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18 Surprising, Billion-Dollar Food Industries | Business Insider Marathon

Business Insider・101 minutes read

A billion-dollar food industry explores aloe vera farming, durian harvests, and cheese production worldwide. Various countries face challenges and implement solutions to sustain their agricultural practices while meeting high demand and ensuring product quality.

Insights

France imports a billion dollars of butter annually, leading to shortages in Asia.
The Dominican Republic hosts the world's largest aloe vera farm, Universal Aloe Farm, focusing on aloe barbadensis Miller for its nutritional content.
Challenges like climate crises and diseases like Citrus Greening impact durian and citrus farming, affecting production and costs.
Emmental cheese, the world's largest cheese, is produced in Emal, Switzerland, with iconic holes and distinctive taste variations based on aging.

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Recent questions

What is the process of aloe vera gel extraction?
Aloe leaves are harvested, processed in chlorinated saltwater, trimmed to extract the gel, shredded, and have ascorbic acid added for shelf life extension. Quality assurance tests are conducted before shipment to ensure authenticity.
How long does it take for a durian tree to bear fruit?
It takes about 6 years for a durian tree to bear fruit, with careful techniques and resources contributing to the high quality of the fruit. Different varieties like Kano and Monong have varying prices and flavors.
What are the traditional methods used in Emmental cheese production?
Emmental cheese is produced by heating raw milk, adding bacteria and rennet, cutting curds, pressing, fermenting, and storing. The iconic holes in Emmental are formed by a bacterial reaction releasing carbon dioxide, creating eyes.
What are the unique properties of Manuka honey?
Manuka honey from New Zealand is known for its earthy, rich flavor and antibacterial, anti-inflammatory properties. It undergoes rigorous testing for compounds like DHA, MGO, and HMF to ensure authenticity and quality.
How has the global tofu market been evolving?
The global tofu market has been growing, with increased awareness of its protein, amino acids, and nutrient content. Tofu production has increased by 80%, and projections suggest continued popularity and growth in the coming years.

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Summary

00:00

Global Billion-Dollar Food Industries Unveiled

France imports a billion dollars of butter annually, leading to shortages in Asia.
China spends billions on durian and fruit sales each year.
The journey explores billion-dollar food industries worldwide.
The Dominican Republic hosts the world's largest aloe vera farm, Universal Aloe Farm.
The farm covers 5,000 acres and focuses on aloe barbadensis Miller for its nutritional content.
It takes about 8 months for aloe plants to mature, with 750 people harvesting them.
Harvested leaves are processed in chlorinated saltwater and trimmed to extract the gel.
The gel undergoes shredding and ascorbic acid addition for shelf life extension.
Quality assurance tests are conducted before shipment, with some aloe products found to be fake.
Aloe products lack FDA regulation, leading to varied product compositions and limited scientific evidence on aloe's healing properties.

18:32

Immigrant life, robot pickers, prized durians, challenges.

America is urged to provide a better life for new immigrant populations.
Some in the industry are considering robot Pickers, but concerns exist about their delicacy compared to human hands in selecting mushrooms.
Farmers will continue seeking human help to pick mushrooms until robots are ready in 3 years.
Thailand harvests a million metric tons of durian fruit annually, with the most expensive varieties grown in Nury Province.
Nury Province's durians, especially the Kano and Monong varieties, are highly valued for their refined taste and texture.
The distinct taste and smell of Nury Province's durians are attributed to the region's environment and farming practices.
It takes about 6 years for a durian tree to bear fruit, with careful techniques and resources contributing to the high quality of the fruit.
Non durian prices vary, with Monong durians being more affordable than the pricier Kano variety.
Challenges like climate crises and diseases like Citrus Greening impact durian and citrus farming, affecting production and costs.
Long-term solutions for Citrus Greening involve research into resistant orange varieties, aiming to sustain citrus farming despite the disease's prevalence.

37:19

"Fran's Traditional Dutch Cheese Farm Resists Change"

Fran started making cheese at 22 years old, continuing a 7-generation tradition of cheese production and cow milking.
The Dutch dairy industry has deep roots, with farming shaping the landscape since the 13th century, focusing on cattle for meat, milk, and cheese due to the wet soil.
Fran stands out by using raw milk and handcrafting cheese, unlike most Dutch Dairy Farms that sell milk to large factories for mass production.
Fran meticulously checks the curds by hand, draining the whey and utilizing all byproducts like skimming fat for butter and feeding whey to pigs.
Fran uses traditional methods, including wooden buckets and manual curd preparation, producing 12 wheels of cheese at a time.
Each wheel weighs around 25-30 kg, and Fran's 200 female cows contribute to the cheese production, with the Netherlands having 1.6 million cows.
The dairy sector's ammonia emissions have led to environmental issues, affecting native plants, snails, and birds in national parks.
To comply with EU regulations, the Netherlands has implemented policies to reduce ammonia emissions, including covered manure storage and cutting emissions by almost 2/3 by 2019.
The government faced backlash from farmers over regulations, leading to protests and a buyout plan to close high-emission farms near nature reserves.
Despite challenges, Fran remains committed to his family farm, resisting the buyout and emphasizing the importance of preserving traditions and the environment.

55:59

"Banana Harvest: Preventing TR4 Spread in Colombia"

Workers wash and disinfect the underside of cars to prevent the spread of infected soil.
Cement paths are built throughout the farm to avoid workers walking on open soil during harvest.
Workers walk through a sanitizing foot bath made of ammonium before harvesting.
Bananas are measured to ensure they are ready for harvest, usually 12 to 13 weeks after the fruit stem appears.
Bunches of bananas are cut down, sanitized with chlorine, and checked for quality before packaging.
Bananas are cut into smaller bunches, wrapped carefully to prevent bruising, and labeled with stickers.
Boxes of bananas are loaded onto pallets and trucks for transportation to the nearby port.
The Colombian government has strict guidelines for containing the TR4 fungus, including herbicide injections and zoning measures.
Biocurity measures have cost the farm up to $5 million since 2019 but have successfully contained the fungus in Colombia.
Scientists are working on developing resistant bananas through genetic modification and traditional breeding methods to combat the TR4 fungus.

01:24:40

Emmental Cheese: Swiss Icon with Iconic Holes

Emmental cheese, one of the most consumed cheeses in the US, is produced in the village of Aalton in Emal, Switzerland.
80% of Emal production comes from this region, with 150 producers, named after the nearby River Em and Tal meaning Valley in German.
Emmental cheese has iconic holes and is the world's largest cheese, with AOP protection granted in 2002, requiring specific qualifications like using raw milk from dairy farms within 20 km.
177,700 tons of Emmental are produced annually by 150 family dairies, with cheese production starting over 200 years ago in the hilly region.
The cheese-making process involves heating raw milk, adding bacteria and rennet, cutting curds, pressing for 12 hours, fermenting for 8 weeks, and storing for up to 2 months before wholesaler collection.
The famous holes in Emmental cheese are formed by a bacterial reaction releasing carbon dioxide, creating eyes, with regulated wheel sizes and costs.
Emmental cheese matures into different varieties like 4-month classic, 8-month reserve, 12-month AOP extra, and 24-month Laird.
The taste of Emmental cheese varies with aging, with the classic 4-month aged cheese having a rich, full flavor due to raw milk.
Authentic Emmental cheese is identified by the Emmental logo and a unique cheese number on the rind, allowing customers to trace its origin on the website.
95% of cheeses sold as Swiss cheese or with holes are fake Emmental, with the brand protected by AOP label and unique bacteria, ensuring authenticity.

01:43:37

Maple Guild and Manuka Honey: Sweet Success

Vermont's maple production has grown by 24% since 2000, leading to increased demand for maple syrup.
The Maple Guild introduced an unconventional sugaring model in Vermont, capitalizing on the rising interest in pure maple syrup.
The Maple Guild sells branded products infused with flavors like coffee, pumpkin spice, and bourbon across 50 states.
The company aims for an annual production goal of 150 to 200,000 gallons of maple syrup and offers 17 other maple-based products.
Manuka Honey from New Zealand is known for its earthy, rich flavor and unique properties, representing only 1% of all world honeys.
New Zealand's Manuka honey exports are valued at $24 million, expected to reach $800 million by 2028.
Manuka honey undergoes rigorous testing for unique compounds like DHA, MGO, and HMF to ensure authenticity and quality.
The use of Manuka honey in health and beauty products is driven by its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Manuka honey's popularity has led to thefts and reports of bee poisoning in New Zealand due to its high demand and prices.
Oda Tofu, America's oldest tofu factory, handcrafts tofu using traditional Japanese methods, facing challenges due to rising soybean prices.

01:59:07

"Expanding Tofu Market and Exclusive Mangoes"

Jason sells Oda tofu and soy milk in over 150 restaurants around Portland.
Tofu production has increased by 80%, with expectations of continued popularity in 2020.
The global tofu market was worth $746 million and is projected to grow by over 5% in the next 6 years.
Tofu is rich in protein, amino acids, and nutrients, leading to increased awareness and consumption.
Jason is considering expanding to meet growing demand by moving to a larger space or opening factories in other cities.
In Miyazaki, Japan, farmers grow and auction the exclusive Tao no tomago mangoes, known for their care and quality.
Mangoes need bees for pollination, crucial for successful growth and auction success.
Farmers like Takuya rent bees during the flowering season to ensure proper pollination.
Takuya's meticulous care for mango plants includes temperature control, ventilation, dehumidification, and protection from gravity.
Takuya's dedication to each mango results in unique flavors and high-quality Tao no tomago mangoes, fetching top prices at auctions.

02:30:29

Quinoa's Global Rise and Impact

The Cooperative exports quinoa to the US, the European Union, and Japan.
Quinoa's popularity in the US surged after free trade agreements were established in 2009.
Quinoa gained fame for being gluten-free and high in protein during the rise of diets like keto.
The United Nations declared 2013 the international year of quinoa to promote its health benefits.
The average price of quinoa in Peru nearly doubled between 2012 and 2014.
The increase in quinoa sales benefited not only producers but also locals indirectly.
Globalization led to quinoa being grown in various regions, causing a market flood and price drop.
Concerns arise over the loss of quinoa varieties due to farmers focusing on lucrative strains.

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