Shopping to help a community

Shopping for organic or community products such as honey, coffee, chocolate, vanilla, salsas and preserves helps support sustainable development in rural areas of southeast Mexico. By purchasing Pitahi papaya and pitahaya or dragon fruit jam at The Royal Market you can help improve lives in the village of Chumpon in the Zona Maya, central Quintana Roo.

The native pitahaya cactus is grown in the Chumpon area for the export market. A group of local women decided to make jam from surplus fruit as a way of boosting income and employment opportunities in their community. They founded the Ulu Umil Beh cooperative and began cooking. Their preserves are now stocked by stores in the Riviera Maya and served in some hotels.

Pitahi jam, on sale at The Royal Market. Try some on your next trip.