UNSPSC 50307036: Star apples

Carambola or starfruits are ovate to ellipsoid, 2-1/2 to 5 inches (6 to 13 cm) in length, with 5 (rarely 4 or 6) prominent longitudinal ribs. Slices cut in cross-section are star shaped. The skin is thin, light to dark yellow and smooth with a waxy cuticle. The flesh is light yellow to yellow, translucent, crisp and very juicy, without fiber. The fruit has a more or less oxalic acid odor and the flavor ranges from very sour to mildly sweet. The so-called sweet types rarely have more than 4% sugar. There may be up to 12 flat, thin brown seeds 1/4 - 1/2 inch long or none at all.

UNSPSC 50307036 Star apples is a Commodity code. State and local governments buying under this code procure fresh fruit for child nutrition programs, school meal services, senior center distributions, and institutional food service. Recent solicitations show minimal procurement activity directly matching star apples; instead, issuing bodies are sourcing a broad range of fresh produce—apples, bananas, berries, citrus, melons, and specialty fruits—as part of comprehensive fruit-and-vegetable contracts for school districts, child care agencies, and municipal departments. The City of Edinburg, Texas, solicited food items including fruits for a Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) meal service through RFP 2026-017 due August 4, 2026. Head Start of Greater Dallas, Inc., issued an IFB (26-GP) for frozen foods, produce, and meat products meeting CACFP requirements with a pre-bid conference and June 24, 2026 bid opening. School districts dominate the issuing-body mix—Madison Metropolitan School District in Wisconsin, Hillsborough County Public Schools in Tampa, multiple Georgia school districts (Bulloch County, Dougherty County, Bryan County, Liberty County, Glynn County, Savannah-Chatham County), and McAllen Independent School District in Texas all solicited fresh produce on a competitive basis. Austin Independent School District in Texas, Meriden Public Schools in Connecticut, and Central Point School District #6 in Oregon posted RFPs for fresh produce and vegetables. The GEC Buying Cooperative, a consortium of 40 Georgia school districts, issued RFP SN 26-004 for fresh produce and eggs across two geographic areas with combined annual spending estimated at $5.5 million.

Activity concentrates heavily in the South and Southwest, particularly Georgia (where at least twelve school districts and the state procurement office posted solicitations between March and July 2026), Texas (Edinburg, Head Start of Greater Dallas, McAllen ISD, Austin ISD), and Wisconsin (Madison Metropolitan). Secondary activity appears in Florida (Hillsborough County), Connecticut (Meriden), Oregon (Central Point), Mississippi (DeSoto County), and California (Santa Clara County correctional facility). Procurement methodology is split between sealed bids (IFB) and competitive proposals (RFP), with response dates ranging from February through August 2026. Buy American provisions and USDA compliance requirements are standard across school nutrition contracts. Pricing structures vary widely—some districts use firm fixed unit pricing, others employ cost-plus-fee models, and several require pricing anchored to USDA market indices or terminal market reports. No solicitations explicitly named star apples as a line item; the code appears misaligned with actual procurement patterns, which treat fresh fruit procurement as a broad commodity family rather than a specific exotic fruit variety. Vendors pursuing this space should position capability across standard produce categories (apples, bananas, citrus, berries) and demonstrate school nutrition experience, HACCP certification, refrigerated logistics, and compliance with federal meal program regulations rather than specialize in star apples alone.