A journey into our supply chains

Ten days, three countries and first-hand insights into the people and places behind our fruit.

A green pickup truck loaded with pineapples is parked inside an industrial warehouse. Other vehicles and machinery are visible in the background.

Hi, I’m Anastasiia,

Procurement Compliance and Sustainability Manager at Eckes-Granini. In 2026, I travelled through Southeast Asia with colleagues from our Procurement team. Together, we visited five suppliers and met people involved in growing, harvesting and processing fruit for our products.

Being on site gave us a closer view of local conditions, everyday challenges and the work behind each fruit. Let me take you along and share some of the moments that stayed with us.

Three countries. Different fruits. Local perspectives.

Our journey began in Indonesia at the height of the pineapple harvest. From there, we travelled to passion fruit and dragon fruit farms in Vietnam before concluding our trip at pineapple plantations in Thailand.

A hand holds a slice of pineapple in front of a large pineapple field under a partly cloudy sky.

Three people in black shirts and hats stand in a pineapple field, smiling, with one holding a pineapple.

Four men stand in a pineapple field under a blue sky, conversing while holding sliced pineapples.

Man holding a pineapple stands on a dirt path in a large pineapple field under a partly cloudy sky.

Workers in straw hats stand by an agricultural machine in a lush field, surrounded by tall plants, under a blue sky.

Workers harvesting pineapples along a conveyor in a large plantation field.

Workers harvest pineapples, wearing protective clothing and hats. Pineapples move on a conveyor belt, surrounded by greenery.

A group of people wearing sunglasses, hats, and scarves stand on a dirt path surrounded by lush greenery and agave plants.

Indonesia

In the middle of the pineapple harvest

Indonesia brought us right into the middle of the harvest. In the fields, we spoke with the harvesting supervisor about the realities of the work, including muddy roads and difficult transport conditions during the rainy season.

Our conversation also covered sustainability certification. The supervisor described changes related to worker safety and working conditions and explained what strong fruit quality and harvest volumes mean for the teams working in the fields.

A group of people in a passion fruit orchard, one showing fruit on a vine. They wear casual clothing and hats, with trees and sky in the background.

Passionflower with intricate, white filaments and a dark purple center surrounded by green leaves.

Passion fruit hanging on a vine with lush green leaves against a blue sky background.

Hands holding a cut passion fruit, revealing its juicy yellow pulp and seeds inside, with a blurred grassy background.

A man in sunglasses holding a halved passion fruit explains something to a group in a lush orchard, with green passion fruit visible in the background.

Two people in hats are holding a green fruit in a rural landscape with mountains in the background.

Man in a pink shirt and beige cap uses an emergency eyewash station, while holding a water bottle, in front of corrugated metal walls.

A red dirt path winds through lush, green hillside vegetation, with distant mountains under a partly cloudy sky.

A lush passion fruit and coffee plantation with rows of green plants, some bearing round fruit. Trees and blue sky with clouds in the background.

Vietnam

Among the passion fruit vines

In Lam Dong Province, we visited farms where passion fruit vines grow alongside coffee plants. The leafy vines provide shade for the coffee, while grass left between the rows helps retain moisture around the plants during dry periods.

Understanding conditions on the ground

Near a pesticide-mixing area, we saw an emergency eye-wash station as one practical safety measure on the farm. Observations like this add context to our ongoing dialogue with suppliers. They help us understand existing measures, practical challenges and topics that may require further attention.

A dragon fruit plant with green stems and a pink and green budding fruit, in a sunlit garden background.

Two men stand in a dragon fruit plantation; one holds a dragon fruit, while the other listens attentively.

A person holding a vibrant pink dragon fruit with its skin peeled back, revealing the textured surface. Blurred background of plants.

Dragon fruit plants with ripe red fruit hanging under long green leaves in a sunlit, dry soil plantation.

Vietnam

When dragon fruit lights up the night

Dragon fruit surprised us in more ways than one. Its bright pink fruit grows on a cactus adapted to relatively dry conditions. But the most striking sight appears after sunset: on the farms we visited, rows of artificial lights support production outside the natural season.

Each fruit must be cut and handled carefully to protect its distinctive skin. Together with the lighting across the fields, this gave us a memorable view of the work behind this unusual fruit.

A dirt road stretches through pineapple fields under a hazy sky, extending towards the horizon.

Two men shake hands on a dirt road in a rural area, surrounded by three others. They stand near a field, with mountains in the distance.

Two people are working near a pond surrounded by dry vegetation, with machinery beside them on a dirt embankment.

Thailand

After the pineapple harvest

We reached Thailand shortly after the main pineapple harvest had ended. The quieter fields showed us another part of the growing cycle and gave us time to speak with farmers about processes and partnerships beyond the peak harvest period.

What stays with me most are the conversations and the many details that only become visible when you are there in person. They help us understand local conditions, ask better questions and continue the dialogue with our suppliers.

Thank you for joining us on this journey. There are many more stories behind our fruit, and I look forward to sharing some of them with you.

Until next time,
Anastasiia