Apple Inc. and Banana Trade Overview

Industry (Apple)

Electronics, software, services

Products (Apple)

Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, accessories, software, cloud services

Founded (Apple)

1976

Key Revenue Sources (Apple)

Hardware sales, App Store, iCloud, Apple Music, and other services

IT sector revenue (Apple)

2nd

Largest Publicly Traded Company (Apple)

Highest market value among publicly traded companies

Employees (Apple)

137,000 full-time employees

Retail Presence (Apple)

510 retail stores in 22 countries

Brand Value Contribution (Apple)

53 percent of brand value comes from iPhone sales

Reasons for Success (Apple)

Stylish design, strong brand loyalty, innovative products, first-to-market technology, ecosystem strategy

USA Headquarters & R&D (Apple)

Based in Cupertino, California; primary roles in design and marketing

China Manufacturing Hub (Apple)

Shenzhen as a major production center; Foxconn factories assemble iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks

Special Economic Zones in China (Apple)

Used to attract investment with low labor costs

Europe Logistics & Manufacturing (Apple)

Cork, Ireland serves as the European HQ and iMac manufacturing site

Holyhill Campus (Apple)

Only fully owned Apple production site in Europe

Global Supply Chain (Apple)

Apple's supply chain involves 43 countries and over 2 million production employees worldwide

Positive Economic Impacts (Apple)

High profits and economic growth in Apple's home country

Job Creation (Apple)

6,000 jobs in Ireland, 200,000 indirectly in China

Technological Innovation (Apple)

Advances in consumer electronics and global connectivity

Renewable Energy Investments (Apple)

100 percent renewable energy used in US data centers

Environmental Issues (Apple)

E-waste, carbon footprint concerns

Ethical Concerns (Apple)

Child labor and poor working conditions in Chinese factories

Tax Avoidance (Apple)

EU fined Apple $13 billion for unpaid taxes

High Product Prices & Monopoly Concerns (Apple)

Criticism for expensive products and market dominance

Trade Importance (Banana)

5th most traded agricultural commodity

Annual Production (Banana)

233 million tonnes

Market Value (Banana)

$15 billion

Social Importance (Banana)

Staple food for 500 million people

Economic Importance (Banana)

Major export commodity for developing countries

Environmental Impact (Banana)

2nd most damaging agricultural sector due to deforestation, soil depletion, and biodiversity loss

Political Issues (Banana)

Trade disputes between the US and EU, sanctions on producers

Top Producing Countries (Banana)

India, China, Indonesia, Brazil focus on domestic consumption, while Latin America and the Caribbean focus on exports

Top Consuming Regions (Banana)

85 percent of bananas are consumed in the EU and USA

Per Capita Consumption (Banana)

Some countries consume 36-38 kg of bananas per year

TNC Control (Banana)

Chiquita, Dole, and Del Monte dominate global supply chains

Banana Wars (Banana)

EU gave preferential treatment to former colonies, leading to US-backed WTO challenges

2009 Trade Agreement (Banana)

Gradual reduction of EU tariffs on Latin American bananas

Price Wars (Banana)

Intense competition leads to cost-cutting and poor working conditions

Retailer Dominance (Banana)

Large supermarkets control prices and reduce profits for small farmers

Lower Prices for Consumers (Banana)

Mass production and competition reduce prices

Greater Choice & Availability (Banana)

Bananas available year-round in most markets

Economic Support for Developing Countries (Banana)

Provides foreign income for producers

Exploitation of Workers (Banana)

Low wages and poor working conditions

Environmental Damage (Banana)

Deforestation and heavy pesticide use

Market Concentration (Banana)

Few companies dominate trade, reducing competition

Price Volatility (Banana)

Small-scale farmers struggle with fluctuating prices

Monoculture Plantations (Banana)

Large-scale industrial farming of a single crop

Low-Value Primary Product (Banana)

Bananas follow traditional trade patterns, with low profit margins for producers

Race to the Bottom (Banana)

Producers cut costs to remain competitive, worsening labor conditions

Sustainable Bananas Movement (Banana)

Fair trade, organic certification, and improved worker conditions