The Popular Banana Brand That We Might See Less Of

The banana brand Chiquita — think the blue sticker with a woman wearing a fruit-filled hat — ceased its operations in Panama in early June. The decision came after Chiquita fired thousands of its workers for going on strike over social security reforms that would impact benefits and pensions. Following the exit of their administrative staff, Chiquita announced they were laying off the remainder of their local workforce. So does this mean the North American banana giant will no longer exist on grocery store shelves?

Don’t go bananas just yet. The brand still remains in business, but we may start to see less Chiquita banana bunches (and less of our favorite banana bread recipe that tastes like cake), and not just because of the company’s labor crisis.

Prior to Chiquita’s exit, an interruption of banana distribution from Panama was already anticipated. Abnormally high temperatures have hindered prosperous growth, and banana yields have also been affected by fursarium wilt, a fungus carried through the soil that prevents plants from receiving water and nutrients (it’s not dissimilar to the fungal disease that causes reddish “blood” streaks in bananas and which are part of the “banana panic”). There is currently no known cure for fusarium and once a plant is infected, it has to be destroyed. In many cases, it can wipe out an entire banana plantation.

These two issues have hindered the production of bananas for all brands originating in Panama, not just Chiquita. However, the added labor disputes on top of the already-existing environmental issues further impacts Chiquta’s output.

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Unpeeling The Future For Chiquita Bananas

For die-hard Chiquita banana lovers, there’s still hope. Chiquita also has banana farms that continue to operate in other Latin American countries, like Costa Rica, Honduras, and Ecuador. Thus, the brand hasn’t been completely removed from the market, and their bananas may still be found in some stores. However, since 90% of the brand’s bananas are grown in Panama, consumers may start to notice fewer Chiquita bananas in produce sections, especially in stores that rely on Chiquita as their sole supplier.

The dwindling shelf space occupied by Chiquita may be replaced by other banana brands. These include familiar favorites like Del Monte and Dole, which are also grown in Panama, as well as lesser-known brands grown in…