The rush to join the popular ‘Buy West, Eat Best’ program continued today with Agriculture and Food Minister Terry Redman revealing the latest Western Australian food product to sign up to the campaign -  the sweet smoothie banana.

The sweet smoothie banana is a new product of the Sweeter Banana Cooperative, one of the 79 businesses registered to the ‘Buy West, Eat Best campaign.

Mr Redman said the State Government’s ‘Buy West, Eat Best’ program had been running since 2007 and provided consumers with the confidence that when purchasing food carrying the unique green logo it had been produced locally.

“Consumers are placing a higher priority on food grown and processed in Western Australia and retailers are responding to that,” he said.

“All pre-packaged bananas in WA Coles supermarkets now come from Carnarvon. This is a great coup for the growing horticultural region.

“It is a significant recognition by a major supermarket chain that Western Australians are keen to feed their families food grown and packaged by Western Australian farmers and companies.

“I congratulate Sweeter Banana Co-operative for their innovative thinking and encourage consumers to look for the ‘Buy West, Eat Best’ logo when doing their shopping.”

Sweeter Banana Co-operative board member Tim Hyde said the smoothie banana was grown under intensive horticulture conditions in Carnarvon and was branded ‘tickled by nature’.

“By growing bananas close together, it increases the humidity and minimises water use, but it also results in minor marking of the banana skin,” Mr Hyde said.

“Previously bananas with blemishes on the skin were not accepted by supermarkets, however, as the inside of the banana retains the same quality we will now be selling them as smoothie bananas at a cheaper price than the well known ‘Lunchbox’ bananas.

“These bananas are not only great for eating, but also ideal for making smoothies, cakes, muffins and desserts.

“This new campaign will also benefit the State’s banana growers with a new market for these previously discarded bananas.”