Bananas Information

The Banana Group was formed in 1984 in the UK by banana importers, ripeners and handlers to raise public awareness of the benefits of eating bananas and to increase consumption. The organisation represents every tonne of bananas imported into the UK. Banana consumption has risen 150% since the Banana Group began its campaign, compared with a 7% increase in total fruit consumption. The Banana Group's activities include the production and publication of recipe booklets, sports sponsorship, public relations and free schools educational material aimed at primary and secondary level. Every year bananas are in the headlines on the first day of the Wimbledon Tennis tournament. Giving the morning a distinctly festive air, giant bananas together with a 45 foot float, including a six piece steel band, tour the perimeter of the All England Tennis Club handing out breakfast bananas to the crowds that have camped out overnight in order to get pole position during the championship. For the past nine years, the Banana Group has supported the CRISIS Square Mile run - a mini marathon round the square 'mile' of the City in London which raises thousands of pounds for homeless people in the capital - by pledging support in the form of thousands of bananas. Last year, comedian Graham Norton helped to distribute bananas to the exhausted runners at the end of the run.