1966
Until 1966 Firma Leon Van Parys imported bananas from the former Belgian colony Congo. At this time all bananas arriving in Europe were in bunches, which were then cut into bunches, labelled and packed into wooden crates and marketed under the Sundrop brand.

1966
As from 1966 bananas started to be exported from origin in boxes with the brand already on the box and with labels on the hands.

After the independence of the Congo, production and quality went down and so importation of Congo bananas was stopped.

Leon Van Parys began imports from Ecuador under the Sundrop brand. This was the origin of the co-operation between Leon Van Parys and Exportadora Bananera Noboa

1966 – 1977
Exportadora Bananera Noboa SA supplied Firma Leon Van Parys with 2 brands: SUNDROP and BONITA

Pacific Fruit Company Italy SpA was established to import bananas from Exporta Bananero Noboa into Italy and proximate Mediterranean banana markets.

At the same time Pacific Fruit Hamburg Gmbh was created to further develop sales of Bonita bananas in Germany and Scandanavia.

In 1976 Sundrop was dropped and only Bonita was shipped.
The variety, Gros Michel, was replaced by Cavendish Grand Nane. This variety was known for being the tastier banana while at the same time less sensitive to tropical storms and diseases.

1985
For many years Bonita bananas were supplied to ex Yugoslavia with sales being made through a goverment controlled purchasing agency. Following de-regulation of the market, Pacific Fruit Zagreb was set up to give regular quantities of bananas to local ripeners/wholesalers

TO DATE
Banana sales for North Europe are all handled through the Antwerp office, the Hamburg office having been closed in 2003.

All sales to Mediterranean countries (except France) are managed through the companys office in Rome while the Zagreb office manages the markets of the Adriatic.