Banana Ripening Takes Skill
Satotukku was one of the first companies in the 1970s that began to ripen bananas in their own ripening rooms. Nowadays, Satotukku is one of the biggest banana ripeners in Finland and bananas the best-selling fruit among Finnish consumers.
The majority of Satotukku's bananas come from Ecuador to Satotukku's warehouse in Vantaa in large containers. The trip takes four to five weeks. After a close quality inspection, the bananas are ripened in ripening rooms for six to seven days. During ripening and with the help of natural ethylene gas, humidity and temperature, the bananas turn yellow and ready for sale.
Currently Satotukku has 13 automated banana ripening rooms, with the capacity to hold over 20,000 banana boxes. Ripening rooms utilise new cooling technology, in which cold air from outside is used to save a lot of energy.
Ripening of bananas
This is How Bananas Ripen
Colour scale 2. When a banana arrives to Satotukku it is completely green. The ripening process begins.
Colour scale 3. 75% of the banana is green and 25% is yellow. Ripening at the correct temperature and humidity for six to seven days.
Colour scale 4. 25% of the banana is green and 75% is yellow. Ready to be delivered to the retailer.
Colour scale 5. The bananas are yellow, but have green tips. Best stage for consumer sale.
Colour scale 6. The banana is yellow and ready to be eaten. Bananas keep best at +13°C.
Colour scale 7. The sweetest stage of banana.
Banana is the most well-known fruit in the world.
Banana cultivation is concentrated in tropical lowlands, because they require 2000–2500 mm of rain annually. The banana sprout forming from the underground root system develops fruit ready for harvesting in just a few months. When banana plants are regularly cut back to ground level, the same plantation can produce crops for decades.
The Banana Master Knows
‘Banana ripening is fairly automated, and the right programme ripens the bananas for sale. However, the process is closely monitored, because bananas don't always behave as expected. For example, country of origin, age of the banana, packaging, transportation and temperature at arrival affect the ripening. On average, bananas ripen in six days, with the main factors being temperature, humidity and natural ethylene gas, which ripens the banana evenly. Banana ripening is the result of long-term planning. When purchasing raw bananas, it is important to realise it takes 10–14 days after shipping and ripening before the fruit is ready to be sold.
Bananas are an important product for both retailers and Satotukku, and we have invested a lot in the ripening process. We have several different banana brands available, and we are also proud of our own Fairtrade organic banana, Fair Nando!’
Petri Kivi, Banana Master, Satotukku