We know (and love) the farm-to-table principle: products that come to us directly from the producer, without an intermediary. It’s possible for radishes, asparagus, local meats… But pineapples?
This is what the Hawaiian pineapple producer Maui Gold Pineapple has recently been offering. Indeed, fruit picked by hand from the slopes of Mount Haleakala, in the rural village of Hali’imaile, is now shipped the same day to Canadian customers by air.
Pineapples ripen in what are said to be perfect conditions: on the island of Maui, the days are hot, the nights are cool and the plants grow in volcanic soil. When picked, the fruits are just ripe. Their skin is yellow (a sign that they are ripe) and their flesh is sweet, without any trace of acidity.
What does it taste like? That of the sun and the tropics. It’s a real journey for the taste buds. With your eyes closed, you are transported to Hawaii, yes. Or even in Asia. Or in the Caribbean. Anywhere where you can eat juicy pineapples, which have nothing to do with the green, hard and acidic pineapples that reach our grocery stores.
But it’s a pleasure for the senses that comes at a price. And he’s tough. Maui Gold Pineapple charges $90 CAD to ship just one pineapple! For two, the price is $100. And it costs $200 for a box of seven or eight fruits.
A luxury that some may be tempted to treat themselves to for the holidays. Or to get a real vitamin C boost at a price that’s still cheaper than a plane ticket…