Dole Superkids

It is thought that the grapefruit originated in the West Indies. In 1750 people were growing grapefruit in Barbados, an island in the Caribbean. Here it was called the “forbidden fruit” – the name “grapefruit” wasn’t used until 1814.

Then in 1823, Count Odette Philipe planted the first grapefruit trees in Florida. At first, grapefruit trees were only grown because people liked how they looked. But then people realize how delicious the fruit was and started shipping it all over the US. The first shipments of grapefruit were sent to New York and Philadelphia in 1885.

Now, Florida produces the most grapefruit in the world – almost 2 million tons a year! Wow, that many grapefruit weighs the same as 300,000 elephants!