Fresh Del Monte has announced the launch of a personal-sized pineapple, weighing between 0.6 and 0.9kg, grown in Costa Rica. This new product complements the well-known Honeyglow, Pinkglow (pink pineapple), and Rubyglow (red-shelled) varieties.
Precious Honeyglow will be exclusively available in the United States, catering to the needs of consumers in single-person households, thereby reducing food waste.
“Precious Honeyglow offers a sweeter flavor than traditional pineapples. This particular novelty ripens naturally on the plant for a few extra days, resulting in an extra sweet flavor and a golden hue,” said Melissa Mackay, vice president of marketing for Fresh Del Monte N.A.
Based in Buenos Aires de Puntarenas, the company noted through surveys that single-person households prefer smaller pineapples to minimize fruit wastage. “Single-person households are on the rise in the U.S., with more than 28% of American households now occupied by a single person — the second largest proportion of the population,” Del Monte noted.
“The shrinking size of U.S. households contributes to greater food waste due to spoilage, resulting in 133 billion pounds of food wasted annually, at a value of approximately $161 billion. Internal surveys conducted by Fresh Del Monte show that single-person households are significantly less likely than multiple-person households to prefer full-size whole pineapples to avoid wasting fruit.”
While Fresh Del Monte primarily focuses on international marketing, it also recognizes the growing trend of single-person households in Costa Rica. As a result, distribution within the country could potentially meet consumer needs.
Although other Fresh Del Monte varieties, such as pink pineapple or red peel pineapple, are not officially marketed in Costa Rica, the case of Pinkglow has caused issues for the company and phytosanitary authorities. It was produced and sold illegally on farms and agricultural fairs in the country, outside the ownership of its intellectual property.
