Milk and dark chocolate-covered frozen bananas have been launched in the United Kingdom under the Pukpip brand distributed by the Guayaquil, Ecuador-headquartered Semvra Group. A white chocolate variety will soon be added to the range, which is offered in three-packs of three priced at £3.99.
“Pukpip products are breaking the mold for frozen treats,” according to a press release issued by the company, as they are “the first of their type to come to UK retail, after sister company Diana’s has proven to be very successful in the USA.”
With a calorie count of 152-161 each, the bananas dipped in chocolate are promoted as an “indulgent fruit snack or dessert” and “nature’s alternative to ice cream.”
Particularly targeting millennial females seeking to find balance with healthier snacks and desserts for themselves and their families, the brand and product have been developed following a good deal of market research and gleaning consumer insights.
“We know prople are increasingly health conscious and actively looking for ways to improve their diet,” said Pukpip Managing Director Zara Gugen. “Research has shown that nine in ten consumers want to eat more fruit and vegetables. But with the demands of modern life, it’s not easy to always eat well, get your five-a-day and enjoy great taste.”
She added: “With tighter HFSS regulation we’re also giving retailers more opportunities to stock healthier, HFSS-compliant options for consumers which still prioritize taste. We want to provide the best of both worlds – an easy way to enjoy more fruit and indulge in a permissible chocolate treat, enabling consumers to feel good about their choices.”
Pukpip bananas are responsibly and sustainably sourced from the coastal region of Ecuador and frozen at their peak of freshness. In procuring bananas rejected for export due to small imperfections or markings on their skin, or because they’re the wrong shape or size, or simply because there are too many on a bunch, Pukpip utilizes fruit that would otherwise go to waste.
Once the bananas are peeled, dipped and frozen, the leftover skins are then upcycled back into the ecosystem. The chocolate coating is sustainably sourced and matched to appeal to the UK palette, with the milk chocolate having already received a 2022 Great Taste Award, while the dark chocolate is vegan certified.
Pukpip Real Frozen Bananas are now stocked with CLF and Consort Frozen Foods for independent retailers. The brand name is derived from the word pukka (meaning good or genuine) and pip (from the pips and seeds in the fruit). Bringing these names together create the fun and playful name Pukpip, which pops as one says it.
