It’s easy to pass by a banana in the store. Another fruit among many. Grabbed quickly for breakfast on the move, added to cereal, packed into lunchboxes. Familiar, routine. But that simplicity hides something remarkable: a banana can be the vitamins needed to keep your family healthy, the sustenance needed after a hard day’s work, and the fruit you can afford, when a budget is tight.
That presence in your daily life is no coincidence. And to associates like Elias Arenas, a sourcing manager for Walmart International in Costa Rica, the connection is both professional and personal. His family worked on a banana plantation while he was growing up – it is where he spent his days as a kid, it is where his parents met, it has shaped his life in every way possible. And today, working with suppliers like Dole, his work comes full circle.
Nestled in the lush landscapes of Costa Rica, a banana plantation operated by Dole is more than just a farm — it’s a living ecosystem of innovation, sustainability, and community.
“Bananas are one of Walmart’s top-selling items — often recognized as the single best-selling grocery product in our stores. Their popularity stems from more than just taste: they’re affordable, nutritious, and convenient, making them a favorite across generations,” Elias said. “Easy to stock and with a longer shelf life than many fruits, bananas have become a staple in households around the world. Their global appeal and year-round availability make them a quiet hero of the produce aisle.”
And just as special as the meals our customers prepare, is the care and dedication poured into growing each banana tree. Every step — from planting to harvesting — reflects patience, expertise, and respect for the land.
The first phase: growth
Banana plants are unique. They are botanically the largest herb in the world and have an unusual way of growing. As a true testament to nature’s wisdom and rhythm – these plants grow as a family. At the heart structure, the mother plant produces the fruit-bearing stem, while the daughter plant grows beside her, preparing to take her place. Beneath them, the grandmother plant — an older, established root system — supports the entire cycle by channeling water and nutrients through the soil. This generational teamwork ensures continuity and resilience.
All this is made even more remarkable once you consider the plant’s origin story.
Banana plants don’t grow from seeds but from underground rhizomes — a type of underground stem that grows horizontally beneath the soil. Unlike roots, rhizomes store nutrients and can produce new shoots and roots from their nodes. This allows plants like bananas to regenerate and spread naturally without needing seeds — making the growth cycle continuous and self-sustaining.
Bananas by the Numbers: Who Knew?
Walmart sells 1.7 billion pounds of bananas every year — that’s equivalent to the weight of 86,000 elephants!
When it comes to individual bananas, Walmart sells 4.46 billion per year! If you laid those bananas end to end, it’d cover around 528,000 miles — that’s enough to go to the moon and back, or get in your car and drive 21 laps around the equator.
To help the bananas thrive, teams wrap the plants in plastic bags in a process called "propping and bagging." This helps protect the banana bunch from insects and serves to create a microclimate inside, regulating temperature and accelerating growth.
And as banana harvesting has been innovating for generations, the process includes regenerative actions, having thought through the many ways to preserve the land and ensure a good harvest.
After use, each bag is sent to a plastic recycling center that has been operating for over 32 years. The recycled plastic is transformed into corner protectors used to secure boxes on pallets, helping to close the loop and contribute to a circular economy.
The plantation follows a nine-month harvest cycle, and every year, each plot is carefully reviewed to ensure it receives the nutrients it needs. Fungicides are applied with precision using GPS-guided aircraft, ensuring they land only on the plants. In sensitive areas, drones are used to minimize environmental impact.
To protect water sources, drainage channels are lined with vegetation that captures any residual fungicide, preventing contamination.
The next phase: packed and shipped
From the fields, the bananas catch a ride on the cable system to the packing plant. These cables run down the length of the fields spanning hundreds of hectares, carrying bunches of bananas from every corner of the plantation.
From there, the packing process begins. It starts in the “dirty zone,” where bananas are washed to remove field debris, pests, and signs of premature ripening. The stems are treated to prevent fungus, and once the banana hands are cut into clusters, they’re placed in pools before moving into the “clean zone” where gloved workers carefully sort and label the fruit based on what part of the world they go to next. Every step is designed with sustainability in mind, from water conservation to responsible handling, reflecting a broader commitment to more regenerative practices.
“Dole is a reliable banana supplier, offering excellent quality and service. Their strong production capabilities and sourcing from six regions are helping Walmart to have a resilient supply,” Elias said. “This relationship will also impact other tropical commodities like mangoes, plantains, and kiwis, which Dole is investing in through new plantations.”
Behind the scenes, relationships like the one with Dole help make consistency for our customers possible.
With a fleet of 13 vessels and access to multiple ports, Dole brings logistical flexibility that supports more efficient ocean transport. But their impact goes beyond logistics…
Behind the bananas: the people
The heart of the plantation is not the plants, it’s the people.
Pablo Herrera Muñoz has worked at Dole for 11 years but has been farming for more than 40. He said his job lets him make a difference.
“What matters most to me is my family — and knowing that my work here benefits an entire community, is more than fulfilling,” Pablo said.
“Our employees are the heart of the plantation,” said Rudy Amador, vice president of corporate social responsibility and communications at Dole. “Our workers are well-trained, compensated, and deeply valued.”
Each collaboration with Walmart is key to helping our customers save money and live better. No matter how digital the world becomes, the dedication, craftsmanship, and care each supplier puts into products — and into every single fruit for our customers — remain essential.
There’s no compromise when it comes to delivering quality for our customers. And it’s our associates and suppliers who are making the difference.
