For three generations, Les vergers Boiron have been dedicated to sourcing and supplying the best possible fruits. Starting as fruit traders, supplying fruits grown in the Ardeche to Paris, the company has grown to be one of the leading producers of frozen fruit purees in the world.
At the heart of the business, now led by Alain Boiron, is true expertise and knowledge in selecting and processing each fruit and vegetable variety to meet the demands of top chefs, pastry chefs and mixologists.
All fruit is harvested at maturity, using techniques adopted from champagne producers, and most of the fruit is frozen at peak at source. At their ultra-modern plant in Valence, each fruit and vegetable is treated to a specific flash pasteurisation process. The heating temperature and time is different for every type of fruit and vegetable to ensure that their original qualities are respected, and there are 54 varieties available! Fruits from different origins are expertly blended to produce consistency at all times.
Essential to producing for the hospitality industry, les vergers Boiron works with leading chefs around the world to create innovative recipes, organise master classes, share experiences and ideas. There are 20 brand ambassadors, amongst them UK chef and restaurateur Adam Handling, including international award-winning pastry chefs and mixologists. They have a history of working with industry pioneers, helping them to increase their understanding of the end-user, and stimulating creativity with the experts’ own ideas.
Identification of trends is important too, with concepts being fed to the R & D team by a specialist team member. Currently, the R & D team is planning for the transition for all frozen purees to be without added sugar, to meet consumer and industry requirements for lower sugar options wherever possible, and in the pipeline are new flavours to add to the ambient range.
The latest R & D innovation to reach chefs is new packaging for the frozen puree range, which will be integrated across every variety by the end of the year, as the new seasons’ harvests come in. It ensures peace of mind with its innovative clip concept making it airtight, and the new blue protection seal under the lid has a perforated corner can be removed for pouring smaller quantities once defrosted or remove the seal completely to use all the puree at once. For pastry chefs where exact quantities are needed for a dish, the frozen puree can be cut, and the remaining product popped back into the freezer.
The compact shape gives an easier grip, takes up less space in the freezer, and is more environmentally-friendly since it contains less plastic.
The products
With 54 flavours to choose from in the frozen puree range, the range covers tropical, red, exotic, citrus and orchard fruits, and vegetables, and the company also has a range of frozen fruit coulis, frozen fruit concentrates and frozen whole fruit and pieces. The range is perfect to cater for diners with food sensitivities as all flavours are gluten-free, vegan and lactose-free.
The introduction of ambient purees 18 months ago, exclusive to the UK professional kitchen and bar, offers the best in flavour and quality with the highest fruit content on the market. The selection includes 10 top selling flavours and the purees have no preservatives, no added flavourings, and no artificial colours, and are highly stable with a shelf life of 12 months before opening, and eight days in the fridge once opened. It’s perfect for larger scale hospitality operators and bar teams, the purees are instantly available for cocktails and desserts, and they’re easily stored without taking up freezer space.
Les vergers Boiron have recently launched a new website which offers easier navigation and access to these resources, plus wider product and production information, regularly updated recipes which are now easier to search for dishes and drinks, news and events and information on projects with their chef ambassadors, and videos of the growers and chefs that the company is working with.
