Breadfruit, the fruit originally from the Polynesian islands that was introduced to the Caribbean during the colonial era has become a staple food source throughout the region. Now, versatile fruit has been given a new lease on life thanks to an innovative entrepreneur who saw the potential.
Marisol Villalobos, operator and CEO of Amasar LLC FarmMarisol Villalobos, operator and CEO of Amasar LLC Farm, along with her husband Jesús Martes Cordero (COO), own 20 acres of rich farmland in Jayuya, a mountainous region of Puerto Rico. As a mother of tree young children at the time, she was searching for healthy, nutritious, organic foods for her family. But, she had limited choices.
“I was always concerned about what to feed my kids. And I was always in this battle with them when I gave them pancakes and they would protest that they didn’t taste like the ones they had at their friends’ homes, or their Aunties. I was always looking for the gluten-free ones but they were very limited,” explained Villalobos.
This was more than 20 years ago. But, the seed was planted, said Villalobos, as it was just a few years before that she and her husband, then newlyweds, decided to purchase part of her father-in-law’s farm in Jayuya. And as she put it, “we always knew that we would do something with the farm, we just didn't know what.”
It would seem agriculture was always in their blood, as both grew up on farms in their native Puerto Rico. But, the lightbulb moment would reveal their future when Villalobos, a microbiologist, and her husband, a pharmaceutical industry executive, worked as expats in Italy.
“Living in Italy, we saw how conscious people were about what they were eating. They eat fresh, nutritious food. That definitely caught our attention. Added to that, my godmother sent us a breadfruit all the way from Puerto Rico because she knew it was my favorite. I couldn’t believe it! But, that started us thinking about bringing breadfruit to Europe.”
BREADFRUIT FLOUR
The next chapter of their lives was further confirmed when they visited Spain in 2016 and just happened upon an agricultural festival. This was the beginning of their journey of bringing nutritional food to the table.
The name of the farm, Amasar, which means ‘knead’ in English, tells the story of Villalobos’ love of breadfruit and how she repurposed it. The farm now has more than 500 organically grown trees producing breadfruit used in the production of breadfruit flour.
Because breadfruit is rich in fiber, potassium, amino acids, and naturally gluten free, Villalobos knew that anything she produced from it would be perfect for those pursuing healthy living. So, combining her agricultural and science background Villalobos produced her core product — breadfruit flour. Then she went further, creating pancake and waffle mixes and breakfast creams. The first to produce flour from breadfruit, the CEO is revolutionising the agricultural market in Puerto Rico.
“When you harvest a breadfruit, it ripens very quickly. So, I asked myself what can I do with breadfruit to preserve it? The answer was making flour from it. Then I thought about blends.
Part of what I want to bring is convenience and great taste. Breadfruit has the great taste and the super nutrition. So, I spent a year and a half on creating the blends,” Villalobos explained.
She incorporated ingredients like lentil flour, cassava flour, while rice flour to create these unique blends. And these products have been recognized by the Speciality Food Association, awarding Amasar with the prestigious Sofi Award in 2022 for the Best New Product in the Breakfast Category.
SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES
Growing organically and utilising sustainable practices and working with like-minded local farmers has always underpinned Villalobos’ farming practices.
“I purchase breadfruit from more than 50 small farmers on the entire island. And it's good because they have breadfruit trees on their farms that they weren't doing anything with, and they're selling now at a very good price. So, part of what we bring is that respect for the farmers. And importantly, it’s a great food that is grown without chemicals or pesticides,” said Villalobos.
She added that Amasar is an eco-friendly agribusiness because it is not a monoculture. In other words, the farm also grows bananas, coffee, cocoa, and other crops which enhances the farmland because of its biodiversity. And, a growing culture of environmentally-friendly consumers are embracing Amasar’s products. The products are available across the island and are now being exported to the United States.
“We are so thankful to the Bravo Family Foundation and their Rising Entrepreneurs Program. Even though we know we had something fabulous, it was thanks to our mentors in that program that we got that extra confidence to bring this to the tables of the United States. With their help, we can build this industry up strategically, step-by-step. That’s what we’re doing.”
Villalobos is inspired. She sees Amasar rising fast, a company run by a woman with 60 percent of its staff being female. She is proud of what she and her husband have created. As COO Cordero brings organisation and other strengths to the company while she focuses on the innovative products.
“We are united as a family. And, family is the first value of Amasar. My husband comes from a family of 13, I’m from a family of 4. My mom helps me a lot. And I am grateful that my father, who passed away, saw the beginnings of Amasar and so did my father-in-law who lived to 96 years. So, it is family that pushes us through the difficult moments and gives the momentum to help bring food sovereignty and food security to our island… We have the potential of disrupting the flour industry.”
Here is a sample recipe:
Caribbean Breadfruit Pancakes
Equipment: Pancake Pan
1) Normal GF Version
- 1 Cup Amasar's Breadfruit Flour Mix
- 1/4 Cup Sugar
- 3/4 Cup Milk of preference
- 1 Egg or Substitute
- 2 tsp. Butter
- 1/4 tsp. Salt
- 1/4 tsp. Baking Powder (for fluffier pancakes)
2) Vegan option
- Just substitute:
- 1 egg for 1/2 (half) mashed banana
- Milk with same quantity of your milk substitute
- Butter same quantity of olive oil or plant based butter.
HOW TO COOK:
- Mix sugar, butter (best if softened) and egg or substitute. Add milk and salt. Add breadfruit flour blend and baking powder. Mix well with wire whisk until lump free.
- Preheat pan, add proper quantity, and for the proper normal time. Flip after bubbles on surface appear.
Visit amasar.net to learn more.
