Passion flower perfume and peach palm sunscreen: The industry emerging around Colombia’s 2,500 species of fruits

Colombia grows around 2,500 fruit species, but only about 5% are commercially available, leaving much of this biodiversity unfamiliar to local consumers. Companies and advocates are starting to turn that untapped variety into products and public interest, with potential benefits for local producers and wider recognition of the country’s natural wealth.

Fragrance firm Finearom analysed 20 fruits to create synthetic aromas, which are due to appear in several formats at a Colombian supermarket chain. More than 400 wild fruit species grow in the Amazon alone, while different regions support distinct varieties; fruit advocate Gian Paolo Daguer says he has tried over 400 kinds and argues schools and government could help promote local consumption.