Pineapple Collaborative was founded by Ariel Pasternak and Atara Bernstein and started as a 30-person potluck in Washington, D.C. Ariel first established Pineapple in 2015 as a welcoming space for women to celebrate their mutual love for food, hosting gatherings and building a food-centric community. She viewed food as an expression of one’s identity, values, and style, and wanted to facilitate meaningful connections through a circle of like-minded women. By early 2017, Ariel knew that there was a larger business opportunity in Pineapple. She reached out to Atara, who she had met at a farmer’s market in the past and stayed in touch with, and the two women began to work together in a creative capacity. That summer, Ariel and Atara made the decision to start a business together.

While Ariel and Atara continued to organize thoughtfully-produced events and share engaging content, they also worked to create tangible goods as part of the Pineapple Collaborative platform. In 2019, they launched their line of pantry staples, starting with an olive oil and an apple cider vinegar. Ariel and Atara wanted to convey their support for a consumer’s individual choices through their branding and packaging, ultimately deciding to launch their olive oil tins in three different colors — yellow, white, and pink. The idea was to allow consumers to select their pantry staples in the same way that they would choose their other kitchen goods (such as a fruit bowl). Fast forward to today, Pineapple Collaborative has introduced several new additions to its product line and maintains a community of over 100,000. It is wholeheartedly dedicated to uplifting women in the food industry, amplifying their voices and their stories.