Spotlight on Bananas
Available brands include Packer, DelMonte,
Chiquita and Dole.
For a healthy breakfast offering, try adding ripe banana slices to parfaits, pancakes and
smoothies, or add ripe bananas to luscious sweets like banana bread, banana pudding
or bananas foster.
Sysco offers fresh bananas in an assortment of color
ranges, sizes and packaging options.
A Breakfast Staple
Everybody’s favorite breakfast fruit, bananas are the
3rd most popular fruit in the world, falling behind
apples and oranges. It’s a versatile, palatable fruit with
a mild flavor that makes it perfect for every daypart.
Consumed as-is more than 75% of the time, its graband-go abilities make it perfect for customers looking
for a quick meal or snack.
Year-round Favorites
Sysco sources bananas from multiple growing
regions to ensure a reliable supply and consistent
quality all year long, with the majority of the
fruit coming from Central America. Size and
flavor may vary slightly from region to region.
•Green – Deep Green Progressing to Light Green (1 to 2)
BANANA SEASONALITY CHART
Origin
Variety is the Spice of Life
We offer our customers many different varieties
that are perfect for any application. From standard
and petite sizes of Cavendish to plantains and other
specialty bananas, you have a wealth of flavor and size
options!
Time to Ripen
Sysco bananas ripen in a container with vent holes,
which allows ethylene gas to circulate freely, letting
the bananas ripen. Some banana suppliers offer
atmosphere-controlled packaging to extend shelf life.
Singles 7” Min Length (Petite)
40 lb. box – 150 fingers per box
Singles 8” Min Length (Full-sized)
10 lb. box – 24 fingers per box
Bunch 8” Min Length (Full-sized)
40 lb. box – 91-118 fingers per box
40 lb. box – 91-118 fingers per box (CRT)
Plantain Singles 10” Min Length
10 lb. box – 11-15 fingers per box
50 lb. box – 58-78 fingers per box
Full Color and Full Flavor
Bananas range in color from green to yellow, and are
appropriate for different applications depending on
ripeness. We have updated and clearly defined our
banana specifications to ensure you get a consistent
hue range that fits your needs every time!
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Colombia
•Mostly Green – Light Green with Tinge of Yellow Progressing to
Half & Half (2 to 3)
•Mostly Yellow – 3/4 Yellow with Tinge of Light Green Tips
Progressing to Yellow (4 to 5)
Costa Rica
•Yellow – Yellow with Light Green Tips Progressing to Full Yellow
(4 to 6)
Ecuador
Guatemala
Honduras
Nutrition Snapshot
Mexico
Available
Peak
Sporadic
Keep It Cool
The ideal storage temperature range for bananas is
56-58°F. Temperatures below 56°F may cause chill
damage, which results in a gray or black skin color,
while higher temperatures accelerate ripening and
shorten shelf life.
Any Way You Slice It
For ½" thick banana slices, 7" petite bananas generally
yield approximately 11-13 slices per banana; 8" fullsized bananas yield approximately 13-15 slices per
banana; and 10" plantain bananas yield approximately
17-19 slices per banana.
Serving size 1 medium 8” banana (126g)
Calories 110
Carbs30g
Fiber 3g
Sugar 19g
Protein 1g
Contact your MA for pack, size and
brand availability.
Whether served as a side item,
signature dish or used as a fresh
ingredient, Sysco fresh produce
delivers quality you can trust.
* Available in these packaging styles.
A “hand” or bunch consists of several bananas attached together.
A “finger” or single banana is one loose banana.
Deep Green
Light Green
Equally Green & Yellow
More Yellow Than Green
Yellow with Green Tips
All Yellow
Normal color when shipped
from overseas.
Color changes as ripening
begins in warehouse.
Firm, starches turning into
sugar, ideal for shipping.
Ideal for short term storage,
use for 1-2 days.
Ideal color for customer use.
Fruit is firm with good flavor.
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Distributed by Sysco Corporation • Houston, Texas 77077-2099 • www.sysco.com
© 2014 Sysco Corporation. All Rights Reserved.