Chiquita Brands International, Inc.'s Partnership With the Rainforest Alliance

In 1992 Chiquita launched a partnership with the New-York-based environmental group, the Rainforest Alliance on what was dubbed the "Better Banana Project". 

The PR company Edelman cites the collaboration between the two groups as an example of its work in bridging the gap between bus8iness and non-government organizations. (Download a copy of the February 2001 Edelman presentation 347k pdf file).

In 2005, the company reported that it had launched a major marketing campaign in Europe in an attempt to shore up its position as the number one supplier to the European market ahead of the introduction of import taxes on bananas from Latin America. The company was keen to maintain "European consumers’ willingness to pay a price premium for Chiquita bananas – as much as 25 percent higher than other brands."

"One of the key components of this campaign," the company reported in its 2005 annual report, "was the introduction of a new Rainforest Alliance-certified label on our bananas in nine European countries, underscoring our commitment to high standards of social and environmental performance. As a result of this campaign, consumers have said they are even more willing to pay a price premium for Chiquita bananas. Consumers’ perception of Chiquita’s quality, respect for the environment and labor rights was also significantly enhanced.

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