In 1997, the company envisioned developing and marketing fresh, naturally ripened fruit from Africa, aiming to create added value throughout the entire production chain—for customers, consumers, and producers alike.

Alongside importing fresh pineapples from West Africa to Switzerland, the young company sought new, innovative products with added value. Their search led them to Ghana, where fully ripened fruit was processed and packaged fresh from the harvest on-site. This marked the introduction of the first fresh-cut fruit—produced sustainably and fairly—onto European shelves. Building on this success, the company expanded its team of agronomists in Ghana. In 2011, HPW established its first dried fruit factory in Ghana, continuing its vision of creating and sustaining sustainable value chains in the countries of origin of its fruit, where such chains previously did not exist.

Due to the growing demand for dried fruit, HPW AG founded a subsidiary in Côte d'Ivoire in June 2020. HPW Fresh & Dry Srl. is primarily focused on meeting the increasing demand for organically produced premium dried fruit.

In 2021, we partnered with Vert Ltd to establish a dried fruit production facility for mangoes and other fruits in Kenya. This expansion allows us to supply our customers with dried mangoes for nine months of the year.

Since 2022, we have been providing technical support to local producers in Burkina Faso and began our own dried fruit production there in 2023. The transfer of knowledge from our established locations, which adhere to Western standards, is crucial in ensuring that farmers can successfully sell their products.