Ep. 3 Agbalumo: The Exotic Fruit That Has Everyone Going Crazy!
🍊 AGBALUMO SEASON IS HERE 🍊
If you've seen the lines at African markets between December and April, you already know. Agbalumo season is here, and everyone is trying to get their hands on this sweet, tangy, one-of-a-kind fruit. In this episode of the Destiny African Market(ing) Podcast, we break down everything you need to know about agbalumo (also called Udara in Igbo and Alasa in Ghana). We talk about why this fruit means so much to us, when it's in season, why it's so hard to find in the U.S., and why the price tag is worth it. Plus, we share how you can get yours at Destiny African Market before it sells out.
Whether you grew up on agbalumo and chewed it until it turned into gum or you're curious about what all the hype is about, this one's for you.
Podcast Transcript
Agbalumo: The Fruit That Has Everyone Going Crazy
Introduction
Welcome back to the Destiny African Market(ing) Podcast! I'm so glad you're here with us today. If you're new here, this is where we celebrate West African culture, cuisine, and the incredible stories that connect our diaspora from Randolph to Accra, from Lagos to beyond.
Now, if you've been on social media lately, if you've walked into any African grocery store between December and April, if you've seen the lines, heard the whispers, watched the excitement... you already know what we're talking about today.
Agbalumo.
That small, round, orange-skinned fruit that has the entire diaspora going absolutely crazy. The fruit that brings grown men and women to their knees with nostalgia. The one that has TikTok foodies losing their minds trying to describe that unique sweet-tangy-slightly-bitter taste to people who've never experienced it.
Today, we're getting into the story of agbalumo. Why we love it so much, why it's so hard to get here in the United States, and why when you see it at Destiny African Market, you better grab it fast because it will not last.
What is Agbalumo?
So let's start with the basics for those who may not know.
Agbalumo, that's the Yoruba name, is also called Udara in Igbo, Otien in Edo, Chiwo in Hausa, and Alasa in Ghana. The English name? African Star Apple. The scientific name is Chrysophyllum albidum, but honestly, if you walked up to any street vendor in Lagos or Accra and said "Chrysophyllum albidum please," they would look at you like you lost your mind.
But say "agbalumo" or "udara" or "alasa"? They'll know exactly what you want.
Now, where does that "star apple" name come from? Here's the beautiful thing. When you slice this fruit in half, the seeds are arranged in a perfect star pattern. It's like nature's own design, hidden inside this unassuming fruit.
The fruit itself is about the size of a small orange. The skin is this beautiful orange to reddish-brown color when ripe, and it's actually edible, chewy with a leathery texture. But it's what's inside that everyone's after. That fleshy, juicy pulp that wraps around three to five dark seeds.
And the taste? This is where words fail us. Agbalumo is sweet and tangy and slightly sour and sometimes a little bitter, all at the same time. It's complex. It's an experience. And here's the thing, every single agbalumo tastes slightly different. Some are so sweet they'll make you close your eyes in pure joy. Others? They're so sour your face will twist up like you bit into a lemon.
Picking a sweet one versus a sour one? That's an art form. Some people say the darker ones are sweeter. Others swear by the feel, the weight, the look around the stem. But honestly? It's always a bit of a gamble, and that's part of the fun.
And let's not forget, if you chew the pulp long enough, it turns into natural chewing gum. Yes! Natural gum from a fruit. The kids know this. The adults who grew up with it know this. It's one of those magical childhood memories.
A Taste of Home
For many of us in the diaspora, agbalumo isn't just a fruit. It's a time machine.
One bite and suddenly you're back in Lagos, buying agbalumo from the women selling them in small pyramids on the roadside. You're back in Accra, watching your auntie carefully select the best ones from the market. You're a child again, competing with your siblings over who got the sweetest one, who can turn their pulp into the biggest piece of gum.
When I lived in Nigeria, and this is true for so many of us, you always knew when agbalumo season had arrived. It was all anyone talked about. At school, at work, after church on Sunday. "Have you gotten agbalumo yet?" "Did you find sweet ones?" "Where are you buying yours from?"
It's that cultural moment. That seasonal celebration. That shared experience that connects generations.
When is agbalumo in season?
Now here's where it gets tricky, especially for us here in the United States.
Agbalumo is a seasonal fruit. It only grows and harvests from about December to April, that's roughly five months out of the year. In Nigeria, farmers harvest it mainly from December to March. The trees need warm tropical climates, well-drained soil, lots of sunlight, and years to mature before they even produce fruit.
And unlike apples or oranges that you can find year-round, agbalumo doesn't work that way. When it's in season, it's everywhere. When it's out of season, it's gone. No exceptions. No greenhouse tricks. You wait until next year.
This is why when agbalumo appears, people rush. They stock up. They tell their friends and family. Because the window is short, and once it's gone, the long wait begins again.
Why is agbalumo so expensive in the U.S.?
Now, I know some of you have seen the prices for agbalumo here in America and thought, "Wait, how much?!"
Let me explain why this fruit that costs almost nothing when you buy it from a roadside vendor in Nigeria is so expensive here.
First: Agbalumo does not grow in the United States.
The African Star Apple tree, Chrysophyllum albidum, is native to tropical West Africa. It needs that specific climate, that specific soil, those specific conditions. You cannot grow it commercially here. Period.
Now, you might have heard of something called "star apple" being grown in South Florida or Hawaii. But here's the important distinction. That's a different fruit. That's Chrysophyllum cainito, sometimes called the purple star apple or caimito. It's a cousin, a relative from the same family, but it's not the same fruit. It's not your agbalumo. It's not your udara. It's not your alasa.
The real agbalumo, the African Star Apple we grew up with, has to be imported directly from West Africa.
Second: The shipping is incredibly complicated.
Agbalumo has a shelf life of only three to five days at room temperature. That's it. Once it starts going bad, you'll see those tiny worms or maggots. Trust me, always open it and check before you eat.
So how do you get a fruit that spoils in less than a week from Nigeria to America? You have to freeze it. The agbalumo you buy here has been frozen to survive the journey. This is why the color might look different from what you remember, a bit darker, not quite that bright orange. That's the freezing process.
And even with freezing, it's not simple. You need proper cold chain logistics. Refrigerated containers, temperature monitoring throughout the journey, USDA clearance, FDA inspections, customs clearance. Every step costs money. Every step adds risk. If the temperature rises even slightly during transit, you can lose an entire shipment.
Third: The demand far exceeds the supply.
With more and more Africans in the diaspora craving the foods of home, the demand for authentic products like agbalumo has exploded. But the supply chain? It's still catching up. There are only so many importers, only so many shipments, only so much fruit that can survive the journey.
When you factor in the cost of the fruit, the specialized shipping, the cold storage, the customs and inspections, the losses from spoilage, and the limited supply... the price makes sense. It's expensive because getting it here is genuinely difficult.
So how do you get agbalumo in the U.S.?
Simple. You come to Destiny African Market.
We do the hard work for you. We work with importers who know how to handle this precious cargo. We stock the freshest agbalumo we can get when it's in season. And we make sure our community, our customers, our family, has access to this taste of home.
But here's what you need to understand: When you see agbalumo on our shelves, you grab it. You don't wait. You don't think "I'll come back next week." Because it will be gone. The community moves fast. Word spreads. People come from all over.
Follow us on Instagram at @destinyafricanmarket. When agbalumo season hits, we'll let you know. We'll post when it's in stock. And you need to move quickly.
The Nutritional Powerhouse of Agbalumo
Now, before we wrap up, let me tell you. Agbalumo isn't just delicious, it's genuinely good for you.
This fruit is packed with Vitamin C, more than oranges, some studies say. It's full of antioxidants, calcium, potassium, and iron. It's rich in dietary fiber, which is great for digestion. It's low in calories, only about 60-70 calories per 100 grams, making it an excellent snack if you're watching your weight.
Traditional medicine in West Africa has used various parts of the African star apple tree, the bark, the leaves, the fruit itself, to treat everything from toothaches to sore throats to digestive issues. Some research even suggests it may help with blood sugar regulation.
Pregnant women especially love agbalumo. The sour taste helps with morning sickness, and the nutrients support both mother and baby.
So when you're eating agbalumo, you're not just enjoying a treat. You're nourishing your body with real, natural goodness.
Closing
So there you have it. The full story of agbalumo. The fruit of nostalgia. The fruit of culture. The fruit that connects us to home no matter how far we've traveled.
It's rare. It's seasonal. It's difficult to ship. It's expensive to get here. And it's absolutely worth it.
When agbalumo season comes around, stop by Destiny African Market in Randolph. Get your taste of home. Share it with your children so they know what you knew. Share it with your friends who've never tried it so they can understand why we go crazy for this fruit.
For more information about agbalumo, check out our blog at destinyafricanmarket.com/blog/agbalumo. We've got the full breakdown there.
Until next time, keep celebrating our culture, supporting our community, and remember: food is our love language.
This is the Destiny African Market(ing) Podcast, bringing you the stories, flavors, and culture of West Africa, right here in Greater Boston.
