Dole Food Company to Debut DOLE® Colada Royale Pineapple at Global Produce & Floral Show; Bil Goldfield Previews

CHARLOTTE, NC - The pineapple category was ready for another shakeup, and Dole Food Company delivered. DOLE® Colada Royale Pineapple is a game-changing new non-GMO variety prepared to shake up the produce department with its unique taste and appearance. Global Produce & Floral Show attendees will be among the first to experience the variety’s indulgent hints of coconut and piña colada.

“What really sets Colada Royale apart is the eating experience. The flesh is lighter in color than most people expect, but the flavor is strikingly different,” explains Bil Goldfield, Dole’s Director of Corporate Communications. “It's sweet, bright, and with the subtle coconut note that reminds many of a piña colada. It feels indulgent, but in a natural, refreshing way.”

Colada Royale has a unique visual appeal, with a distinct green-to-gold outside and a lighter cream-colored inside. Its sweeter, bolder flavor is the result of 15 years of trial-and-error natural breeding by Dole at one of its oldest pineapple farms in Honduras.

In fact, the new variety is a passion project for Honduran native and Director of Pineapple Breeding Roberto Young, who counts it as his crowning achievement after 28 years with the company. As part of its mission to positively impact worker welfare and human rights, Dole is reinvesting a portion of Colada Royale proceeds to build a community center for farm workers and their families in Honduras.

“Beyond the taste, consumers today also care about where their food comes from and giving back,” Bil adds. A portion of Colada Royale sales will go directly toward building a community center near our farm in Honduras, which will offer healthcare, education, and training programs. That combination of a premium fruit with a real connection to the people behind it is something we think will resonate strongly.”

In addition to the exciting opportunities it creates for retailers, the debut of this new variety also signals space for continued innovation in an established category.

“Pineapples are a fairly mature category, but Colada Royale shows there is still room for meaningful innovation,” Bil says. “It took more than 15 years to get this variety right, and we see it as proof that patient, thoughtful development can pay off. Unlike some novelty pineapples that may often come to market at very high prices or lean heavily on a marketing gimmick, Colada Royale will be priced within reach of most everyday shoppers. That balance of something new and indulgent, while still accessible, can bring sideline consumers into the category and help really lift sales.”

To learn more about this striking new variety, visit booth #2838 during the GPFS. Until then, keep reading ANUK for the latest updates!