SEEDS
In 2015, three brothers received an unexpected phone call from their father: he was revisiting his homeland of Guinea for the first time in over 50 years, and rather than reminisce about his youth, he began instantly raving about having tasted “the most exquisite mango and pineapple on Earth!” In fact, even after an hour of talking, he couldn’t get over the mouthwatering flavors he had just experienced: “Everyone needs to try this!”...perhaps it was because, behind this exuberance was also the sad realization that Guinea’s native tropical fruits—like the majority of its prized harvests—were routinely laid to waste. It was this bittersweet mix of passionate excitement and devastation that eventually led to the pivotal question: “How do we bring these incredible flavors to the rest of the world?”...and so, the seeds of Tropicaux were planted.
CHALLENGE
Once the horticultural leader of all of French West Africa, by the 1960s, Guinea had become a top exporter of pineapples and the world's leading producer of bananas. Yet, despite having many of the same agricultural conditions of the mid-20th century, Guinea, along with its entire agro-ecological infrastructure, is virtually nonexistent today, having been forcibly decimated by the French Colonial Empire when the country declared its independence in 1958. It wasn’t until the brothers visited Guinea for the first time in 2017 and saw the conditions firsthand that they were able to fully grasp the totality of the decimation: there were no remnants of this once-promising sector. And so, the challenge to revive it meant starting from scratch. Nevertheless, determined and inspired by Guinea’s illustrious past, the brothers embarked on a journey to build a world-class agro-processing business; the first of its kind since Guinea’s colonial days.
PURPOSE
Every culture's unique identity—expressed through the vibrancy of its people, the rhythm of its music, the beauty of its art, the elegance of its fashion, and the delight of its cuisine—enriches the tapestry of our collective human experience. In such spirit, we invite you to join us as we embark on a culinary trip back home into the heart and soul of Guinea. And by savoring our fruit snacks, not only do we bring you a taste of Guinea's rich heritage, but you also empower the Guinean farmers that harvest them. These farmers, guided by generations of wisdom, employ time-honored traditions to nurture their crops naturally…the finest Guinea has to offer. Each bite is a testament to that!