Ecoripe Tropicals in Medley, FL, carries a widely diverse line of Asian fruits and vegetables. The line was originally developed specifically for the wide range of Chinese, Indian, Hispanic and Southeast Asian cuisines, but these foods have become highly desired by mainstream foodies who want to experience new, interesting and flavorful dishes. As the interest and demand has increased in recent years, so too has Ecoripe’s lineup and operation.

“We are currently importing our full line of Asian vegetables as well as green papaya,” said Marc Holbik, director of grower relations for Ecoripe Tropicals. “We import our line of vegetables from Dominican Republic, Honduras and Guatemala. The green papaya is imported from Belize.”

Ecoripe Tropicals’ line of imported vegetables and fruits run year-round with variations in volume and origin based on climatic factors.

Ecoripe Tropicals' exotic mix of Asian and Hispanic fruits and vegetables.“Our green papaya from Belize is also an all year long program,” Holbik pointed out. “And we are always excited to commence our rambutan season, which typically kicks off in May. We import rambutan from Guatemala, Costa Rica and Honduras. We are preparing for good volumes of Rambutan beginning in May and running through October.”

The company is also now growing long — commonly referred to as Chinese — eggplants on its farm in Guatemala.

Ecoripe Tropicals’ extensive line of fruits range from the more commonly known mangos and papayas to the more unique June plum and passion fruit — and just about everything in between. In recent years, the company has become very well known for its high-quality Rambutan program. Its vegetable line includes Chinese, Indian and Thai eggplant, long beans,  numerous pepper and squash varieties and much more. It also offers a full-line of Asian and Hispanic root items, such as Eddoes, yucca, malanga, boniato and ginger.

“We also have American okra and snow pea programs from Guatemala,” added Holbik. “We look forward to good quality and steady volumes in the future.”

The company’s journey started on the Pacific coast of Guatemala where it began cultivating papayas in the late 1990s. In 2004, with over a decade of production experience under its belt, the import office, soon to be known as Ecoripe Tropicals, opened in South Florida. In 2010, it inaugurated its new facility in Medley, FL, where it now has a food-safety certified cold storage facility and its main sales and administrative offices.

“We envision ourselves as a leader in the produce industry, consistently serving as a catalyst of success for our customers, vendors and employees,” said Holbik. “We are achieving this vision by continuing to provide excellent customer service, sourcing and delivering the best quality fresh produce and by basing all our actions and decisions on the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.”