Together, a fresh produce supplier and retailer broke a world record: World’s Largest Fruit Display.
Sanctioned as an official win by Guinness World Records, the display was constructed from more than 77,000 pounds of Del Monte bananas at the Jewel-Osco store in Westmont, Ill., according to a news release.
After the inspector deemed the display record-breaking, the bananas were given away to customers, and the remaining bananas were donated to the Northern Illinois Food Bank. The Feeding America member serves 13 surrounding counties.
“It is an exciting day for Fresh Del Monte as we celebrate the popularity of our cornerstone produce offerings,” Fresh Del Monte Vice President of Marketing Pablo Rivero said in the release. “What better way to communicate the global popularity and nutritional value of bananas than with a world record-worthy display and local food bank donation?”
Rivero said he hopes this donation helps people with food insecurity but also encourages people to eat more fresh fruit.
Jewel-Osco Produce Sales Manager Scott Bennett said the retailer’s produce departments stock more than 140,000 pounds of bananas a day.
“They are easily our top-selling item,” he said in the release. “Jewel-Osco is thrilled to be Fresh Del Monte’s retail partner for the World’s Largest Fruit Display.”
Constructed entirely of Del Monte bananas, the display— which took three days to create and measured 118 feet wide and 11 feet high — weighed exactly 77,365.9 pounds and included about 211,200 bananas (40 pallets, or 1,920 cases of bananas).
An official Guinness World Records judge was onsite to verify and confirm the new record. The record had been previously set using slightly more than 17,000 pounds of citrus fruit in 2022.
