Five varieties, each grown for a reason. Here is how they differ, who buys them, and how they behave once they reach your shop.
The best variety for you depends on who you sell to and how quickly the fruit moves. A busy supermarket wants Sagor in huge, even volumes. A premium shop will sell Sabri at a better margin. A kitchen buying for curries needs green cooking bananas that never go near ripening gas.
Not every variety is available every week. Harvests rotate across the farm, and we always tell you honestly what is ready before you commit to an order.
Long, evenly curved fingers with a smooth skin that turns a clean, bright yellow. Sagor is the variety most shoppers picture when they think of a banana: sweet, soft and easy to sell in any quantity.
Fruit shops, supermarkets, offices, schools
Whole bunches, graded hands, green stage 1
Ripens evenly in four to five days. Holds well at stage 4 to 6.
A shorter, plumper banana with thin skin and a rich aroma. Sabri has a slight tang under its sweetness, and many customers will pay more for it. It bruises more easily, so we pack it in shallower crates.
Premium fruit shops, gift baskets, home delivery sellers
Graded hands in shallow crates
Ripens quickly. Best ordered at stage 4 for sale within two days.
Compact fingers with a thicker skin that takes on a warm, golden tone when ripe. The flesh is firm with a gentle sour-sweet balance. Champa keeps longer on the shelf than most varieties, which makes it a favourite for stalls.
Market stalls, traders on longer routes, roadside sellers
Whole bunches and hands
Slow, steady ripening. Stays at stage 5 to 6 for several days.
Big, heavy fingers with creamy flesh and a pronounced sweetness. Amritasagar looks impressive on display and is popular with juice bars and dessert kitchens that want maximum flavour from every finger.
Juice bars, bakeries, hotels, caterers
Graded hands, ripened to stage 6 or 7
Ripens fully in about five days. Order at the stage you will use it.
Starchy, thick-skinned bananas that are eaten green and cooked, never ripened. They are used in curries, mashed dishes, fritters and chips. We cut them at full size and keep them away from the ripening room entirely.
Restaurants, caterers, vegetable sellers, households buying in bulk
Green hands in crates, sold by count
Not ripened. Keep cool and shaded and use within a week.
A quick comparison for buyers who stock more than one variety. Shelf life assumes a shaded display between 14°C and 20°C.
| Variety | Finger size | Taste | Shelf life from stage 5 | Typical order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sagor | Long | Sweet, mild | 3 to 4 days | Hands in crates |
| Sabri | Short, plump | Sweet with a tang, fragrant | 2 to 3 days | Shallow crates |
| Champa | Short, firm | Sour-sweet | 4 to 6 days | Bunches or hands |
| Amritasagar | Large | Very sweet, creamy | 2 to 3 days | Hands at stage 6 to 7 |
| Kacha kola | Large, thick-skinned | Starchy, cooked green | Up to 7 days green | Green hands by count |
Most banana waste happens after delivery. These habits will add days to every crate.
Below about 12°C the skin turns grey-black and the fruit stops ripening properly. A cool, shaded room is better than a cold one.
Weight bruises the lower hands. Hang whole bunches from the stem, or keep hands in a single layer with the crown down.
Ripe bananas give off ethylene, which speeds up ripening around them. Keep green stock in a different area if you want it to wait.
Put each new delivery behind the older fruit. Our crate labels show the dispatch date to make this easy.
Stage 7 bananas are perfect for bakeries and juice. Offer them at a lower price or to a kitchen before they pass their best.
Tell us what you sell now and how fast it moves. We will suggest a mix and a ripening stage for your first order.
