Acerola
Our customers use acerola because it is an exceptionally rich natural source of vitamin C, making it highly valuable for fortifying products while maintaining a “clean label.” Acerola extract or powder is often added to juices, supplements, and processed foods as a natural alternative to synthetic ascorbic acid. Beyond its nutritional benefits, it also functions as an antioxidant, helping to preserve color, flavor, and shelf life in products like beverages and fruit preparations. Its slightly tart flavor blends well with other fruits, making it easy to incorporate without overpowering formulations. Additionally, acerola supports marketing claims around immunity and wellness, allowing companies to appeal to health-conscious consumers while using a recognizable, fruit-based ingredient.
Acerola can be supplied as organic upon request
Botanical: Malpighia emarginata
The Barbados Cherry
Acerola (Malpighia emarginata and Malpighia glabra), also known as the Barbados cherry or West Indian cherry, is a bright red, thin-skinned tropical fruit renowned globally as one of the richest natural sources of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) on Earth. Containing up to 50 to 100 times the Vitamin C density of an orange (ranging from 1,000 mg to over 4,500 mg of natural ascorbic acid per 100 grams of fruit) acerola is an essential functional ingredient for food, beverage, and nutraceutical manufacturers.
In commercial processing, fruit harvest timing and maturity stage dictate the final ingredient’s ascorbic acid concentration, acidity, and color: Green / Semi-Ripe Acerola are harvested specifically for industrial functional applications. While less sweet and lighter in color, un-ripe green acerola contains the highest concentration of natural Vitamin C and tart malic/citric acids. Used extensively to produce standardized high-potency acerola juice concentrates and clean-label dough conditioners. Fully Ripe Red Acerola delivers a bright ruby-red color, tart cherry-apple flavor, and balanced natural sugars alongside high antioxidant levels. Ripe red acerola is preferred for acerola NFC juices, purees, smoothies, functional beverages, and natural coloring blends.
Brothers International partners with origin processors who cold-press and pulp acerola immediately after harvesting. Advanced low-temperature thermal processing is utilized to preserve delicate natural ascorbic acid levels and volatile aromatics without degrading color.
Global Sourcing Through the Brothers International Network:
Acerola is a tropical perennial shrub that requires warm, frost-free climates, abundant rainfall, and high sunlight intensity. Securing a reliable, standardized supply of commercial acerola ingredients requires a focused presence in prime equatorial agricultural zones. Brothers International connects North American food and beverage manufacturers to the world’s leading acerola growing regions through our established global network of audited processing partners.
We source high-grade acerola ingredients from premier tropical origins like South America (Brazil). Brazil, specifically the northeastern states of Ceará, Pernambuco, and Pará, is the undisputed global hub for commercial acerola production. Brazilian orchards yield high-potency fruit processed in state-of-the-art facilities that specialize in high-speed, temperature-controlled pressing and concentration. Central America & Caribbean is a secondary agricultural hubs supplying specialized organic and conventional acerola purees and acerola NFC juices with geographical proximity to North American ports.
By coordinating supply across major Brazilian agricultural regions, Brothers International protects your supply chain from localized weather events, regional crop shifts, and shipping delays, guaranteeing consistent, standardized ingredient delivery.
Harvest Cycles & Continuous Supply Management:
In tropical equatorial zones like Northeastern Brazil, irrigation and year-round warm temperatures allow acerola trees to produce multiple flowering and harvest cycles per year—often yielding 3 to 6 distinct harvest waves between September and April.
Because raw acerola fruit degrades rapidly after harvesting and loses Vitamin C content if exposed to ambient heat, origin processing must occur within hours of picking. Brothers International’s operations and logistics teams manage temperature-monitored supply chains, cold-chain maritime transport, USDA/FDA import clearances, C-TPAT supply chain security, and strategic warehousing across North America. Whether your line requires frozen single-strength acerola NFC juice, 65° Brix clarified acerola juice concentrate, or 17° Brix puree concentrate, our global network guarantees ready inventory year-round.
Rigorous Quality Control, Traceability & Compliance:
Processing acerola requires precise thermal management and rapid cooling to prevent heat-induced oxidation of ascorbic acid and degradation of natural anthocyanin pigments. Every supplier within the Brothers International network undergoes a comprehensive auditing process to guarantee complete supply chain traceability, sustainable agricultural practices, and strict compliance with USDA, FDA, and international food safety standards.
Through our network, we deliver acerola ingredients backed by complete technical documentation and top-tier industry certifications, including GFSI benchmarks (BRC, SQF, FSSC 22000), USDA Organic (NOP), Kosher, Non-GMO, and Halal standards. Our quality assurance protocols include rigorous HPLC testing for natural ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) milligrams per 100g, pesticide residues, heavy metals, microbial safety, titratable acidity, and Brix adherence under FDA 21 CFR § 101.30.
The Brothers International
Quality Promise
Brothers International and its 4 divisions, Brothers Ingredients, Dennick Fruit Source, Hosh International and Food Partners, are trusted global importers of premium ingredients to major food and beverage manufacturers in North America. We deliver consistent quality and supply across every format the industry demands. Our Acerola is sourced from the earth’s prime growing regions where farming expertise, climate and soil composition come together to produce Acerola of exceptional caliber. All of our suppliers undergo a rigorous vetting process to ensure we work with only the highest-quality processors and can fully guarantee traceability, sustainability, and compliance with all international regulations.
Each of our divisions has a specialized operations team to manage shipments and coordinate with customers and suppliers. They work closely with our in-house customs team to ensure efficient clearance, and collaborate with the USDA and FDA to maintain full regulatory compliance. This ensures your ingredients move seamlessly through every stage of import, arriving on time and ready for production with complete confidence. With decades of sourcing expertise and a strong commitment to customer success, you can count on Brothers International to deliver the premium ingredients your products require.
Industry Glossary
A Reference Guide for Fruit Ingredient Terminology
Check out our glossary for a consolidated reference of commonly used terminology across the global fruit ingredient industry. It provides straightforward definitions and context for the language and concepts referenced throughout the industry.
