Chiquita Banana has entered beauty retail: the fruit brand partnered with body-care label iota on a limited-edition lip treatment priced at $28, set to hit Ulta Beauty and Nordstrom shelves this month.

The iota/Chiquita Banana Lip Treatment is a clear, glossy formula made with banana extract derived from actual Chiquita bananas. The ingredient list also includes hyaluronic acid, peptides, prebiotics, postbiotics and plant stem cell-derived ingredients.

The gloss applies clear and melts onto lips, leaving what the brand calls a silky, non-sticky finish with natural shine. The scent reads soft and creamy rather than artificially sweet. iota describes it as "the fruit at its exact right day" — a nod to anyone who has waited on a green banana to ripen.

Who is behind the collaboration?

iota co-founder Monique Meneses framed the launch as a return to a long beauty tradition rather than a trend play.

"Bananas are having a moment in beauty, but they've been part of beauty rituals for generations," Meneses said in a press release.

When iota decided to formulate with the fruit, the choice of partner was straightforward, she explained: "If you're going to formulate with bananas, you do it with the brand that has been synonymous with them for more than 80 years."

Where and when can shoppers buy it?

The product is available now on iota's website. Later this month it arrives at Ulta Beauty and Nordstrom, in select stores and online.

The release is limited-edition, so the brand is signaling that stock will not be replenished.

Why is Chiquita moving into beauty?

For Chiquita, the lip treatment extends the brand beyond the grocery store. Andre Quadra, the company's director of marketing, calls the product "a fresh and unexpected way to experience a brand they already know and love."

The collaboration tests whether an 80-plus-year fruit brand can convert grocery-aisle recognition into beauty-counter sales — a question retailers Ulta and Nordstrom will help answer within the month.