The pineapple may have begun as a rare curiosity from the tropics, but by the 18th century, it had become a symbol of imperial power, elite refinement, and national rivalry. In this second and final part of their journey into the history of the world’s most flamboyant fruit, John and Patrick explore the height of pineapple mania in Georgian Britain, where aristocrats competed to grow the perfect specimen in lavish “pineries,” often at extraordinary cost. Possessing a pineapple was no longer just a sign of wealth - it was a performance of dominance, control, and taste.

But the fruit’s story didn’t end in the hothouses of Surrey. As tensions simmered between Britain and its American colonies, the pineapple -by now appearing in colonial door frames, tableware, and rebellion-fueled satire - played an unexpected supporting role in the growing transatlantic divide.

By the 19th century, technological innovations transformed the fruit from rarefied luxury to household staple, while industrial canning and the rise of plantation production brought pineapples into the homes of an emerging American middle class.

From the lush fields of Florida to the imperial fantasies projected onto Hawaii, the pineapple was reshaped, rebranded, and ultimately reborn as a golden icon of tropical abundance. But behind its sunny image lay a legacy of labor, land seizure, and corporate control. And just when it seemed the fresh pineapple had been lost to a syrupy tin, it made a glittering comeback with the launch of the Gold Pineapple, engineered for sweetness, shelf life, and spectacle.

Join John and Patrick for the extraordinary conclusion of the pineapple’s global odyssey - one of science, scandal, colonial ambition, and the enduring power of fruit to shape empires.

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In Sponsorship with Cornell University: Dyson Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

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The pineapple - today a familiar tropical fruit, boxed in lunch kits and blended in cocktails - was once the most exotic and awe-inspiring delicacy known to Europeans. Its journey from the hands of Indigenous cultivators in the rainforests of South America to the hothouses of Georgian England is a tale of exploration, obsession, imperial rivalry, and horticultural espionage.

In this first episode of a two-part series, John and Patrick trace the pineapple’s origins to the Tupi-Guarani people, for whom the nana was a cherished crop. Then came Columbus, who encountered the fruit on the island of Guadeloupe and, dazzled by its flavour, brought it back to Spain as a trophy of the New World - presenting it to King Ferdinand as evidence of the riches ripe for conquest. From there, the pineapple set off on an extraordinary global voyage, becoming an object of fascination in courts and colonies alike.

Within decades, the fruit had spread to Asia and Africa, and it wasn’t long before European elites became obsessed. In England, King Charles II embraced the pineapple as a symbol of royal magnificence, commissioning portraits to cement its mythic status. Meanwhile, the Dutch, ever resourceful, mastered the art of growing pineapples using rotting tanners bark in heated greenhouses, setting off a botanical arms race. The English soon caught up thanks, ironically, to a Dutchman of their own.

Join John and Patrick as they uncover the tropical fruit that ignited imperial rivalries, captured royal imaginations, and reshaped global agriculture. The humble pineapple was never just a fruit - it was power, prestige, and paradise incarnate.

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In Sponsorship with Cornell University: Dyson Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

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Tariffs might seem like dusty matters for economists, but their effects on fresh produce have been anything but dry. In this episode, John and Patrick trace the surprising - and at times surreal - impact of American trade policy on fruits and vegetables.

First, they dive into the Mongrel Tariff Act of 1883, where a tomato’s very identity was put on trial to decide whether it was a fruit or vegetable. Next it’s on to the chaos of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, a protectionist gamble that backfired spectacularly on American farmers during the Great Depression. Then, they move on to more recent history to discuss the so-called "Banana Wars" - a bitter trade dispute between the United States and Europe that saw fresh produce caught in the crossfire. Finally, John and Patrick turn to the present day, asking what Trump’s tariff wars have meant for modern growers, and whether history offers any guidance for navigating the uncertain future of fresh produce.

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In Sponsorship with Cornell University: Dyson Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

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