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JCC Frutas offers healthy snacking choice
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Posted on Oct 09 2019
JCC Frutas opened last month in Garapan to give a healthier snacking choice for Saipan. (Photos by Mark Rabago)
A new business on Saipan is hoping to ride the healthy food choice wave with a fruit and smoothies store in Garapan.
JCC Frutas held its ribbon-cutting last month at its location that’s a block behind Dollar Days and beside RJ Pizza in Garapan.
Owner Louis Lin said he opened JCC Frutas after hearing from tourists that they cannot find any fruit stores on Saipan.
“Tourist who I talk to always complain that, for a tropical island, there’s just no place to buy fresh fruits on Saipan,” he said.
Enter JCC Frutas, which offers seasonal local fruits and imported fruits in $3 (small), $7 (medium), and $10 (large) packages.
Depending on the season, the store always has 18 kinds of fruits: bananas, mangoes, melon, watermelon, cantaloupe, dragon fruit, grapefruit, tangerines, oranges, apples, pomegranates, grapes, kiwi, pear, peach, pineapple, papaya, and tomato.
To keep the fruits fresh, Lin said he had to purchase a specially made cooler that keeps produce fresh for a longer time than the traditional refrigerators and coolers.
A considerable chunk of FCC Frutas’ $20,000 investment was spent on the state-of-the-art cooler, smoothies maker, and other amenities.
Customers can enjoy their fruits and smoothies right at the store or via takeout. Those who opt for the former can use JCC Frutas’ free WiFi and relax inside the store’s tropical island-themed setting.
While Lin’s original intention was to serve the tourist market, 99% of the JCC Frutas’ current patrons are locals, Lin said.
As for his suppliers, JCC Frutas buys half of its produce from local farmers and the other half from wholesalers like Joeten Enterprises and Luen Fung.
The 31-year-old Lin said he’s just happy to serve the community by offering a healthier alternative to fastfood.
The Grace Christian Academy alumnus is originally from Fujian, China but went to school on Saipan. He left to study culinary in China but returned to the island in 2014.
JCC Frutas comfortably sits 14 customers and is open from 9am to 9pm every day of the week. For more information, call 233-1876.
JCC Frutas owner Louis Lin with his wife.
