Pineapples

Pineapples originally grew in South America and Christopher Columbus discovered them in 1493: indeed, it appears that their discovery caused almost as much of a stir as the discovery of the New World itself. However, during the 16th and 17th centuries pineapples were very expensive in Europe as they had to be imported. By the early 18th century pineapples were grown in hothouses in Northern Europe but they were still very costly. In the 19th century pineapples became cheaper. Pineapples were first canned in the late 19th century - Dole was amongst the early pioneers - but canned pineapple first became really common in the early 20th century. Fresh pineapple is still a luxury in Northern Europe compared to its native lands, which are predominantly Hawaii (Dole's original home), Australia, Malaysia and South Africa.