A banana is a banana is a banana – except when it’s stuffed with a delectably sweet filling.
Argentina – home of the tango, gauchos, Diego Maradona and… the DestapaBanana?
That’s right – the DestapaBanana, (“destapar” is a Spanish verb that can mean to uncover or unplug), while not yet commercially available, has been created by Argentine inventor, Sebastián Berger. The invention works on bananas much the way an apple-corer does, except that, one could argue, bananas don’t have a core – so what is the purpose? The instrument bores a hole into the unpeeled potassium-rich, fruit which can then be filled with almost anything, including Argentina’s favorite sticky caramel sauce, dulche de leche.
Argentine Sebastian Berger has invented what he says is an easy and hygienic way to add zest to bananas. As Berger demonstrates, removing a cylindrical piece within the banana while leaving the peel intact creates a hole which can be filled with any number of things, such as chocolate and yogurt – though Berger is convinced that dulce de leche will be a popular choice in his native Argentina. (I’ve got dibs on peanut butter when the DestapaBanana makes it to the United States.)
“U.S. consumers and nearly everyone in the world will find [the DestapaBanana] at supermarkets with promotions, which would include one DestapaBanana, one coupon for bananas, and one coupon for liquid and solid fillers for approximately $20-$25,” he said. “When I realized you can combine dulce de leche with banana and turn the fruit into a dessert in a very hygienic, attractive, fun and tasty way, I knew it would revitalize the market. So the balance of all those things is what motivated me.”
To some people an invention such as the DestapaBanana may seem unnecessary and unnatural. After all, what is wrong with bananas just the way they are? Should we be stuffing healthy fruit with possibly unhealthy, high-calorie fillings in a world that is already brimming with edible temptations and is fighting an obesity epidemic?
Yet, DestapaBanana is really no less natural than what we already do to fruit – think, chocobananos, caramel apples and drunken watermelons.
A banana is a banana is a banana – except when it’s stuffed with a delectably sweet filling.
“In the time that I have been working on this I have understood that the fruit sellers will be the people who will benefit most from the existence of the Destapabanana. Because it will increase their sales.”
Destapabanana is not being sold commercially yet but has been patented in several countries. And Berger is hoping to attracting several investers to propel his banana revolution. An intensive marketing effort is underway but only time will tell if the Destapabanana will have the necessary a-peel for Berger’s idea to bear fruit.