It is highly beneficial for an office space to have a regular office fruit delivery, for reasons that can be read here: The Benefits of an Office Fresh Fruit Basket Delivery. One of the main reasons is that it encourages healthy eating – steering staff members away from gorging on sweet treats all day. One of the best fruits for you in the office fruit delivery is the humble banana. High in energy and rich in minerals, these herbs (technically) are convenient and healthy.
But what is the history of this bright yellow wonder? How did it become a staple of fruit bowls across the nation? In this blog we will be detailing the history of how this fruit came to be a classic element of our diets. All the way from its discovery to making up your office fruit delivery.
1. Bananas’ bold beginnings
According to community.plu.edu/, bananas originated in South-East Asia, mainly India. Around 320 B.C. they were brought westward by Arab conquerors and they slowly spread throughout Africa as a common crop. It wasn’t until the height of colonial times, in the mid-nineteenth century, that they really took off as a popular product. Bananas were grown in the Caribbean by the colonial powers and then exported to all corners of the world through their empirical networks.
At this point they weren’t quite common enough to be included in any equivalent form of a nineteenth century office fruit delivery. Much to the contrary, they were a luxury that were seen as somewhat of a novelty. Imagine how strange it would be to eat such a strange looking fruit when all you knew were apples and pears!
2. All eyes were peeled for the first glimpse
It is said that when herbalist and botanist Thomas Johnson first displayed a bunch of bananas in his shop in Holborn in 1633, the spectacle was met with awe. It is possible to say that these are some of the most famous bananas in British history. But the most famous is certainly the Cavendish banana. Interestingly, due to the way that bananas are grown, it is highly likely that any banana found in a British supermarket (or office fruit basket delivery) will be a descendant of this banana.
It’s prominence, however, is owed to disaster. The previously ubiquitous Gros Michel variety was wiped out during the 1950s by a virulent fungal pathogen. There is no reason to assume that the same thing could not happen to our trusty Cavendish strain. So don’t get complacent! Treasure each bright yellow boomerang of joy.
3. Banana drama in Britain
During the second world war, when imports of bananas from the Caribbean ceased, it became somewhat of an alluring object. It had enjoyed a run as one of the staple fruits of the country and its shortage, along with other tropical fruit, made it coveted. Hard to imagine now that bananas are once again so commonplace. They are such a staple in our office fruit baskets that we couldn’t imagine life without them!
According to the Independent, when the Second World War came to an end, the new socialist government began distributing them to school children. They were seen as a product of a prosperous empire that had returned to peace after the war. They have since enjoyed a healthy return to our everyday lives, even after the collapse of the British empire. It’s funny what supply and demand can do for a fruit’s reputation.
We hope you enjoyed this blog! If you wish to make an enquiry about an office fruit basket delivery, then please contact us.