Pineapples from Hawaii enjoy a reputation for sweetness. Hawaii provides a unique and fertile growing region for pineapples. The combination of its latitude, gentle trade winds, warm sunny days, consistent rain fall and rich volcanic soil produce delicious pineapple year round.

While pineapples may have been introduced to Hawaii by Spanish explorers as early as 1527, pineapple agriculture in Hawaii began in 1885 under the hand of English Captain John Kidwell, who is most often credited with initiating commercial pineapple production in Hawaii.

Hawaii - Pineapple Capital of the World

Others realized the opportunity Hawaii offered to produce pineapple and by the middle of the 20th Century, eight Hawaiian pineapple companies, Maui Pineapple, Dole and Del Monte, were growing and canning pineapple and employing more than 3,000 Hawaiians. Large pineapple fields could be found on the islands of Lanai, Maui, and Oahu.

In 1948, Hawaii was the pineapple capital of the world, producing more than 80 percent of the world’s pineapple. At that time, pineapple production was Hawaii’s second largest industry, second only to sugar cane. Historically, most of Hawaiian pineapple production was canned. Currently, there is increasing demand for producing and selling fresh pineapple. However, the rising costs of labor and production in Hawaii compared to other regions such as Costa Rica, Brazil and the Philippines. In 2006, Del Monte ceased pineapple operations in Hawaii after 90 years leaving Maui Pineapple and Dole as the two companies that still produce Hawaiian Pineapple.

Maui Pineapple Company began producing Hawaiian Pineapple nearly 100 years ago and flourishes today as a truly authentic Hawaiian company.

In 1901, James Dole began growing pineapple on 60 acres on Wahiawa, north of Oahu.