Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. (NYSE: FDP), one of the world’s leading vertically integrated producers, marketers, and distributors of high-quality fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, today announced the launch of its latest pineapple innovation, the Rubyglow® pineapple – a red-shelled pineapple. This pineapple has a red outer skin, bright yellow flesh, and a new, sweet flavor similar to Del Monte pineapples. The Rubyglow® pineapple is first being launched in China, in time for Chinese New Year as part of the company’s grand debut in the Chinese market. A waitlist is available for consumers in other countries.
“We are proud to unveil our latest pineapple innovation to the world, the Rubyglow® pineapple. This Del Monte exclusive pineapple further cements our global leadership position in the pineapple market,” said Mohammad Abu-Ghazaleh, Chairman and CEO of Fresh Del Monte. “Our scientists continue to elevate the bar by creating new pineapple varieties, with varied tastes and colors, that cater to more and more consumers worldwide. We believe that the Rubyglow® pineapple is the perfect product to build our market presence in China.”
With around 5,000 pineapples available worldwide in 2024 and 3,000 in 2025, the pineapple’s rarity and limited inventory make Rubyglow® pineapple a highly coveted item. This holds particularly true in the Chinese market, where consumers wield significant spending power and value luxury novelty items.
Grown in Costa Rica, the Rubyglow® pineapple has been in development for more than 15 years and has a registered plant patent in the United States. It is a cross between a traditional pineapple and a Morada pineapple — which is typically inedible — making the Rubyglow® pineapple a hybrid fruit produced through traditional crossbreeding techniques. Rubyglow® pineapples are naturally ripened in Costa Rica on the plant and sold crownless in elegantly designed packaging.
Fresh Del Monte has been leading pineapple innovation since the 1990s with the debut of the Del Monte Gold® Extra Sweet pineapple, the first of its kind. The pineapple has a golden color and, at that time, was much sweeter than any other pineapple on the market. Since then, the company’s robust pineapple program has released the Pinkglow® pineapple, the Honeyglow® pineapple, the Del Monte Zero™ pineapple, and now the Rubyglow® pineapple.
