Chiquita, one of the world’s largest banana producers, has expanded its partnership with The Banana Factory, a Dutch circular processing company that transforms rejected bananas into high-value banana purée and food products such as banana bread and cookies. The initiative helps prevent food waste and supports Chiquita’s global ambition of achieving“zero banana waste.”
The Port of Vlissingen is Chiquita’s main gateway for banana imports into Northern Europe. A small share of bananas arriving at the port is rejected because the ripening process has started too early, even though the fruit remains fit for consumption. Until recently, these bananas had to be destroyed due to regulatory requirements. Following policy changes and a customs agreement secured by The Banana Factory, the rejected bananas can now be processed into valuable raw materials instead.
Since 2023, The Banana Factory has rescued more than 20 million bananas from becoming waste. Through the renewed collaboration, Chiquita and The Banana Factory expect to save more than 2.2 million bananas (approximately 450 tonnes) annually, reducing food waste and associated greenhouse gas emissions while creating new value from port-related residual flows.
This case demonstrates how ports can serve as important hubs for the circular economy by identifying resource streams that would otherwise be discarded and connecting them to local processing and manufacturing activities. Building on the success in Vlissingen, the partners have extended their cooperation for another three years and expanded its geographical scope to include the United Kingdom and Scandinavia.
