Baru chestnuts - have you heard of the new superfood from Latin America?

We are always looking for new opportunities, and we are always looking at a diverse range of industries. We were therefore super excited when a community of farmers contacted us from Bolivia, to talk to us about Baru chestnuts.

This nut or seed has grown wild in the amazon region, and been eaten by locals, for centuries. Popularity of the Baru chestnut, however, has only taken off in recent years after people became aware of just how rich it is in micro-nutrients and antioxidants. I have travelled to Bolivia for over 30 years now and eaten the Baru nut (often called the Almendra Chiquitana in Bolivia) but had no idea that it was so good for you. In fact it is stacked full of goodness: rich in fibre, high in protein, potassium, iron and magnesium and low in fat. It is also lower in calories than most other nuts. Maybe you can see why it has gained in popularity, and been labeled the “new superfood”. (A celebrity chef also “discovered” it a few years ago .. that helped too!)

In February, I had the immense pleasure of meeting with gatherers and growers in Bolivia to learn about the process of harvesting these nuts, roasting and storing them for both national and international sale. At the moment the chestnuts are exported throughout LATAM region and USA but not to UK or Europe. Now we are working with these growers to look into the market potential in the UK, with a view to probably sell initially to healthfood shops, specialist food stores and restaurants, once we fully understand the process, but we are open to suggestions!

We love this project, not only because of benefit that it can bring growers in the region and the potential to bring a nutritious new nut to the UK market, but also because we have seen first-hand how communities now want to protect the Baru (Baruzeiro) tree because they see a value in its produce. This is incredibly important in an area that has been badly affected by deforestation.

At the moment we are carrying out market research to gain insights into the market potential for the Baru chestnut, and would really appreciate it if you could fill in our short survey below. Any other feedback or suggestions can also be emailed to me at alicearandia@finchglobal.co.uk.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GMN3PGY

THANK YOU so much for taking the time to read this, and for completing our survey.

Alice Arandia