Durian

Durian - the 'king of fruits' prized in Southeast Asia - depends on fruit bats for both pollination and seed dispersal. The large, pale flowers open at dusk and emit strong odors that attract bats. Bats transfer pollen while feeding on nectar, and later consume the highly aromatic fruits, dispersing seeds through feces. The fruit's infamous smell evolved to attract bats, not repel humans.

The bat partnership creates vulnerability that plantation growers have largely ignored. Durian cultivation has expanded massively, but bat populations face pressures from habitat loss and hunting. Some durian-growing regions have experienced declining yields correlated with bat population declines. The trees are planted without ensuring the pollinator partner remains viable.

Durian's extreme traits - the strong smell, the spiky shell, the specific ripening timing - all make sense as bat attractants. The smell carries for miles, guiding bats to ripe fruit. The spikes may deter non-bat consumers. The fruit drops at night when bats are active. What seems bizarre to humans is optimized for the actual mutualist partner.

The business insight is that product features optimized for key partners may seem strange to others. Durian's smell repels many humans but attracts its essential partner. Companies that design products for their actual users - not for observers or critics - may create offerings that seem bizarre but are perfectly optimized for their real market. What matters is whether partners are attracted, not whether observers approve.