Amazon Gives Away 8,000 Bananas A Day, Shaking Up Seattle Fruit Economy

In 2015, what started as an idea soon became a reality when Amazon founder and chief executive officer Jeff Bezos, one of America's 50 most powerful people in food, wanted to share the wealth with not only his employees, but also locals in the Seattle, Washington, area; not with money, but with bananas. Little did the company know, its decision to provide free, healthy snacks would cause a ripple effect in the fruit economy nearby.

Since the first banana stand opened, the company has given away more than 1.7 million free bananas, with an average of 8,000 a day, The Wall Street Journal reported. The stands are typically run by "banistas," but one lucky employee, Eric Mountcastle, was promoted to "bananager" and team leader.

Although the company aims to provide eco-friendly snacks as a public service, the banana craze has made it difficult for locals to find bananas in stock at grocery stores. Even restaurants within a two-block radius of the banana stands have reported feeling the effects. One café, Anar, is located next door to Amazon's headquarters and has cut the price of its bananas since customers aren't ordering them as much.

To read about the surprising history of the banana, click here.