What Dole- Fresh Vegetables Division does

Dole plc is an Irish-domiciled, NYSE-listed (ticker: DOLE) fresh produce company formed in 2021 through the strategic combination of Dole Food Company and Total Produce plc. It is one of the world's largest vertically integrated fresh produce providers, operating across 30 countries with approximately 32,000 employees, 250+ facilities (farms, packhouses, manufacturing sites, cold storage and distribution hubs), 110,000 acres of production, a 13-vessel fleet and roughly 19,000 refrigerated containers. Its product portfolio spans over 300 lines of fresh produce — bananas, tropical fruits, salads, vegetables, berries, avocados, organics and value-added fresh-cut ranges — marketed under the flagship DOLE® brand (73% unaided US brand awareness per the 2020 IPSOS survey) complemented by regional brands such as Grá in Ireland and BE Exotic for sustainable packaging in Europe.

The company operates a farm-to-fork supply chain that combines owned farms, dedicated vessel tonnage, packhouses, ripening and cold-chain infrastructure, and last-mile distribution hubs to deliver produce to retail, wholesale, foodservice and processing customers across 85+ countries. Its technology stack includes the Dole Insight App (a sustainability risk-profiling tool covering 51 countries across 20 data points) and the Dole Consumer Compass (a pan-European consumer research program covering 10 countries and 10,000 interviewees), both used to support category management and procurement decisions.

Dole makes money primarily by selling fresh produce on a transaction/fee basis through negotiated, quote-based B2B contracts across four customer segments: retail (primary — major grocery chains requiring 52-week supply), foodservice, wholesale markets and processors. A secondary revenue stream comes from category management and professional services that add value through packaging innovation, promotional support and sustainability solutions. Three operating segments structure the business: Dole Fresh Fruit, Dole Diversified EMEA, and Dole Diversified Americas & ROW. Leadership is headed by Executive Chairman Carl McCann and CEO Rory Byrne, supported by COO Johan Lindén and CFO Jacinta Devine.

Name

Dole- Fresh Vegetables Division

Legal name

Dole plc

Website

https://www.doleplc.com/our-business/our-business-units/dole-fresh-vegetables

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Dole plc is an Irish-domiciled, NYSE-listed fresh produce company operating across 30 countries with ~32,000 employees, serving retail, wholesale, foodservice and processing customers through a vertically integrated farm-to-fork supply chain spanning 300+ produce lines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Fresh Produce

NAICS

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Merchant Wholesalers (42448), Vegetable and Melon Farming (11121), Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (3114)

SIC

Food And Kindred Products (2000), Wholesale-Farm Product Raw Materials (5150), Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Fresh Produce Distribution (CRAOABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fresh Produce Wholesale (Fruit & Vegetables) (AFAIABAE), Fresh-Cut & Value-Added Produce (Washed, Peeled, Sliced, Packaged) (AFAKAFAA), Fresh Vegetable Wholesale (AFAIACAB), Fresh Cut / Value-Added Produce Wholesale (Pre-Cut, Packaged, Salad Kits) (AFAIACAD)

Keywords

• Fresh produce supply
• Vegetable distribution services
• Fresh fruit sourcing
• Category management produce
• Foodservice produce supplier

Headquarters

HQ city

Dublin

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fresh Produce Sales: Sale of fresh fruits and vegetables through retail, wholesale, foodservice and processing channels. Revenue generated from growing, sourcing, importing, ripening, packing, marketing and distributing over 300 lines of fresh produce including bananas, tropical fruits, salads, vegetables, berries, avocados, and organic ranges.
2. Category Management Services: Comprehensive menu of services to customers ranging from simple service provision to complete Category Management, adding value through innovative packaging, promotional and sustainable solutions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Dole plc's Fresh Vegetables Division grows, sources, imports, ripens, packs, markets, and distributes over 300 lines of fresh produce including salads, vegetables, berries, avocados, organic ranges and value-added fresh cut products to retail, wholesale, foodservice and processing customers. The division operates within a vertically integrated supply chain spanning approximately 110,000 acres of owned farms, 250-plus facilities globally, owned vessel and refrigerated container fleets, and provides category management services alongside its core fresh produce offering.

Product overview

Dole plc is the world's leading fresh produce provider offering over 300 lines of fresh fruits and vegetables through its iconic DOLE brand and local brands. The company operates a vertically integrated supply chain with approximately 250 facilities globally. Its product portfolio spans bananas (the most significant category), avocados, berries, fresh cut salads, organic produce, and value-added fresh cut ranges. The DOLE brand serves as the primary brand across North America and Europe, while local brands like Grá in Ireland complement the offering with regionally sourced produce. The company serves retail, wholesale, foodservice, and processing sectors across 30 countries, organized into three segments: Fresh Fruit, Diversified Fresh Produce - EMEA, and Diversified Fresh Produce - Americas & ROW.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Grá: Irish word for 'love'. A local produce brand in Ireland applied to produce sourced from local growers including Irish fruits, herbs, salads and vegetables.
• Dole Consumer Compass
• DALE Foundation

Products and services

• DOLE Brand Fresh Produce The primary DOLE brand offering over 300 lines of fresh produce including salads, vegetables, berries, avocados, bananas, tropical fruits and organic ranges, recognized globally as synonymous with quality, health, wellbeing and sustainability. Distributed to retail, wholesale, foodservice and processing customers.
• Grá Brand Irish Local Produce Local Irish produce brand (Grá means 'love' in Irish) applied to fresh produce sourced from over 25 experienced local growers across Ireland, including strawberries, apples, and herbs. Exclusively marketed and distributed by Dole Ireland to retail, wholesale and foodservice channels.
• BE Exotic Sustainable Packaging Line Sustainable product line featuring recyclable, mono-material twin packs introduced in Europe as part of Dole's commitment to reduce plastic usage and transition to recyclable or compostable materials.
• Organic Fresh Produce Range Extensive organic fresh produce range offered as part of Dole's diverse portfolio, grown and sourced to meet organic standards.
• Value Added Fresh Cut Ranges Pre-cut, ready-to-use fresh produce including salads and vegetables that add value through processing and packaging convenience for retail and foodservice customers.
• Category Management Services Comprehensive menu of services to retail, wholesale, foodservice and processing customers ranging from simple service provision to complete Category Management, adding value through innovative packaging, promotional solutions and sustainable practices.
• Dole Insight App Dynamic intelligence tool for buyers, procurement experts and managers to identify sustainability risks within the global fresh produce supply base. Uses 20 publicly available data points to profile 51 countries on Environmental Risk, Ethical Risks and Other Risks using a traffic-light system.

Quantifiable outcome

• 73% unaided consumer brand awareness in US market (2020 IPSOS survey)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RecyplastcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994Joint venture created in 1994 with another banana grower and Montecristo Group to recycle agricultural plastic. Recyclplast operates 22 post-consumer collection and recycling centers across Costa Rica, recycling banana bags and twines into plastic corner boards.
• Freshfel EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean fresh produce association partnership for Environmental Footprint Initiative to develop a fresh fruit and vegetable environmental footprint methodology and digital tool aligned with EU Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology.
• Agri AwarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting the Incredible Edibles programme in Irish primary schools, providing growing starter kits and educational materials about fresh produce. Reaches 1,300 schools and 48,000 students annually.
• Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of AWS focusing on responsible water management. 20 farms have been recognized for sustainable water management practices across Colombia and Ecuador, including Dole-owned and Dole Independent producers.
• Rainforest AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding collaboration with Rainforest Alliance to promote biodiversity and develop monitoring programs to assess the status of ecosystems around farming operations.
• Biodiversity Partnership MesoamericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member of partnership dedicated to promoting biodiversity and developing monitoring programs for ecosystems around Dole farming operations in Mesoamerica.
• ITVminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPrimary sponsor of 'Eat Them To Defeat Them' campaign in the United Kingdom, a £3.5m TV campaign broadcast during primetime programming on ITV, reaching 36 million people in 2022.
• Origin Green ProgrammeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngagement with Ireland's sustainability programme enabling Dole Ireland to demonstrate sustainable practices in local operations.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• US Foods Holding Corp: US Foods is one of the largest US foodservice distributors, similar to Sysco, sourcing fresh produce and value-added items from suppliers including Dole. It is a comparable incumbent in the downstream channel that Dole plc serves with its foodservice offerings.
• Lamb Weston Holdings: Lamb Weston is a global leader in value-added frozen potato products, supplying retail and foodservice. While not a direct fresh produce peer, it is comparable as a vertically integrated processed vegetable company serving the same customer channels with branded value-added offerings.
• Sysco Corporation: Sysco is the largest US foodservice distributor, procuring fresh produce including Dole products for restaurants, hotels and institutions. As a customer-competitor adjacent player, it represents the scale of distribution Dole supplies into and the broader competitive context for Dole's foodservice segment.

Direct peers

• Greenyard: Greenyard is a Belgian market leader in fresh, frozen and prepared fruit and vegetables, serving major European retailers with category management and private-label programs. It is directly comparable to Dole's Diversified Fresh Produce - EMEA segment in customer base, product mix and distribution model.
• Bonduelle Group: Bonduelle is a France-based global leader in fresh and processed vegetables, supplying retail and foodservice across Europe and North America. It is highly comparable to Dole's Fresh Vegetables Division through its value-added salads, canned and frozen vegetable portfolio and similar B2B customer mix.
• Calavo Growers: Calavo Growers is a US-based avocado and fresh produce distributor with ripening and packing operations serving retail and foodservice. It overlaps with Dole's avocado category and shares a similar customer base of major grocery chains and foodservice operators in North America.
• Chiquita Brands International: Chiquita is one of the largest banana producers and a major fresh fruit distributor, owning a refrigerated vessel fleet similar to Dole's. It is a direct competitor in bananas and complementary fresh produce sold to retail and foodservice customers in North America and Europe.
• Mission Produce: Mission Produce is the world's largest grower, packer and distributor of avocados, competing with Dole in the strategically prioritized avocado category. Comparable business model of vertically integrated production, ripening and global distribution to retail and foodservice customers.
• Fresh Del Monte Produce: Fresh Del Monte Produce is a vertically integrated producer, distributor and marketer of fresh fruits and vegetables with global operations, directly comparable to Dole plc across bananas, pineapples, melons and prepared fruit/vegetables. Both compete across retail and foodservice channels worldwide.

Emerging players

• Driscoll's: Driscoll's is the largest berry marketer in North America, sourcing from independent growers and supplying major retailers. It directly competes with Dole's berry category and represents the type of category specialist that could win share in high-growth segments where Dole is investing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dole-plc

Compliance13 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Dole- Fresh Vegetables Division