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FEIJOAS

Fragrant, Tropical & Unlike Anything Else

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Feijoas are one of the Southern Forests’ most distinctive seasonal fruits. Often described as a cross between pineapple, guava and citrus, they bring an intensely fragrant flavour profile that feels completely different to most everyday fruit.

Their soft, juicy flesh works beautifully across both sweet and savoury dishes, while their natural acidity and perfume make them especially popular with cooks who love experimenting with flavour.

WHAT WE LOVE

Feijoas are the kind of fruit people become obsessed with once they discover them. Their flavour is layered, aromatic and surprisingly complex — floral, tropical, citrusy and slightly herbaceous all at once.


Southern Forests feijoas develop exceptional perfume and sweetness thanks to the region’s cooler autumn conditions, where slower ripening helps intensify flavour. Growers will often tell you the best feijoas are the ones you can smell before you even cut them open.

NUTRITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

Feijoas are unusually high in vitamin C for such a sweet, dessert-style fruit — something growers often point to as one of the reasons they’ve long been prized in home orchards. Their intensely fragrant aroma comes from natural volatile oils in the flesh, the same compounds that give feijoas their distinctive tropical, floral perfume.


The fruit is also rich in soluble fibre, particularly in the jelly-like pulp closest to the skin. Many feijoa lovers eat the skin too, which contains additional antioxidants and tannins that add a slightly herbal bitterness balancing the fruit’s sweetness.

VARIETIES TO KNOW

Several feijoa varieties are grown across cooler regions of Australia, each bringing slightly different flavour, texture and fragrance.


Some well-known varieties include:

  • Apollo — large fruit with juicy flesh and intense aroma

  • Mammoth — sweet, fragrant and highly aromatic

  • Triumph — softer texture with balanced sweetness and acidity

  • Unique — smaller fruit prized for flavour

Some lean more floral and perfumed, while others deliver sharper acidity or richer sweetness.

BUYING TIPS

Feijoas are one of those fruits where aroma tells you almost everything. If they smell fragrant and tropical, they’re usually ready to eat. Look for fruit that:

  • feels slightly soft when gently pressed

  • has a strong floral fragrance

  • feels heavy for its size

  • has smooth green skin without major blemishes

Avoid fruit that is:

  • rock hard and scentless

  • bruised or split

  • shrivelled or dull-looking

Many feijoas ally fall from the tree once ripe — often a sign they’re at their best.

KEEPING FRESH

Feijoas ripen quickly once picked. If still firm, leave them at room temperature for a few days to soften and develop flavour. Once ripe:

  • store in the fridge

  • avoid airtight containers

  • enjoy within a few days for the best eating experience

Many feijoa lovers prefer eating them slightly chilled, which helps highlight their perfume and refreshing acidity.

Feijoas also freeze surprisingly well — especially scooped pulp for baking, smoothies or cocktails later in the season.

USE NOW

Feijoas pair beautifully with:

  • ginger

  • cardamom

  • vanilla

  • lime and citrus zest

  • honey

  • coconut

  • goat cheese and blue cheese

  • pork and duck

  • hazelnuts and macadamias

Feijoas work surprisingly well with:

  • mint

  • Thai basil

  • coriander

  • rosemary

  • olive oil

  • browned butter

  • chilli

  • black pepper

Their sharp perfume and acidity make them especially good at balancing rich or creamy dishes.

RECIPES

MEET THE GROWERS

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