- Palapa Azul
Palapa Azul is a frozen-desserts company based in
Los Angeles, California . The company, founded in 2002 byMexico City natives Roni Goldberg and Michel Algazi, produces Mexican-styleice cream ,sorbet , and frozen fruit bars that are sold in retail stores throughout theUnited States .The Mexican emphasis results in marketing flavors that are not commonly found in mainstream American frozen desserts, such as
sweet corn ice cream and hibiscus flower ("jamaica") sorbet, as well as Mexican versions of common flavors, such as "cajeta", a Mexicangoat milk -based caramel — often used for "dulce de leche " — and Mexican chocolate, which is spiced withcinnamon . The frozen fruit bars, which in 2004 were the first products launched by the company, include cucumber-chile andmango -chile mixtures along with single-flavor bars in Mexicanpapaya ,strawberry , mango,watermelon ,cantaloupe ,grapefruit andpineapple . The company's founders have said that during their initial one-on-one product research in Californiafarmer's market s, they found gender-based differences in flavor preferences: "Women would say, 'You have mango-chile? Interesting! I'd like to try that.' Men would say, 'You have mango-chile. Interesting! I'd like strawberry.' ... We could offer two dozen flavors, and still most men would want strawberry." [http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fsb/fsb_archive/2005/10/01/8357521/index.htm Play It Cool: Testing, planning, and patience put our fruit bars on the right path.] by Michel Algazi, "FORTUNE Small Business",October 1 ,2005 , volume 15, number 8, page 87. Retrieved Oct. 28, 2006.] Tested flavors that have not been introduced to date includeprickly pear ,plum and kiwi.The fruit bars were introduced at the Winter International Fancy Food Show, a trade show for the
foodservice industry, in January 2004, where the product was named "Best of Show" by several top retailers and media outlets. [http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/newsbyid.asp?id=22672 Palapa Azul Announces the Newest Additions to the Product Line] , "Hispanic Business" Online] The ice cream and sorbet products were introduced in June 2005.Ron Givens. "Food: Comidas Latinas," "Newsweek International", August 8, 2005, page 59.]Notes
External links
* [http://www.palapaazul.com/ Palapa Azul] (official site)
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