Hans Peter remembers it clearly: "There was no sliced pineapple in supermarkets anywhere in Europe at the time." Nevertheless, he and his team embarked on the Fresh Cut adventure. Many thought it was crazy. But with steadfastness, flexibility and the conviction that something new deserves a chance, it became a success story.

The next big step followed shortly afterwards: HPW became the largest exporter of pineapples. But instead of only marketing the "perfect" fruit, HPW took every pineapple from the field, big, small or crooked. The approach was bold and successful, but it also had its limits: The farmers were still not earning enough. This led to a groundbreaking realisation: real value creation must take place where the fruit grows.

So HPW began investing in West Africa, setting up factories and drying fruit directly on site. It was a pioneering act - no one had ever done this before in West Africa. Today, more than 2,500 people work for HPW in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, and the added value remains at the source.

"Of course there are doubts," says Hans Peter. "When factories are underutilised, it hurts." But doubts never became a stop signal at HPW, they became fuel. At the same time, there was always a focus on the impact at the source: jobs, income, opportunities. That gave them the strength to carry on.

While Hans Peter looks back on 26 years of courageous decisions, Ilir, the next generation, looks ahead. His central question: What's the next big thing?

"HPW has a history full of pioneering moments, fresh cut, snacks, dried fruit. For me, the most important task is to carry this thinking forward: always asking what the next big thing is." Ilir Zuberi

The future of HPW will unfold in three major dimensions:

1. New products for a new generation of consumers
   Healthy snacking is booming worldwide and HPW wants to have an even stronger presence here. After dried fruit and chocolate snacks, the focus is now on developing new combinations: Cashews from West Africa, innovative fusion products, sustainable packaging.
   
2. New markets and locations in Africa
   HPW has shown in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire that value creation works locally, economically, socially and ecologically. Further countries in Africa are to be added in the coming years. New opportunities await there: new raw materials, new jobs, new partnerships. The goal: more impact, spread more widely.
   
3. New technologies for global collaboration
   Even though HPW is not a tech company, digital tools will be crucial. Whether it's software for more accurate forecasting, CRM systems for greater customer proximity or platforms that facilitate collaboration across continents, technology will help HPW to become faster, more transparent and more efficient.
   

"We want to remain a pioneer, not just in products, but also in how we work together. Technology is the key." - Ilir Zuberi

A special signal: HPW is not leaving the future to chance. As part of the Future Talents programme, young employees develop scenarios for products, markets and technologies. They contribute their ideas directly to the Steering Committee and play an active role in shaping them. In this way, Hans Peter's pioneering spirit becomes the attitude of an entire generation.

The coming years will be characterised by growth, not for the sake of growth, but to create opportunities for farmers, employees and consumers. What began 26 years ago with Fresh Cut has created thousands of jobs in Africa. And that is just the beginning.

Hans Peter sums it up at the end: "The best thing is to see that the pioneering spirit lives on. That there are people here who strive, who think differently and dare to try new things. That's what it's all about."