Right from the start we decided to use rescue fruit in our drinks. It just makes sense to use things that would otherwise go to waste. It does take extra work, both to find the fruit and to process it. (We want the good bits, not the yucky bits).
Of course we were concerned it would read as a marketing gimmick. Or like an attempt to cheap out by not paying for produce. So we decided to put our money where our mouth is and donate 2% of our revenue to Foodbank. And we decided to pay (or exchange drinks) for fruit, even when people want to give it as a donation. We're making money from the bottled product, so it's only fair, right?.
For us, the main sources are:
Commercial growers - damaged fruit that can't be wholesaled (e.g. hail, split pits)
Wholesalers - damaged or over ripe fruit, undersize, can't be retailed
Individuals - extras from their gardens
Public land - trees just doing their own thing, dropping fruit on the ground
Often we're not sure what will happen when we start working with a fruit. There might be a vague plan for a finished product, or we might just do it and see what happens. Sometimes distillate sits for months, waiting for the other ingredients that will make it work. We've only had one total failure, which was pomegranate. Maybe we'll try that again sometime.
In addition to this rescue fruit we've also foraged botanicals, and where we absolutely have to, we supplement the imperfect rescue fruit with 'good' shop bought fruit. It's always 100% Australian grown.
Anyway, here's the list.
Apricots: Apricot for Destruction
Chillis (tops and tails, ex Le Vietnam): Banh-mi-licious
Figs, dehydrated: Bubble + Squeak
Finger Lime: Avant Garden, Cosy Del's Digestivo
Lemons, whole: Alas Pour Yorick, Sorbet Weather, Synonym
Lemons, zest: Hit Me Baysie One More Time
Lemons, juice: Bubble and Squeak
Lemons, dehydrated: Cosy Del's Digestivo
Lilly Pilly: Cosy Del's Digestivo, Avant Garden
Limes, whole: Optimus Lime, Alas Pour Yorick, Sorbet Weather, In Bloom, Loop-de-loop
Limes, dehydrated: Cosy Del's Digestivo
Makrut Limes: Synonym, Loop-de-Loop
Mangoes: Work in progress...
Mulberries: Laundry Day (black), Caught by the Fuzz (shahtoot)
Oranges, whole: Sorbet Weather, Synonym
Oranges, dehydrated: Laundry Day
Peaches: Caught by the Fuzz
Plums: Banh-mi-licious
Strawberries: Kick out the Jams
