OUR SWEETER STORY
ORIGINAL LUNCHBOX BANANAS
Did you know that Carnarvon was the first place in Australia in the 1840s where bananas were grown? Now, Carnarvon is recognised as the place where the tastiest and sweetest bananas in Australia. A group of growers in 1993 formed the Sweeter Banana Co-operative. The idea was to develop a recognisable brand so that Perth consumers could identify and purchase their banana of choice, the Carnarvon Sweeter Banana. The co-operative is owned and operated by 18 farmers, all on family run farms on the Gascoyne River banks.
The Sweeter Banana Co-Operative invented the “Original Lunchbox Banana TM” to differentiate our bananas from Tropical North Queensland bananas. The bags serve a dual purpose; one is branding to ensure that consumers know they are buying a genuine Carnarvon Sweeter Banana, and the other is to protect our thin-skinned bananas from damage in the shops.
The original lunchbox banana, famous for the sweet and creamy taste and small size, is a Western Australian favourite. Always in the original lunchbox bag, the bag serves a dual purpose - to brand and identify so you know you are getting the right original lunchbox banana and to protect our bananas sensitive skins from marking. The original lunchbox banana is available in Western Australia in Coles, Woolworths, selected IGA's, and independent stores.
ORIGINAL LUNCHBOX BANANAS
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. It 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 superficial; they don’t impact the banana underneath or change the taste; they 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 go back into the paddock as fertiliser, for no other crime than having a few markings. We decided to fight back. We don’t like wasting bananas that we have spent 18 months watering and fertilising, and we know that lots of people who love our bananas feel the same way. We developed the Smoothies brand, single marked bananas sold for, as the name suggests, smoothies.
In 2015, the innovation continued, and we contacted a Perth baker and developed our banana bread; you won’t even see the skin, and all you need to do is love the taste. Try some today and help us 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.
BANANA BREAD
Our Banana Bread is made with three simple ingredients, all made with Western Australian products, and of course, our Carnarvon Sweeter Bananas. Perfectly served toasted with some butter, or enjoy with fresh, Sweeter Bananas.
SMOOTHIES
Our Smoothies bananas are sweet, creamy, and spray-free, with light markings caused by the banana leaves tickling the bananas as they grow. The small markings on the outside are only skin deep, and inside, you will find the perfect banana, ready for eating or smoothies and cakes. Smoothies are available from Coles supermarkets in Western Australia.
