Rubyglow is first being launched in China in time for Chinese New Year, as part of the company’s debut in the market
Fresh Del Monte Produce has announced the launch of its latest innovation, the Rubyglow pineapple, a red-shelled variety.
According to the company, Rubyglow has a red outer skin, bright yellow flesh, and a ”new, sweet flavour similar to Del Monte pineapples”.
The Rubyglow pineapple is first being launched in China, in time for Chinese New Year as part of the company’s grand debut in the Chinese market, while a waitlist is available for consumers in other countries.
“We are proud to unveil our latest pineapple innovation to the world, the Rubyglow pineapple,” said Mohammad Abu-Ghazaleh, chairman and CEO of Fresh Del Monte. ”This Del Monte exclusive pineapple further cements our global leadership position in the pineapple market.
“Our scientists continue to elevate the bar by creating new pineapple varieties, with varied tastes and colours, that cater to more and more consumers worldwide,” he added. ”We believe that the Rubyglow pineapple is the perfect product to build our market presence in China.”
With around 5,000 pineapples available worldwide in 2024 and 3,000 in 2025, the pineapple’s rarity and limited inventory make Rubyglow a ”highly coveted item”, Del Monte noted.
This holds particularly true in the Chinese market, where consumers wield significant spending power and value luxury novelty items.
Grown in Costa Rica, the Rubyglow pineapple has been in development for more than 15 years and has a registered plant patent in the US.
Del Monte explained that it is a cross between a traditional pineapple and a Morada pineapple – which is typically inedible – making the Rubyglow pineapple a hybrid fruit produced through traditional crossbreeding techniques.
Rubyglow pineapples are naturally ripened in Costa Rica on the plant and sold crownless.
”Fresh Del Monte has been leading pineapple innovation since the 1990s with the debut of the Del Monte Gold Extra Sweet pineapple, the first of its kind,” the group continued. ”The pineapple has a golden colour and, at that time, was much sweeter than any other pineapple on the market.
”Since then, the company’s robust pineapple programme has released the Pinkglow pineapple, the Honeyglow pineapple, the Del Monte Zero pineapple, and now the Rubyglow pineapple.”
