Dole Food Company

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.

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

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

• Fresh produce distribution
• Tropical fruit farming
• Fresh fruit supply
• Packaged fruit products
• Cold chain logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Thousand Oaks

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. Fresh Vegetables Division (Divested 2025): Former segment including fresh vegetables and packaged salads. Sold to Chiquita Holdings for $140 million in August 2025.
3. Fresh Vegetables: Dole sold its Fresh Vegetables division to Chiquita Holdings for $140 million in August 2025.
4. 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

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core 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

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• J & C Pet SupplyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 February 2026Dole 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 FoundationminorOthers · 1 January 2026The 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)minorOthers · 17 December 2025Dole 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 SwaggerminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 December 2025Sunday 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)minorOthers · 24 October 2025The 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)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 August 2025Dole 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)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2021In 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 IBMcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 March 2021Dole 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)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Dole 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

Direct 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

• Xx.com/DoleNutrition
• Facebookfacebook.com/104082602961396
• Instagraminstagram.com/dolepics
• Pinterestpinterest.com/DolePins
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/7456

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dole Food Company