Base of our oil
Botanically, the avocado is a berry. The large seed of the round to pear-shaped fruit is surrounded by greenish-yellow to golden-yellow flesh. For our avocado oil, we use the varieties Hass and Fuerte, which are well suited to avocado oil production due to their oil content.
The avocado grows on a perennial evergreen tree with blue-green to dark green leaves and yellow-green flowers. The fruits can remain on the tree for several months and become soft and ready to eat only after harvest. Depending on the variety, the pear-shaped fruit has green to dark skin, greenish-yellow flesh and a large, rounded pit. Because of its creamy texture and buttery taste, the avocado is sometimes also referred to as the “butter fruit”.
Avocado can be sustainable too!
Avocado cultivation is often criticised for its land and water requirements. At LIMBUA, we take a different approach:
Our avocados come from more than 9,000 certified smallholder farmers in the fertile region at the foot of Mount Kenya and are harvested between May and July. The fruits grow on organic mixed farms in agroforestry systems together with a variety of other crops. This form of cultivation supports soil health and helps farmers diversify their farms.
On these mixed farms, avocado trees are part of a diverse agricultural system rather than being grown as a single crop. They grow alongside macadamia and mango trees as well as other crops. It also allows farmers to produce and market several crops instead of relying on avocado alone.
One relevant aspect of avocado cultivation is water demand. LIMBUA’s growing regions are located in the high-rainfall area around Mount Kenya. Rainfall varies depending on altitude, with more than 1,000 mm of annual rainfall reached particularly in higher-altitude growing areas. The avocados grow within the natural rainfall cycles. Through rainwater harvesting, additional rainwater is collected and stored so that it can be used on the farms when needed.
The organic mixed farms are located close to our production facilities, which means the fruits travel only short distances before further processing. Our digital traceability system also allows us to trace the journey of the fruit throughout our supply chain.
The avocado tree can grow to more than 15 metres in height depending on the variety and location and can live for many decades. In agricultural cultivation, the trees are usually kept lower through regular pruning to make care and harvesting easier. Avocado trees can carry flowers and developing fruits at different stages at the same time. The fruits mature on the tree but do not soften there: the typical soft texture develops only after harvest.
Organic avocado varieties: Hass & Fuerte
There are hundreds of avocado varieties. For the production of LIMBUA avocado oil, we use the varieties Fuerte and Hass. Fuerte is a cross between Mexican and Guatemalan avocado types, while Hass is predominantly of Guatemalan origin. But what are the differences?
Hass is one of the most popular and widely consumed avocado varieties. It is named after Rudolph Hass, a California mail carrier who first cultivated the variety in the 1920s. Hass avocados have a green, pebbled skin that becomes darker as the fruit ripens. The flesh is yellowish and has a rich, nutty flavour.
Fuerte has a smooth, thin and glossy skin. Its flesh is yellow-green and its flavour is creamy and mild. Compared with Hass avocados, Fuerte fruits are generally larger. Unlike Hass, Fuerte avocados do not turn completely black when ripe but remain green with only a slight change in colour. To assess ripeness for oil production, we use a manual thumb test.
The stage of ripeness is particularly important for oil production, as it influences the condition and oil content of the fruit at the time of processing.
Oil production in Kenya
Still close to the farms, the avocados are pressed and processed into organic avocado oil at our facility in Ena. Fruit quality plays a key role in the quality of the final product. For the production of virgin oil, the quality and storage of the fruit as well as a careful and gentle processing method are particularly important. At goods intake, the delivered avocados are therefore checked by hand for ripeness and sorted accordingly. Unripe fruits are set aside to ripen further.
For oil extraction, the flesh is then separated from the pit and skin and processed into a homogeneous avocado paste. In a multi-stage process, the oil is separated from water and solid components and then further refined.
Oil production creates additional value in the region: processing the avocados locally creates jobs and helps keep a greater share of the value creation where the fruit is grown.
This is how organic avocados are turned into high-quality avocado oil for the international market directly in the growing region.
Avocado oil in food and cosmetics
Organic avocado and the organic avocado oil produced from its flesh are used both in food and in cosmetics. Avocado naturally contains various nutrients such as folate, potassium and vitamins. Another characteristic feature is its comparatively high fat content. Avocado oil contains a high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, particularly oleic acid.
In the kitchen, avocado oil is used in many different ways because of its characteristic flavour. Virgin avocado oil is suitable, for example, for salads, dressings, dips and other cold dishes. Depending on the processing method, avocado oil can also be used for other applications in food manufacturing.
Avocado oil is also a versatile plant-based raw material in cosmetics. Due to its fatty acid composition, it is used in products such as creams, lotions and other body care formulations. In addition to oleic acid, avocado oil also contains linoleic acid, palmitic acid and other naturally occurring minor lipid components.