Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
FINALLY: Filthy Bananas Will Be Individually Wrapped in Plastic!
By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 13, 2009
Modified Oct 13, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published Oct 13, 2009
Modified Oct 13, 2009
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Since time immemorial, the only thing protecting the world's precious banana fruit from contamination has been the boring old peel. Well, Momma Nature, it's a new millennium, and it's time for a brand new bag! So 7-Eleven has come up with a new twist on an old classic: The company will now begin individually wrapping each banana sold in its stores in plastic. It's a start, but ultimately we'd like to see each banana also packaged in a bruise-resistant Styrofoam shell.
Starting this week, 7-Eleven is product-testing the wrapping at Dallas-area locations, and will then roll out the banana innovation to most of its 5,787 stores by early 2010. The plastic wrap was created by Fresh Del Monte, and besides keeping banana peels sanitary, it also keeps the fruit yellow and firm for five days by keeping most oxygen and moisture out. And when unwrapped, the 7-Eleven's Banana 2.0 will ripen more slowly.
CEO Joseph DePinto tells USA Today, "Our customers want yellow bananas — not brown." And they also want to do their part to make the Great Pacific Garbage Patch live up to its lofty name! Of course, tree huggers are wringing their hands, but Fresh Del Monte's spokesman points out that extending banana shelf life cuts the carbon footprint by reducing store deliveries. Check and mate. Plus, if this thing catches on, maybe the individual wrapping will spread to other fruit, and we'll never have to waste water rinsing off an apple again.
Tagged
7 eleven
banana
end times
environment
fresh delmonte
garbage
innovation
packaging
plastic wrap
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Oct 10, 2026
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .