United Fruit Company

E15991

The United Fruit Company was a powerful American corporation that dominated the banana trade in Latin America and became notorious for its political influence and role in shaping "banana republics."


Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf agribusiness company
corporation
defunct company
accusedOf exploiting labor in Latin America
influencing foreign policy of the United States
supporting authoritarian regimes
alias El Pulpo
La Frutera
associatedWithTerm banana republic
capitalizedOn growing U.S. demand for bananas
countryOfOrigin United States
dateDissolved 1970
employed tens of thousands of workers in Latin America
foundedBy Andrew W. Preston
Minor C. Keith
hasMotto "The Corporation That Feeds the World"
headquartersLocation Boston, Massachusetts
inception 1899
industry agriculture
banana trade
rail transport
shipping
influenced economic development of banana-exporting countries
involvedIn 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état
knownFor control of railroads and ports in producing countries
large landholdings in Latin America
monopoly practices in banana export markets
lobbied United States government
mainProduct bananas
tropical fruit
mergedInto United Brands Company
notableFor dominance of banana trade in Latin America
political influence in Latin America
role in shaping so-called banana republics
operated Great White Fleet
operatedIn Caribbean
Central America
South America
owned banana plantations
railway lines in Central America
shipping fleet
peakInfluencePeriod early 20th century
mid-20th century
subjectOf book "Bananas: How the United Fruit Company Shaped the World"
book "Bitter Fruit"
numerous political and historical studies
successor Chiquita Brands International
United Brands Company


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