Fruit Facts

Gourmet Fruit vs. Supermarket Fruit: What's the Difference?

A common question we are asked from first-time customers is why should I pay a premium for your fruit baskets vs. going to my local supermarket?

The critical factor that separates the selection of gourmet fruit vs. the supermarket fruit are the customers. It's you. Let us explain. Our gourmet customers are picky people who demand the highest quality and impeccable service. They are looking for the very best to give to a loved one or a valued client. They want the recipient to be overjoyed with the appearance and the taste of their gift. Therefore, fruit quality is the highest priority. We define quality as fruit that is both delicious and beautiful.

The supermarket is typically buying for the customer that wants an everyday fruit at a low price. These fruits are used for cooking or quick snacks. Therefore, they are looking for the best price at an acceptable level of quality.

With those objectives in mind, supermarkets make sacrifices along five key characteristics of fruit quality that Fresh Fruit Baskets will not.

What Makes Gourmet Fruit Delicious?

• Freshness - Unlike supermarket fruits which can sit in supermarkets for weeks, our gourmet fruit is packed the same day that you order. This guarantees the freshness of your fruit.
• Ripeness - Since we ship the same day, it allows us to pick our fruit at the peak of perfection vs. the supermarkets being forced to pick their fruit early and unripe in order to store and transport them for weeks.
• Variety - Since our customers expect the best, we select the sweetest, most juicy, most delicious variety to carry. For example, with over 3,000 different pears available, we have chosen to carry French d' Anjou Pears. These pears are grown on trees that are over 100 years old to ensure they produce these amazing pears for you. Supermarkets specialize in buying in volume and price, therefore, cannot afford to be so picky.

What Makes Gourmet Fruit Beautiful?

• Color - We only select the richest, most even-colored fruit of the bunch. Our standards reflect the pride we take in being the best. Supermarkets are mainly driven by cost, therefore, are willing to sacrifice on uniformity to save a few dollars.
• Blemish Free - We set our standards high and are always looking for perfect blemish-free fruits. We know our customers want to evoke a wow when their gift arrives. While it does not take away from taste, a small blemish takes away from the perfect presentation. Since a small blemish can reduce the price of fruit significantly, supermarkets find small blemishes an acceptable trade-off for the discounts they receive.

Hopefully, we have provided you with the rationale behind the difference behind gourmet fruits and supermarket fruit. In reality, most of us buy the majority of our fruit from the supermarket and it does fine. But when you want to delight and impress, giving gourmet fruit makes sense. For an unbiased opinion on our fruit quality, take a look at our awards and see the gracious reviews we've earned. We are so confident in your satisfaction that we back every purchase with a 100% delight guarantee. If for any reason you (or your recipient) are not completely satisfied, we will either send out another gift or provide a full refund.

Fruit from Fresh Fruit Baskets: A Healthy Choice

It's a wonderful thing.... Some of the best-tasting foods in the world are also some of the best for your body. Your gift of fruit for yourself or someone else is not only a treat for your taste buds; it's a smart choice for promoting good nutrition and wellness.

Why is it important to eat fruit?

Eating fruit provides health benefits - people who eat more fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases. Fruits provide nutrients vital for health and maintenance of your body.

Health Benefits

• Reduce risk for stroke and other cardiovascular diseases.
• Reduce risk for type 2 diabetes.
• Protect against certain cancers, such as mouth, stomach, and colon-rectum cancer.

Fruits: Excellent Sources for Important Nutrients

Most fruits are naturally low in fat, sodium, and calories. None have cholesterol. Eating foods such as fruits that are low in calories per cup instead of some other higher-calorie food may be useful in helping to lower calorie intake.

Fruits are important sources of many nutrients, including potassium, dietary fiber, vitamin C, and folate (folic acid). The benefits of these nutrients are well documented.

Nutrient

Health Benefits

Fruits

Potassium		Diets rich in potassium may help to maintain healthy blood pressure, may reduce the risk of developing kidney stones, and may help to decrease bone loss.		Bananas, prunes, dried peaches, apricots, cantaloupes, honeydew melon and oranges
Dietary Fiber		Dietary fiber from fruits, as part of an overall healthy diet, helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease. Fiber is important for proper bowel function. It helps reduce constipation and diverticulosis. Fiber-containing foods such as fruits help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories. Whole or cut-up fruits are sources of dietary fiber; fruit juices contain little or no fiber.		Blackberries, raspberries, apples, pears, mangoes, apricots, dried figs and bananas
Vitamin C		Vitamin C is important for growth and repair of all body tissues. It helps heal cuts and wounds and keep teeth and gums healthy. Fruit may also help prevent the common cold. What fruit has the highest Vitamin C per gram? Guava! It contains 218 mg of Vitamin C (per 100 grams). Oranges have 49 mg.		Oranges, grapefruits, limes, lemons and tangerines, mangoes, guava and blackberries
Folate (Folic Acid)		Folic Acid helps the body for red blood cells. According to the USDA, this is extremely beneficial for women in the first trimester of pregnancy. Since many women are not aware of their pregnancy at this time, it's recommended that women of childbearing age should consume adequate amounts of folic acid.		Apricots, bananas, oranges, raspberries, papayas and peaches