Drinking Mindfully and Ethically …

‘Invigorating and quite fresh’, one taster said.

Due to the difficult processing of the Lulo fruit, the new drink made from Colombia and Ecuador’s most popular fruit is unknown outside of their borders; which, if I might say, is quite a disappointment because it is really good!

We recently had an office-wide taste-test of this Colombian speciality fruit juice, and the results were largely positive. It was described as tasting like gooseberry or kiwi or passion fruit; a bit like all of these, but not quite like any of them! It isn’t too sweet and is thick like a smoothie.

So let’s meet the brand behind bringing this gift to the Western world: Berraquera. For those of us who aren’t Colombian, it is pronounced (bear rah care rah).

The big positive about this company, besides the fact that they are giving the U.K a taste of Colombia, is that it is ethically sourced. Berraquerra, meaning persistence in the face of adversity, imports the Mora berry from farmer co-operatives in a region directly affected by the (drug-financed) conflict.

The company behind Berraquera, Fruto del Espiritu, is a Community Interest Company (C.I.C.) and social enterprise. Profits are committed to generating more income for smallholder farmers – and a contribution was recently sent through Asolideragro for the Month of the Farmer.

So with ethical consumption becoming an increasingly important consideration for people everywhere, drinking Berraquerra means that being an ethically minded drinker doesn’t have to be difficult or bland and choosing Berraquera means you will get an exotic and adaptable drink, all with the knowledge you are actually helping people secure for themselves better lives.

LOOK OUT FOR THEM AT THE MINDFUL DRINKING FESTIVAL ON THE 13TH OF AUGUST AT BERMONDSEY SQUARE HOTEL!

At the moment these drinks are available through a few select shops and restaurants such as Las Iguanas, but the 75cl Taste of the Andes range is sold direct through the FdE community site; and the 25cl Lulo & Apple drink has been launched commercially under the Berraquera brand for hotels, restaurants and cafés, available from www.berraquera.co.uk