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Not quite a kitchen staple everywhere just yet, the lucuma is gaining attention as a powerful superfood, said to help improve cardiovascular strength, skin and digestive health.

This beloved Incan favorite is full of beta carotene, iron, zinc, vitamin B3, calcium and protein all in the same fruit! Its flavor is described as reminiscent of maple, caramel or pumpkin. We’re seeing lucuma in smoothies, baked goods and even ice cream. Let’s take a look at the various forms of lucuma on the menu, in social media, and in new products.

Print & Social Media Highlights

There are several mentions of lucuma in social and print media. Here are some of the highlights.

• While scrolling through Pinterest, lucuma pins appear in a wide variety of food and beverage recipes but especially baked goods. These pins include lucuma ice cream, cashew lucuma fudge, lucuma chia seed pudding, cantaloupe lucuma popsicles, vanilla & lucuma oat cookies, lucuma meringue cake, lucuma flan and lucuma macarons


• A Twitter search shows tweets mentioning lucuma, including this one by @HerbaZest “#HealthyFood: Enjoy the delicate flavor and health benefits of lucuma for breakfast! Tasty Lucuma Pancakes. Get the recipe, here.” Also mentioned by @Vegan__Recipes “Lucuma, banana and chocolate Sundae smoothie” with attached recipe.


• A December 2017 blog posting on Organic Authority featured a recipe for vegan chocolate cherry lace and pistachio lucuma pudding. This recipe combines delicate flavors with bursts of


• On Genius Kitchen, formerly Food.com, only 1 recipe appears when you search for lucuma. This recipe is for a lucuma banana smoothie that simply combines lucuma powder, fresh bananas and coconut milk or water.

Beetroot on the Menu

When it comes to lucuma on the menu, fine/upscale dining is the top restaurant segment, with entrée, dessert and appetizer as the top three menu sections Entrées account for 44% of all lucuma flavored menu items.

Menu Mentions

• Tres Leches Lucuma Cremeaux with cocoa nib tuile, Jack Daniels vanilla bean gelee, and green almonds at Stephan Pyles Flora Street Café.


• Goat’s Milk Tres Leches with quince ice cream, lucuma susprio, wintergreen meringue, and sauternes compressed satsuma at Stephan Pyles Flora Street Café.


• S’Mores with shichimi-graham cracker, flaming marshmallow lucuma ice cream and Peruvian chocolate from Sushi Samba.

Lucuma: The New Superfood

Also known as “Incan Gold” to Peruvian natives, this unique fruit is said to be the new superfood. It’s often used as a low-glycemic sweetener for those with diabetes. In its powdered form, it is used as a sugar substitute for this reason. Additionally, lucuma is loaded with antioxidants responsible. Additional nutrients that are packed into this fruit include zinc, iron, beta carotene, calcium and niacin.

Global New Product Introductions:

• Globally, we're spotting 86 Lucuma Flavored new product introductions.


• LATIN AMERICA is the top global region for lucuma new product introductions with 54% of all new products.


• DAIRY-BASED FROZEN PRODUCTS is the top product sub-category globally for lucuma flavored new products.


• VANILLA is the top flavor paired with lucuma.


•  DESSERTS & ICE CREAM are the top product sub-category for Lucuma flavored new products.

Products of Note

• ECOANDINO LUCUMA & YACON ORGANIC JAM WITH AGAVE: this product is made with Lucuma, a fruit rich in antioxidants and yacon, an excellent source of prebiotics. Peru


• ALNAVIT ORGANIC DELUXE COOKIES WITH ALMONDS & LUCUMA: is made with coconut flakes and sweetened with coconut blossom sugar. Germany


• TOTTUS CHOCOLATE PIONO WITH LUCUMA ICE CREAM: described as the perfect dessert to share with family & friends, with sweet ice cream and chocolate cake. Peru


• FUNDO PLAYA VENADO DULCE DE LECHE WITH LUCUMA SPREAD: this product uses the freshest milk to prepare this smooth, creamy tasting homemade milk caramel spread. Chile

North America New Product Introduction

• In North America, we're spotting 4 Lucuma Flavored new product introductions.


• NORTH AMERICA accounts for 5% of all lucuma flavored new product introductions.


• Top 4 Lucuma Product Categories are Bakery, Beverages, RTD , and Sauces.

Products of Note

• GOOD LIFE JUICE OOH LA LATTE COLD BREW COFFEE: is a cold pressed caffeinated raw nut milk containing cashew, almond, lucuma, mesquite, vanilla, date & Vancouver Island sea salt.


• ALDI SIMPLY NATURE ORGANIC LUCUMA & MANGO VINAIGRETTE: is a USDA certified organic product that is free from gluten and lactose.


• SUSTAINABLE INDULGENCE PECAN MAPLE BLISS PREMIUM COOKIES WITH LUCUMA POWDER: are said to be baked in small batches only using the finest ingredients. USA


• WILLIAMS-SONOMA PROTEIN SMOOTHIE MIXER: described as a rich, chocolaty blend of hemp, cacao, lucuma and maca and is an excellent source of protein. USA

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