CALIFORNIA RAISINS CREATES LOVING MOODS VIA FOODS FOR A TASTY RAYA

Kuala Lumpur, April 25, 2019 – The Raisin Administrative Committee (RAC) presented a California Raisins showcase today to 24 key Malaysian social media influencers at Berjaya University College of Hospitality - featuring California Raisins’ tasty and nutritious role for the festive Hari Raya.

Raisins are a very popular healthy snack for adults and children alike. Dried in the warm California sunshine, they come by their sweetness naturally and contain a host of goodness. Indeed, this little fruit has many benefits that help to maintain a healthy lifestyle and can be  used to create many tasty dishes.

Aptly themed “Raya Rasa Sayang”, the event today is aimed at bringing out the sweet loving moods through foods in celebrating the Raya festive season. It showed that California Raisins can be nutritious and versatile to be incorporated as a key ingredient to make a tasty dish for friends and family during Raya or for any occasion.

Popular Chef Ili Sulaiman kicked off the event with two scrumptious creations using California Raisins - “California Raisins Chicken Biryani” and “Homemade California Raisins Masala Spice Sausage Rolls”.  Chef Sulaiman explained that these dishes are popular with Malaysians as their flavours are appetizing and easily titillate the palates to serve at Raya gatherings as well as for family meals.

“Raya is a time to be with the family and cook them delicious food which is both tasty and do not take too long to prepare.  Both California Raisins Chicken Biryani and Homemade California Raisins Masala Spice Sausage Rolls are my family’s favourite and it can be prepared ahead of time using versatile and nutritional ingredients.  That reduces my time spent in the kitchen and allows me to have more quality family time” explained Chef Ili.

The social media influencers then took part in a one-hour challenge creating recipes using California Raisins which reflected the attributes of Raya namely Love, Forgiveness, Honour, Gratitude, Blessing, Togetherness, Kindness and Respect. 

The Grand Prize winner who walked away with RM800 was the Spice Girls Team, followed by 1^st Runner Up Prize RM500 - Abanjers Team and 2^nd Runner Up Prize RM300 - Mahalo Aidilfitri Team. The winning dishes were Ramadhan Blessings, Ayam Masak Masam Manis Kerinduaan Bersama Ketupat Kemaafan and Bumbu Kacang Nenda dan Sate Goreng respectively.

RAC’s Trade Promotions Director for Southeast Asia, Mr Richard Lieu said for most consumers, especially children, California Raisins are a healthy snack, compared with other snack foods, as they are naturally sweet and do not contain any added sugar. California Raisins are also a very versatile ingredient and can inspire a wide repertoire of dishes—from appetisers and main dishes to desserts and beverages—especially as consumers are becoming more health-conscious and more adventurous in their culinary endeavours.

More than just being an appetising delight, California Raisins are also a source of nutrition which are suitable to incorporate into meals amidst rising concerns for health issues, such as diabetes.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends that adults consume 1½ to 2 cups of fruit per day. A portable, readily available fruit, such as California Raisins, is ideal to help fulfill this quota.

Some key benefits of California Raisins include:

ü  They are all-natural

ü  They are naturally sweet and do not contain added sugar

ü  They are fat- and cholesterol-free and naturally low in sodium

ü  They are a source of potassium (an important electrolyte that aids in muscle, cardiovascular and nervous system function)

ü  They are a source of fibre

ü  They are a source of concentrated nutrients

ü  They are known to contain phytonutrients that suppress the growth of oral bacteria associated with cavities and gum disease

For information and recipes on California Raisins, visit www.calraisins.org and www.caraisins.com. Follow us on FaceBook: @RACAsean. 

About the Raisin Administrative Committee (RAC):

The Raisin Administrative Committee is non-profit organisation led by 47 growers, packers and a public member. The RAC is directly overseen by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and was created in 1949 as a result of the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937.

RAC’s headquarters is in downtown Fresno, California. It collects and distributes delivery data weekly and shipment data monthly, publishes an annual report of industry statistics and policies, actively and directly markets into 18 foreign nations, and collaborates with the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service.