• Dole is like the Nestlé of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Dole is like Tyson Foods for fresh produce.
• Dole is like Chiquita, but for a much broader range of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Dole plc (DOLE) Major Products

• Fresh Fruit: A global offering of a wide variety of fresh fruits, including bananas, pineapples, berries, and avocados.
• Fresh Vegetables: A diverse range of fresh vegetables and salads, including packaged salads and whole produce.

Dole plc (symbol: DOLE) primarily sells its fresh fruit and vegetable products to other companies (B2B). While the company does not disclose specific customer names in its public filings, given the competitive nature of the industry and the lack of any single customer representing a material portion of its revenue, its major customers fall into the following categories:

• Grocery Retailers: Large national and international supermarket chains and other grocery stores. These companies purchase fresh produce directly from Dole for sale to individual consumers. Examples of such retailers, though not confirmed specific customers of Dole, include public companies like Walmart (NYSE: WMT), Kroger (NYSE: KR), Albertsons (NYSE: ACI), and Target (NYSE: TGT).
• Food Service Distributors: Companies that supply restaurants, hotels, schools, hospitals, and other institutional clients with food products. These distributors purchase Dole's produce in bulk to fulfill their clients' needs. Examples of public companies in this space include Sysco Corporation (NYSE: SYY) and US Foods Holding Corp. (NYSE: USFD).
• Wholesalers: Businesses that purchase large quantities of produce from Dole and then resell it to smaller retailers, independent grocers, or other food businesses.

Dole's business model is centered on supplying these intermediaries, who then make the products available to the end consumer.

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• Rory Byrne, Chief Executive Officer
  Rory Byrne was appointed CEO of Dole plc in August 2021. He has over 30 years of experience in the fresh produce industry, having started his career at Fyffes in 1988 where he held senior positions, including Finance Director of the U.K. business and Managing Director of its Spanish operations. He became Chief Executive Officer of Total Produce in 2006 and led the company through 15 years of significant expansion, including its growth into North American markets and the eventual combination with Dole Food Company. Rory Byrne also founded Powder Byrne, a luxury ski holiday company, in 1985.


• Jacinta Devine, Chief Financial Officer
  Jacinta Devine was appointed Chief Financial Officer in 2022. She has nearly 30 years of experience in the fresh produce industry, having joined the Group in 1996. Prior to her CFO role, she served as Company Secretary of Dole plc and Total Produce plc, gaining experience in corporate governance for publicly traded companies. She has held various senior accounting and financial positions, including Divisional Finance Director of Ireland and the U.K.


• Johan Lindén, Chief Operating Officer
  Johan Lindén has served as Chief Operating Officer of Dole plc since 2021. He began his career with Dole Food Company in September 2000 within its European operations. His roles included general manager of Dole Food Company's value-added operation, Deputy General Manager for its Swedish wholesale operation, and President Dole Europe. He moved to Dole Food Company's U.S. headquarters in 2015, serving as President and Chief Operating Officer, and was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Dole Food Company in 2017 before the merger.


• Carl McCann, Executive Chairman
  Carl McCann presides as Executive Chairman of Dole plc and leads the company's long-term strategy. He has over 40 years of experience in the fresh produce industry, beginning his career at KPMG before joining Fyffes in 1980. At Fyffes, he held increasing leadership roles, including Finance Director, Vice Chairman, and Executive Chairman. He was appointed Chairman of Fyffes in 2003 and later became Executive Chairman at Total Produce in 2006, where he oversaw its growth and expansion, including the combination with Dole Food Company. He also serves as Chairman of Balmoral and on the boards of several other companies.


• Jared Gale, Chief Legal Officer & Company Secretary
  Jared Gale serves as the Chief Legal Officer & Company Secretary for Dole plc.

Key Risks:

1. Weather-Commodity Nexus and Sourcing Costs: As an agricultural company, Dole is highly exposed to the "weather-commodity nexus," which drives cost volatility. Extreme weather events, intensified by climate change, directly impact crop yields, logistics, and sourcing costs, presenting the single biggest operational headwind for the fresh produce industry. This risk directly influences the uncontrollable costs of sourcing, despite robust consumer demand.
2. Inflationary Pressures and Currency Exchange Rate Fluctuations: Persistent inflation wreaks havoc on businesses, including Dole, by pressuring profit margins. Furthermore, a strong U.S. dollar poses a significant challenge for Dole, as over 50% of its revenue originates from outside North America, leading to potential currency translation issues. Changes in interest and currency exchange rates, as well as broader economic crises, are consistently cited as factors that could materially affect Dole's results.
3. Leveraged Balance Sheet: Dole's balance sheet is notably more leveraged compared to its peers. While its net debt to EBITDA ratio is considered reasonable, the company's total liabilities, including both short-term and long-term obligations, outweigh its cash and near-term receivables. The cost of servicing this debt can significantly impact the company's financial performance. Additionally, adverse changes in economic conditions or higher costs of capital could lead to impairment charges for goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets, further impacting results.

The accelerating development and adoption of controlled environment agriculture (vertical farming) and the growing consumer and retailer demand for hyper-local produce represent a clear emerging threat. This trend challenges Dole's established global sourcing, shipping, and distribution network by enabling the cultivation of certain fresh produce categories, such as leafy greens and berries, closer to consumption centers, potentially bypassing Dole's traditional supply chain.

Dole plc (symbol: DOLE) operates primarily in the fresh fruit, fresh vegetable, and packaged salad markets globally.

Fresh Fruits

• Globally, the fresh fruits market was valued at approximately USD 616.9 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to USD 831.37 billion by 2032.
• North America is identified as the largest market for fresh fruits, holding approximately 35% of the global market share.

Fresh Vegetables

• The global fresh vegetables market size was estimated at USD 949.8 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach approximately USD 1.6 trillion by 2034.
• In North America, the fresh vegetables market was valued at USD 107.5 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to USD 185.5 billion by 2034.

Packaged Salads

• The global packaged salad market was valued at approximately USD 12.6 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach around USD 25.0 billion by 2034.
• In North America, the packaged salad market generated approximately USD 5.6 billion in revenue in 2024, representing a substantial 44.8% share of the global market.

Dole plc (DOLE) is expected to drive future revenue growth over the next 2-3 years through a combination of strategic initiatives and market dynamics:

1. Volume and Price Growth Across Core Commodities and Regions: The company anticipates continued revenue growth from increased volumes and favorable pricing across many of its fresh produce commodities, particularly within North America. This includes strong performance observed in products such as bananas, pineapples, berries, avocados, kiwi, citrus, and apples exported from South America.
2. Enhanced Operational Efficiencies and Strategic Investments in Core Business: Following the completion of the sale of its Fresh Vegetable division in Q2 2025, Dole plc is now focusing its efforts and investments on its core fresh fruit and diversified fresh produce businesses. This strategic divestment is aimed at enhancing operational efficiencies and strategically positioning the company for sustained growth. Furthermore, strategic investments, such as the expansion of its shipping fleet to service East Coast operations, are expected to provide a pathway for additional growth.
3. Geographic Market Strength and Expansion: Dole plc has demonstrated strong performance and is targeting continued growth in key geographic markets. The Diversified Fresh Produce EMEA segment, for instance, has shown robust revenue growth in countries like Ireland, the UK, the Netherlands, and Spain. Similarly, the Diversified Fresh Produce Americas segment has excelled with strong demand in North America and growth in South American apple exports.
4. Strategic Acquisitions: Acquisitions have historically contributed to Dole's revenue growth, as seen with an incremental positive impact from acquisitions in the Diversified Fresh Produce EMEA segment in Q3 2024. This indicates that targeted acquisitions remain a potential driver for expanding market reach and product offerings.

Share Repurchases

• Dole plc has not reported any significant share repurchase programs or made material share repurchases in the last 3-5 years, with its buyback yield consistently at 0.00% according to available data.

Share Issuance

• Dole plc completed its Initial Public Offering (IPO) on July 30, 2021, issuing 25,000,000 ordinary shares at a price of $16.00 per share, resulting in gross proceeds of $400 million.
• In September 2025, a secondary offering of 11.92 million ordinary shares was priced by existing shareholders (Castle & Cooke Holdings, Inc. and The Murdock Group, LLC), from which Dole plc did not receive any proceeds.

Outbound Investments

• Dole plc completed the sale of its Fresh Vegetables Division on August 5, 2025, as a key strategic priority.
• The disposal of the Progressive Produce business impacted the Adjusted EBITDA in the first quarter of 2025.

Capital Expenditures

• For fiscal year 2025, Dole plc anticipates maintenance capital expenditures of approximately $100.0 million, broadly in line with its expected annual depreciation expense.
• Expected capital expenditures for the remainder of 2025 include increased investments in Honduras for rehabilitation following Tropical Storm Sara, significantly supported by insurance proceeds.
• In 2024, capital expenditures were $82.4 million, with an additional $53.3 million in additions through finance leases, primarily focused on shipping containers, farming investments, warehouse efficiency projects, and IT and logistics assets, including the purchase of two previously chartered vessels.