Taste Radio

If you’re not familiar with jackfruit, you’re not alone. The fruit, while long valued by the vegan community for its sinuous meat-like texture, is relatively unknown among Americans. Annie Ryu, the founder and CEO of The Jackfruit Company and sister brand Jack & Annie’s, is aiming to change that. Over the past decade, Ryu built the largest global supply chain for jackfruit, also referred to as “jack,” a high-yield yet underutilized crop that grows in warm and tropical climates. Amid a growing number of Americans embracing plant-based lifestyles, jackfruit has gradually appeared in natural and conventional grocery stores across the U.S. where brands like The Jackfruit Company process, package and sell it as a plant-based alternative to chicken, pork and beef.    Launched in 2015, The Jackfruit Co. markets jackfruit-based ready-to-eat meals and ingredients that are sold in approximately 6,200 stores across the U.S. In 2020, the company introduced Jack and Annie’s, a spin-off brand designed for mainstream co