who have been struggling to get a return from their crops.
Read more »Feedback from Web site
"Thank you so much for bringing to the market the best bananas I have tried for years. I had just about given up on bananas and then along came sweeterbananas. My grandchildren eat them as snacks, drinks and as part of their main meals. We all agree they are delicious."
Read more »Sweeter Bananas at weekend Farmers Market
The Sweeter Banana Co-operative is selling bananas at the Manning and Stirling farmers markets. Murray is from Carnarvon and represents the Sweeter Banana brand at the farmers markets; he has a genuine interest of bananas and can tell customers about the growing conditions in Carnarvon while he is cutting up tasting samples for the market visitors.
Carnarvon banana growers looking to pulp product
The Sweeter Banana Co-operative in Carnarvon is assessing whether growers can make an extra dollar from banana pulp.
Read more »Sweeter Banana growers at the Perth Royal Show 2011
The Sweeter Banana growers came back to the Perth Royal Show 2011 edition and gave the show visitors some taste samples of the Carnarvon grown Sweeter Bananas.
Minister thanks Sweeter Banana Co-operative from Carnarvon
Environment Minister Bill Marmion said under the agreement, Perth Zoo was able to purchase bananas the co-operative would otherwise throw away, at significantly discounted prices.
“These bananas are heavily marked and classed as below second grade produce which would not be accepted by Perth retailers. However, they’re still fit for consumption,” Mr Marmion said.
Carnarvon Business Awards 2011
With 16+ employees, Employee of the year and also the Best Overall Business of the year at the the Carnarvon Chamber of Commerce and Industry annual Small Business Awards night on the 30th of July 2011
Read more »Summer to Forget
ABC News Landline - summery of disasters in the Gascoyne region in the summer of 2010/11
Read more »Australian Banana Growers' Council
Ninth Australian Banana Industry Congress 1-4 June 2011 at Hyatt Regency Coolum.
Read more »- 26 Oct 09 :: Perth Royal Show a Success! »
- 24 Sep 09 :: Perth Royal Show »
- 23 Sep 09 :: Looking for employment? »
Sweeter Banana Bread Launch at Perth Royal Show
Carnarvon Sweeter Banana Bread
Tasty, all natural ingredients proudly baked and grown in WA
We have taken WA’s favourite bananas and turned them into a fantastic new all natural banana bread. Here at Sweeter Banana we care about WA farmers and this delicious bread is made with 30% ripe Carnarvon bananas, and all natural ingredients – no preservatives or artificial colours or flavourings. Made in WA with WA ingredients the Bread contains Carnarvon Bananas and WA flour, WA eggs and WA sour cream and it’s made from real bananas not pulp!. Purchasing our Banana bread not only gives you some great options for snacks but it helps to keep our Carnarvon Banana industry sustainable. So not only are you doing a good deed for farmers but you get a tasty reward!
Our Banana bread is great toasted or warmed in the microwave with butter, or ricotta cheese. Perfect for breakfast, morning tea or for a tasty and satisfying lunchbox snack. You can even cheat, tell your kids and friends you made it yourself, it tastes so real they will believe you! (and we won’t tell!)
Available at the Buy West Eat Best Stand in the Centenary Pavillion at the Royal Show all day on Sunday 29th September and in the morning of Friday 4th October.
Our bread will be on sale in stores from next week. If you want to know where you can buy it email us with your suburb and we can put you in touch with your local retailer or ask them to email us at info@sweeterbanana.com and we will get in touch.
Our special growing conditions mean that we have lots of bananas perfect for bread, click here to find out more about why we need to make banana bread to keep our industry sustainable.
Why we need to make bread to keep our banana industry sustainable…
Our Climate in Carnarvon has strong sea breezes in summer, cooler temperatures in winter, low humidity and hot summer days, all the things bananas don’t like! We work hard to keep our bananas protected from the wind, heat, cold and keep the humidity in by growing them close together. This creates a perfect microclimate and helps us reduce our water use.
All this stress on our bananas is good news though, as they take much longer to grow and because of this end up much sweeter and creamier than the tropical Queensland bananas.
Unfortunately, this also means that as they grow, they sometimes get skin markings, with leaves rubbing on the growing bananas. These marks are just superficial, they don’t impact on the banana underneath, or change the taste, they just don’t look too pretty.
Alas in this day and age, everyone only wants pretty things, and no matter how sweet and tasty our bananas are, they are sadly, judged on their looks. Sometimes they just go back into the paddock as fertiliser, for no other crime that having a few markings. We decided to fight back. We don’t like wasting bananas that we have spent 18 months watering, fertilising and tending to and we know that lots of people who love our bananas feel the same way. We figured that if we make banana bread, you won’t even see the skin, and all you need to do is love the taste.
So try some today, and help us to make sure that everything we grow is eaten, because that’s what mother nature intended. It might be a stretch to say that eating our banana bread is saving the planet, but at least you are saving our bananas from turning into fertiliser, one loaf at a time…
Page Last Modified: Wed 01 Apr 2015
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