Pomelo
Often called the "Moon of the Orchard," the pomelo (Citrus maxima) is the largest of all citrus fruits, reaching the size of a bowling ball and serving as a genetic patriarch to nearly every modern grapefruit variety. Native to Southeast Asia, it is a fruit defined by its incredible structural defense; its fragrant, yellow-green rind can be nearly an inch thick, acting as a natural shock absorber for the giant, tear-shaped vesicles within. Unlike its descendant, the grapefruit, the pomelo is prized for its "dry" sweetness and lack of bitterness; its juice sacs are firm and easily separated, allowing you to peel them away like individual gems of translucent gold or rose.
Pomelo can be supplied as organic upon request
Botanical: Citrus Maxima
The Largest Citrus Fruit
Pomelo NFC juice (Citrus maxima or Citrus grandis), the largest of all citrus fruits, is native to Southeast Asia and is the principal ancestral species from which the modern grapefruit was hybridized. Encased in a thick, spongy albedo and aromatic rind, pomelo vesicles yield a fragrant, crisp juice characterized by delicate floral sweetness, mild citric acidity, and a noticeably smoother finish than grapefruit.
In commercial fruit ingredient processing, two primary color varieties dictate product profile and visual appeal: Pink / Red Pomelo are rich in natural carotenoids (principally lycopene), pink pomelo delivers a stunning rosy hue, floral sweetness, and subtle berry undertones. It is highly sought after for premium pink hard seltzers, botanical sodas, craft cocktails, and specialty juice blends. White / Honey Pomelo feature pale yellow-to-golden juice vesicles with a crisp, clean, sweet-tart flavor profile. White pomelo offers versatile application where formulators desire authentic exotic citrus notes without imparting red or pink pigmentation into the finished matrix.
Unlike grapefruit, which contains high levels of naringin (a flavonoid responsible for intense bitterness), pomelo naturally exhibits much lower naringin concentrations. This makes pomelo an exceptional “clean citrus” ingredient, delivering sophisticated tropical citrus flavor without harsh or lingering bitterness.
Global Sourcing Through the Brothers International Network:
Pomelo trees flourish in tropical and subtropical lowland environments with high humidity and fertile, well-drained soils. Securing a reliable, year-round supply of pomelo NFC juice and juice concentrate requires an expansive agricultural reach across key global citrus belts. Brothers International connects North American food and beverage manufacturers to premier pomelo-growing regions through our established global network of audited processing partners.
We source high-grade pomelo ingredients from premier tropical origins: Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Thailand & Southern China) is the native heartland of the pomelo. Orchards along the Mekong Delta and subtropical river basins produce world-renowned Guanxi Honey and Nam Doc Mai cultivars, celebrated for exceptional juice yield, high natural Brix, and low acidity ratios. South America & The Mediterranean are emerging subtropical growing regions offering strategic harvest diversification and high-quality citrus juice pressing capabilities.
By coordinating inventory across Southeast Asia and secondary global origins, Brothers International protects your production schedules against regional weather anomalies, ocean shipping bottlenecks, and seasonal crop shifts.
Harvest Cycles & Continuous Supply Management:
In its native Asian growing regions, the primary pomelo harvest runs from late summer through early spring, peaking between September and February to coincide with major cultural festivals. Equatorial microclimates also allow for secondary harvest windows throughout the year – producing additional pomelo NFC juice and pomelo juice concentrate.
Managing these continental harvest schedules and international shipping lanes is a core competency of Brothers International. Our operations and logistics teams oversee temperature-controlled maritime transport, USDA and FDA import clearances, C-TPAT supply chain security, and strategic cold-storage warehousing across North America. Whether your facility requires fresh-pressed single-strength NFC juice or 60° Brix clarified juice concentrate, our network guarantees ready inventory when your production schedule demands it.
Rigorous Quality Control, Traceability & Compliance:
Extracting and concentrating pomelo NFC juice requires specialized machinery to separate the juice sacs from the thick, bitter inner albedo membranes without crushing seeds or releasing excess limonin. Every supplier within the Brothers International network undergoes a comprehensive auditing process to guarantee complete supply chain traceability, sustainable farming practices, and strict adherence to USDA, FDA, and international food safety standards.
Through our network, we deliver pomelo 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 testing for pesticide residues, heavy metals, microbial safety, titratable acidity, naringin/limonin levels, and Brix adherence.
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 Pomelo is sourced from the earth’s prime growing regions where farming expertise, climate and soil composition come together to produce Pomelo 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.
