The Olympics Pt 2
Happy Friday!
This week, our whirlwind Olympics series came to a close, and what an adventure it’s been! In the final stretch of our podcast marathon we heard stories of fresh produce from Japan, Canada, Russia, Brazil, Kenya and the USA. From John’s captivating linguistic introductions to Patrick’s playful embrace of his Canadian roots, the series truly offered a global perspective with fresh produce and history taking center stage.
As we prepare to extinguish the Olympic flame on this series, we’ve got one more Olympic-themed story lined up just for you plus more produce-themed brands.
Food Challenges & Ancient Olympians
Just like their modern counterparts, ancient athletes depended on a carefully planned diet to enhance their performance. However, transporting food back then was much more challenging than it is today, yet they managed to make it work.
The Olympic Games were a major event for the ancient Greeks. At the height of their popularity in the second century AD, estimates suggest that over 50,000 people traveled to Olympia for a single Games. Considering there were only about four million Greeks across the Empire at that time, this was a remarkable turnout. Olympia, then as now, was surrounded by barren, rocky hills with minimal crops and little grazing land. So, how did athletes, some traveling hundreds of miles on foot, ensure they had enough food? Through meticulous planning and cooperation.
Farmers played a crucial role, working closely with athletes and their coaches. Athletes knew that a proper diet was essential for peak performance, so they partnered with the best farmers. Although farmers didn’t compete in the Games, they competed to produce the highest quality food. They experimented with plant selection and agricultural methods to perfect the produce they provided to athletes.
But farmers didn't just grow the food—they also focused on curing, drying, and packaging it to ensure it would last through the Games. Much of the fruit taken by athletes was dried, and grains for bread, honey, herbs, and other essentials were carefully packed to withstand the journey.
Wealthy city-states like Athens could afford top-notch transportation for their provisions, while athletes from poorer regions had to carry their supplies themselves.
Even after reaching the Games, athletes faced food-related challenges. Guards were employed to protect their food and belongings from theft. There were tales of teams attempting to steal from others to cover food shortages, an act considered serious cheating in Ancient Greece.
The Games were a religious festival honoring Zeus, and dishonoring the gods was a grave matter. Cheaters faced harsh penalties: they were required to build a temple to Zeus, essentially a life sentence of labor, or face execution. Additionally, their names were inscribed on a wall of disgrace near the main temple, a mark of shame worse than death in a society where honor was paramount.
While modern Olympic athletes still face meal planning challenges, they are certainly nothing compared to the hurdles faced by their ancient predecessors.
Produce and Brands
In our Canada episode of the Olympics series, John and Patrick shared the fascinating story of the McIntosh apple and how one of the world's leading electronics brands chose this apple variety as the name for their computers.
This got us curious: what other commercial brands have used the names of fruits or vegetables for their products? We did some research and uncovered a surprising number of examples.
Here are some just to name a few:
BlackBerry - remember these phones? At its peak in September 2011, there were 85 million BlackBerry subscribers worldwide! Their downfall came at the hands of another fruit-based tech company: Apple. But why was BlackBerry named BlackBerry? Apparently, the branding executives felt that the keyboard's buttons resembled drupelets that compose the blackberry fruit. Oh, and the phone had a black casing.
Mango - founded in Barcelona by two Turkish brothers, this is a Spanish fast-fashion company. According to one of the brothers, the name 'Mango' was chosen after tasting the fruit on a trip to the Philippines and the word is pronounced the same in every language. Talk about an eating experience leaving a lasting impression!
Cherry Corporation - a German computer peripheral-device maker. Today, it is the oldest manufacturer of computer keyboards. The company was named 'Cherry' because the founder loved cherries... just kidding. This one is a bit underwhelming. It was named after the founder who's name was Walter Cherry. We still like to think he liked cherries.
Papaya Studio - remember video games like LarryBoy and the Bad Apple or Ben 10 Alien Force? Yeah, neither do we. But apparently these games were developed by this independent American video game developer who went out of business in 2013. Unfortunately, we couldn't find any information for the inspiration behind the name 'papaya' but brownie points if you can find it for us!
Pears - a British brand of soap first produced and sold in 1807. It was the world's first mass-market translucent soap. Woohoo! Pears soap was acquired by Unilever in 1917 and is still distributed globally today. But what of the name? Sadly, another boring background. It was named after the founder, Andrew Pears. BUT, there is a bit of a possible produce background here... Andrew was the son of a Cornish farmer. The question is what crops were they farming? We really hope it was pears.
Kiwi - a global brand of shoe polish, originally developed in Australia in 1906 by William Ramsay. We know what you're thinking... why is an Australian naming his shoe polish brand after a New Zealand bird? Well, apparently he named it 'Kiwi' to honor his wife, Annie, who was a New Zealander. Now, isn't that sweet?
If you can think up any more brands named after fruits and veggies, let us know!
Become a leader in fresh produce
Whether you are a current student or a career professional, Cornell University's Food Industry Management Program is the place to expand your knowledge and expertise in the fresh produce industry.
Learn more about this premier food education program here.
British Podcast Awards
Like what you've been hearing? Please vote for The Produce Industry Podcast for the Listeners' Choice Award!
Now in its 8th year, the British Podcast Awards champions the people both in front of and behind the microphone.
Let's show the strength of the produce industry community and make The Produce Industry Podcast the Listeners' Choice winner!
领英推荐
Vote now here: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/voting
Voting closes August 29th.
Reading Produce History
On our Russia episode in the Olympics series, John and Patrick shared the fascinating story of one of the great scientists of the twentieth century, Nikolai Vavilov. If you want to learn the full story, in all of its details and drama, we strongly recommend reading The Murder of Nikolai Vavilov by Peter Pringle.
But wait! If you're a member of the History of Fresh Produce Club you can this book at a DISCOUNT!
We partner with Books Are Magic, so that each week, HFP Club members can get either a 10% or 15% off books mentioned in the podcast. So, make sure to sign up today!
History test
Have you listened to the latest HOFP episode? If yes, you may just know the answer to this week's trivia.
Click here to test your knowledge!
Join the History of Fresh Produce Club!
The History of Fresh Produce Club offers a unique experience to connect a deeper level with the hosts and fellow listeners.
Don't miss out on this incredible value that includes book discounts, bonus episodes, access to exclusive events and so much more.
What are you waiting for? Join today HERE.
Livestream Event
Stay tuned as we announce next month's LIVE STREAM soon!
In case you missed the last one, you can watch it on replay here:
DATES FOR YOUR CALENDARS
The Olympics may be done, but we have a lot more content on the way. Here's what's coming your way in the next few weeks:
Tuesday, August 20th: A Visit to Bartram's Garden
Thursday August 22nd: America's Oldest Botanical Garden (LIVESTREAM)
Tuesday, August 27th: Middle-Earth Produce: Tolkien’s Agrarian Dream
Tuesday, September 10th: The Mongol Empire's Agricultural Legacy
Tuesday, September 17th: The History of Mangoes
Thanks for reading, and please drop us a line in the comments or email ([email protected]) to let us know what you think of the newsletter and all things HOFP.
-John, Patrick and The History of Fresh Produce team