Pineapple is a tropical fruit that originally comes from South America, specifically from the area where modern-day Brazil and Paraguay are located. The indigenous peoples of South America cultivated pineapple long before European explorers discovered it.

Christopher Columbus was one of the first Europeans to encounter pineapples during his journey to Guadeloupe in 1493 and brought it back to Europe. The fruit quickly became popular due to its exotic taste and decorative appearance. However, pineapples were very rare and expensive at the time since they had to be imported from tropical regions.

Over the centuries, pineapples became a symbol of wealth and hospitality in Europe. The difficulty of recreating tropical conditions led to the development of greenhouses and special techniques to grow pineapples in Europe.

Today, pineapples are spread all over the world and are cultivated in many tropical and subtropical regions. They are not only a popular fruit for direct consumption but are also used in many culinary recipes.