Tags: Beverages, Healthy Food and Drinks
By Anna Valmero
BUENAVISTA, GUIMARAS - Filipino health buffs can now get a taste of mangoes from Guimaras – often regarded as the best in the world – in the form of Jamba Juice smoothies and other healthy beverages.
Jamba Juice, a US chain serving healthy blended fruit drinks, vows support for mango farmers in Guimaras by getting its supply locally while pledging to fund efforts to increase the yield of local mango varieties.
“There is still a lack of supply to meet the demand globally so we are supporting the plantation of more mango trees in the Guimaras,” said Sharon Fuentebella, executive vice president of Max’s Group and managing director of the newly-opened Jamba Juice Philippines.
Max’s Group of Companies and Jamba Juice signed an agreement to develop 40 stores in the Philippines over the next ten years.
During the opening of the first Jamba Juice store in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City – also the first in Southeast Asia – Fuentebella said part of proceeds from fruit smoothies sold at the store would help support Guimaras mango growers.
Max’s Group, which holds the franchise for Jamba Juice in the country, would promote the use of Philippine mangoes in all of the latter’s franchise stores worldwide, said Fuentebella.
Guimaras mangoes are known in other countries as “Manila mango”. In April to June in 2002 alone, some 271,868 kilos of mangoes were exported to the United States and Australia, according to this report.
As early as 2009, research by the National Mango Research and Development Center showed that climate change would threaten the production of Guimaras mangoes due to unpredictable dry and rainy seasons that affect the planting and harvesting of mangoes.
“To keep the smoothies all-natural, Jamba Juice products use only fresh whole fruits,” said Mark Gamboa, marketing manager of Jamba Juice Philippines.
Using a “quick freeze” technology, Gamboa said Guimaras mangoes can be shipped anywhere in the world but the fruit remains fresh until it becomes blended into a smoothie.
This method seals in the fruit’s taste, fiber and more importantly, vitamins. By using fresh fruits, the smoothies do not need artificial color or sweteners.
Antioxidants and vitamins are among the healthy nutrients one can get from sipping all-natural fruit smoothies. (For the full list of vitamins and antioxidants that you get from sipping a fruit smoothie, see the nutritional facts of Jamba Juice’s beverages here.)
“Filipinos are looking for healthier options that taste great and are convenient for someone with an on-the-go lifestyle,” said Fuentebella.
Get more information about Jamba Juice Philippines
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