Dole Food Company
Dole Food Company (NYSE: DOLE) is a vertically integrated global fresh produce company founded in 1901, distributing tropical and fresh fruit — including pineapples, bananas, berries, kiwis, and mangoes — to major retailers, foodservice operators, and food manufacturers across approximately 90 countries.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1851
- HeadquartersThousand Oaks, United States
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Dole Food Company does
Dole Food Company, Inc. (NYSE: DOLE) is one of the world's largest vertically integrated fresh produce companies, founded in 1901 and headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California, with approximately 75,000 employees operating across roughly 30 countries and distributing to approximately 90 countries. Its core product portfolio centers on tropical and fresh fruit — pineapples (celebrating a 125-year anniversary in 2026), bananas, blueberries, strawberries, kiwis, and mangoes — distributed under the DOLE brand and sub-brands including Dole Whip, Colada Royale, Dole Organic, and Dole Packaged Foods (Dole Sunshine). The company's operations span company-owned farms, contract growers, cold-chain logistics, ocean cargo (Dole Ocean Cargo), and ripening facilities, with technology investments in blockchain food traceability (partnered with Walmart and IBM) and approximately $100 million committed to warehouse automation and AI-based picking and packing systems.
Revenue is generated primarily through wholesale fresh produce sales contracted with major retail chains (Walmart, Target, Costco, Kroger, Whole Foods, Carrefour, Tesco), foodservice operators (restaurants, hotels, cruise lines, airlines, Disney for Dole Whip), and food manufacturers requiring fresh ingredients. Pricing is negotiated contract-by-contract and is not publicly disclosed; consumer packaged goods flow through major grocery retail. In 2025, Dole executed two material portfolio divestitures — the Fresh Vegetables division sold to Chiquita Holdings for $140 million and Guayaquil port operations sold to Terminal Investment Limited for $75 million — refocusing the company on higher-margin fruit categories while retaining service agreements for port access. FY2025 revenue was $9.2 billion (up 8.2% YoY) with adjusted EBITDA of $395.4 million.
Dole is pursuing adjacent category extensions through partnerships with Pernod Ricard/Malibu (RTD cocktails), Sunday Swagger (lifestyle apparel), and J & C Pet Supply (pet food), signaling a brand-led diversification strategy beyond fresh produce while maintaining its core fruit distribution franchise.
Dole Food Company firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dole Food Company
- Legal name
- Dole Food Company, Inc.
- Website
- http://www.dole.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1851
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Dole Food Company (NYSE: DOLE) is a vertically integrated global fresh produce company founded in 1901, distributing tropical and fresh fruit — including pineapples, bananas, berries, kiwis, and mangoes — to major retailers, foodservice operators, and food manufacturers across approximately 90 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dole Food Company industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fresh Produce
- NAICS
- Food Manufacturing (311), Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (3114), Snack Food Manufacturing (31191)
- SIC
- Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fruit Snacks & Dried Fruit (CRADABAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Dried Fruit & Fruit Snacks Manufacturing (AFAKAIAL)
Keywords
Where Dole Food Company is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Thousand Oaks
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Dole Food Company business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Fresh Fruit Sales: Primary revenue stream from fresh produce including bananas, pineapples, berries, and other tropical fruits sold through retail, foodservice, and food manufacturing channels globally.
- Fresh Vegetables Division (Divested 2025): Former segment including fresh vegetables and packaged salads. Sold to Chiquita Holdings for $140 million in August 2025.
- Fresh Vegetables: Dole sold its Fresh Vegetables division to Chiquita Holdings for $140 million in August 2025.
- Port Operations: Dole divested its port and port operations in Guayaquil, Ecuador to Terminal Investment Limited for approximately $75 million, maintaining service agreement for terminal access.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Fresh produce products sold through retail, foodservice, and food manufacturing channels |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
Dole Food Company product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dole Food Company grows, sources, and distributes fresh fruits (pineapples, bananas, berries, kiwis, mangoes) and packaged food products globally. The company sells through major retail chains, foodservice operators, and food manufacturers across approximately 90 countries, with operations spanning about 30 countries and roughly 75,000 employees worldwide.
Product overview
Dole Food Company is a global fresh produce company operating primarily as a single unified product portfolio focused on tropical and fresh fruits. The core offerings center on Dole-branded fresh produce including pineapples (celebrating 125 years since 1901), bananas, blueberries, strawberries, kiwis, and mangoes, distributed through retail, foodservice, and food manufacturing channels globally. The company also operates sub-brands including Dole Whip (frozen pineapple dessert), Dole Organic Produce, and Dole Packaged Foods/Sunshine brand. Strategic divestitures completed in 2025 include the Fresh Vegetables division (sold to Chiquita for $140M) and Guayaquil port operations (sold to TiL for $75M), refocusing the company on higher-margin fresh fruit categories. Products are sourced from Dole-managed farms and contract growers across Latin America, with operations spanning approximately 30 countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Dole Whip: A popular frozen pineapple dessert product line.
- Colada Royale
- Royal Hawaiian
- Waialua Estate
Products and services
- Pineapples Dole's signature fresh tropical fruit product line, including the new Colada Royale premium variety, sold through retail and foodservice channels globally.
- Bananas Dole's primary tropical fruit product, sourced from Dole-owned farms and contract growers globally and distributed through retail and foodservice channels.
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Kiwis
- Mangoes
- Dole Whip
- Dole Organic Produce
- Dole Packaged Foods (Dole Sunshine)
- Colada Royale Pineapple Award-winning premium pineapple variety developed through 15 years of R&D, offering elevated tropical sweetness with coconut notes for retail and foodservice customers.
- Malibu & Dole RTD Cocktails Ready-to-drink pineapple cocktails developed through a partnership with Pernod Ricard subsidiary Malibu, marketed under the Malibu & Dole brand.
Quantifiable outcome
- Revenue increased 8.2% year over year to $9.2 billion in fiscal 2025
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Dole Food Company
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Dole Food Company technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Dole Food Company partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- J & C Pet SupplyminorDole partnered with J & C Pet Supply to launch a produce-inspired line of dog food toppers and toys, extending the Dole brand into the pet products category.
- DALE FoundationminorThe DALE (Dole Agriculture Learning Experience) Foundation has invested over $36 million since 2005 in education, medical and community development programs in Latin America, supporting Dole's sustainability and social impact initiatives.
- Terminal Investment Limited (TiL)minorDole divested its port and port operations in Guayaquil, Ecuador to Terminal Investment Limited for approximately $75 million. Dole continues using the port under a service agreement. TiL is a global port operator with terminals across major ports including Singapore, Los Angeles, Rotterdam, and Busan.
- Sunday SwaggerminorSunday Swagger, a golf and lifestyle apparel company, partnered with Dole to launch a tropical-inspired collection including polos, hoodies, t-shirts, hats, and golf accessories. The collaboration emphasizes vibrant designs inspired by Dole's tropical fruits, extending the Dole lifestyle brand into activewear for health-conscious consumers.
- Banana Association of North America (BANA)minorThe Banana Association of North America was formed by major banana importers including Chiquita, Dole Food Company, Fresh Del Monte, and Fyffes North America to support and promote the banana industry in North America, increase consumer engagement, and address industry challenges such as climate change and diseases.
- Malibu (Pernod Ricard)coreDole partnered with spirits maker Malibu (Pernod Ricard) to launch ready-to-drink pineapple cocktails under the Malibu & Dole brand. The partnership combines Dole's tropical fruit expertise with Malibu's rum-based spirits portfolio to create premium RTD cocktails arriving in 2026.
- Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS)coreIn 2020, 13 Dole-owned and independent banana farms in Colombia and Ecuador achieved the AWS International Water Stewardship Standard certification - a first in the banana industry. The certification provided a proactive and systemic approach to managing both water use and water quality.
- Walmart and IBMcoreDole partnered with Walmart, IBM and other industry leaders to implement advanced food traceability solutions using blockchain technology. Produce logged via blockchain can be instantly traced back to any point in the supply chain, improving food safety and transparency.
- Honduras Foundation for Agricultural Research (FHIA)coreDole maintains an ongoing partnership with FHIA for banana research and development, specifically focused on developing banana varieties resistant to Tropical Race 4 (TR4) Panama Disease to ensure long-term supply security.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Dole Food Company competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fresh Del Monte Produce: Fresh Del Monte is one of the world's largest vertically integrated producers and distributors of fresh fruits and vegetables, with bananas and pineapples as core categories, comparable scale and similar global retail/foodservice customer mix.
- Chiquita Brands International: Chiquita is a direct competitor in fresh bananas and tropical produce with comparable supply chain in Latin America; it also recently acquired Dole's Fresh Vegetables division, intensifying the competitive overlap in fresh produce.
- Fyffes: Fyffes is a major banana and tropical produce importer with deep European retail relationships, serving the same foodservice and retail channels as Dole and competing on the same commodity fresh fruit SKUs.
- Driscoll's: Driscoll's is the leading branded berry producer globally, competing with Dole in blueberries and strawberries through similar premium branded positioning, retail partnerships, and global grower networks.
- Wonderful Company: Wonderful Company (Pom Wonderful, Wonderful Pistachios, Halos) is a vertically integrated branded fresh produce company with similar large-scale farming, branded marketing, and global retail distribution comparable to Dole's premium fruit strategy.
- Sunkist Growers: Sunkist is a major grower cooperative specializing in citrus and other fresh fruit sold through the same mass-market retail and foodservice channels, competing for shelf space and consumer fruit-share-of-throat with Dole.
- Sun-Maid Growers of California: Sun-Maid is a branded packaged fruit cooperative (raisins, dried fruit) that overlaps with Dole's packaged fruit/Dole Sunshine business and competes for similar CPG shelf space in dried and snack fruit categories.
Broad incumbents
- Bonduelle: Bonduelle is a global leader in packaged and processed vegetables (canned, frozen, fresh), historically comparable to Dole's Fresh Vegetables segment before its 2025 divestiture and still adjacent through Dole Sunshine's packaged offerings.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Dole Food Company social profiles
Digital presenceDole Food Company financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dole Food Company leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Dole Food Company subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Dole Food Company funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dole Food Company M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A3 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dole Food Company
What does Dole Food Company do?
Dole Food Company grows, sources, and distributes fresh fruits (pineapples, bananas, berries, kiwis, mangoes) and packaged food products globally. The company sells through major retail chains, foodservice operators, and food manufacturers across approximately 90 countries, with operations spanning about 30 countries and roughly 75,000 employees worldwide.
Is Dole Food Company a public or private company?
Dole Food Company is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Dole Food Company founded?
Dole Food Company was founded in 1851. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Dole Food Company based?
Dole Food Company is headquartered in Thousand Oaks, United States, in the North America region.
How does Dole Food Company make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Fresh Fruit Sales are the primary driver. The others are fresh Vegetables Division (Divested 2025), fresh Vegetables and port Operations.
Who are Dole Food Company's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fresh Del Monte Produce, Chiquita Brands International, Fyffes, Driscoll's, Wonderful Company, Sunkist Growers and Sun-Maid Growers of California. Bonduelle is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Dole Food Company have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dole Food Company.
What industry is Dole Food Company in?
Dole Food Company's product category is Fresh Produce. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRADABAJ, Fruit Snacks & Dried Fruit, with a secondary code of AFAKAIAL, Dried Fruit & Fruit Snacks Manufacturing. Its NAICS code is 311 and its SIC code is 2030.