It's a story that spans continents and centuries, taking in corporate empires and CIA-backed coups and it's all about bananas. Could Britain's favourite fruit be wiped out?
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They're cheap, convenient and available in every supermarket, every day of the year. Most of us barely give them a second thought.
But behind the humble banana lies one of the most extraordinary stories in the modern economy, and one of the most remarkable supply chains ever created.
Ed Conway follows the fruit's journey from vast plantations in Latin America to a giant ripening warehouse outside Coventry, uncovering a hidden world of global trade, technological innovation and corporate power.
Do you have any thoughts about the episode or questions for Ed? Email us at [email protected] and maybe we'll feature your email in an upcoming Q&A episode!
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In this episode we spoke with:
- Harry Wallop, consumer journalist and Columnist for Times Business
- Marcelo Bucheli, professor at Gies College of Business and author of "Bananas and Business: The United Fruit Company in Colombia, 1899-2000"
The Stuff Matters series producer is Jake Otajovic. The production team includes assistant producer Valeria Rocca, specialist producer Aoife Yourell, and video producer Charlie Bell. Our bonus episodes are produced by Soila Apparicio. The editor is Philly Beaumont, and the commissioning editor is Paul Stanworth. Sound design and mixing by Luke Hatten. Original music for the series composed by Klong and Ed Conway.