MORRO BAY, CA - After two years of designing a first-of-its-kind machine to extract the pearls from finger limes, Shanley Farms has introduced the result—its new Citron Caviar. I spoke with Megan Shanley, Sales and Marketing Specialist at the company about just what makes Citron Caviar pearls such a unique offering in the industry.
“There is nothing of the sort pre-existing on the processed equipment market,” Megan explains to me about the new citrus pearl extraction machine. “This process takes the work out of squeezing finger limes by offering just the jarred pearls. We anticipate that this also helps to solve the two major questions in consumers minds regarding finger limes which are ‘What is a finger lime?’ and ‘How do I use it?’”
With a taste similar to, but stronger than a lemon or lime, the burst you get from biting into Citron Caviar is a treat on anything from a seared scallop, a slice of cheescake, or a salad. The citrus juice is self contained in the juice pearls, so you can even add these to cocktails, beer, and sparkling beverages for an added touch of flavor, and what Megan describes as an easy, elegant look.
“How many products are there that can bring instant elegance and at the same time complete simplicity in preparation? From the introduction of our first fresh finger limes, they have become wildly popular with chefs,” continues Megan. “Now foodies everywhere have heard of and use finger limes. With the introduction of our Citron Caviar and its inclusion into other products the general public will now come to know our product for what it is - simple elegance!”
Shanley Farms will be providing its retail partners with materials to sample the products in stores, including in the bakery and seafood departments for them to become familiar with the product. Megan shared with me that Shanley Farms is in talks with several recipe developers from internationally recognized companies that are interested in using Citron Caviar for mass production of everything from yogurts and salad dressings to chocolate bars and ice cream.
“Citron Caviar offers a great opportunity to cross merchandise with liquor, bakery, and seafood departments. Shanley Farms is currently designing a display shipper that will catch shoppers eyes and work well with existing merchandising needs,” Megan adds. “We anticipate that consumers will soon find out if they can 'handle the burst' of Citron Caviar in products outside of the produce department.”
Bakery treats such as fruit tarts, key lime pie, cheesecake, and many other dishes benefit from a surprise burst of lemon-lime flavor, and virtually any fish fillet or shellfish can become a simply elegant dish with butter sauce and Citron Caviar. For more information about finger limes and to see recipes on how to use the versatile product, check out ShanleyFarms.com.
