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1970-Present
1972
Standard Fruit Company's bananas adopt the DOLE® label replacing the existing Cabana® label.
1972
All food activities (except sugar) are brought into a single group, Castle & Cooke Foods.
1973
Castle & Cooke acquire West Foods, Inc., the largest mushroom producer in the western United States. The label is Shady Oak®.
1973
Castle & Cooke's nut orchard and processing plant are sold to the Brewer Company, with Castle & Cooke continuing to market nuts under a contractual agreement.
1973
Castle & Cooke develop two large banana plantations on the coasts of Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Castle & Cooke banana operations become the leader in the North American market.
1973
Donald J. Kirchoff becomes president of Castle & Cooke.
1974
Additional mushroom facilities are purchased and the DOLE label is added to fresh mushrooms.
1975
Castle & Cooke purchase 12 Gann vessels, giving them one of the three largest fleets controlled by U.S. tuna canners.
1978
Castle & Cooke purchase Bud Antle, Inc., a vegetable company, and begins marketing vegetables under the "Bud of California® from Dole" label.
1984
Robert D. Cook becomes president of Castle & Cooke.
1984
Dole Fresh Fruit Company (a division of Castle & Cooke) acquires Blue Goose Growers, a citrus concern with packinghouse affiliates in California, Florida and Arizona.
1985
Castle & Cooke faces severe financial problems. A merger with Flexi-Van Corporation, a transportation equipment leasing company, brings financial stability back to the Company, as well as a new chairman and chief executive officer, David H. Murdock.
1986
Robert W. Fisher named president of Castle & Cooke.
1986
The DOLE logo is redesigned. The bright yellow sunburst is chosen as research shows it signifies freshness, quality, wholesomeness and good tasting products. The DOLE brand enjoys 98% world wide recognition.
1987
Dole Fresh Fruit operations are expanded with the acquisition of substantial holdings from Tenneco West, adding table grapes, strawberries, dates, raisins, plums, cherries, pistachios and almonds to Dole's product line. Dole Fresh Fruit also acquires from Apache Corporation, two high volume citrus packinghouses with navel and valencia oranges, olives, figs, other tree crops, and an almond and pistachio processing company.
1988
Dole debuts its new line of dried fruits and nuts to consumers, under the DOLE brand. DOLE raisins are on their way to becoming a favorite of consumers. DOLE raisins become known for being more moist and plump than competitors'.
1989
Dole purchases two premium Washington state apple producers: Wells & Wade Fruit Company and Beebe Orchard Company, providing Dole with some of the finest apple and pear orchards in the Northwest.
1989
Dole Fresh Vegetables drop the "Bud of California" name and begin marketing the produce line under the Dole name.
1990
Dole Fresh Vegetables division introduces a line of value-added packaged fresh vegetable products, which include pre-cut vegetables and salads. This soon becomes the fastest growing segment in supermarkets - the refrigerated, pre-cut, vegetables and salad section - offering nutrition, good taste and convenience to consumers.
1991
At the annual shareholders' meeting, a resolution is approved to change the name of Castle & Cooke to Dole Food Company, Inc. Dole is now the world's largest producer and marketer of fresh fruit and vegetables with a major line of packaged products.
1991
Dole launches Dole 5 A Day Program to encourage young children and their families to eat five or more daily servings of fruits and vegetables.
1992
Dole 5 A Day begins distributing free nutrition education materials to elementary schools across the United States.
1992
Dole purchases Cool Care, the world's leader in banana ripening and pre-cooling equipment.
1994
Dole opens the world’s largest pre-cut salad plant in Soledad, California. The plant was designed and built specifically for sanitary manufacture of pre-cut, packaged salads.
1995
Dole 5 A Day launches www.dole5aday.com as another interactive way to educate young children and their families about fruits, vegetables and physical activity.
1995
Dole's global reach extends to more than 90 countries with a product line of over 170 fresh and packaged food products. The DOLE brand continues to stand for high quality, healthful, good tasting products among consumers world wide.
1995
Consistent with Dole's corporate emphasis on quality management procedures, Dole Asia completes its International Standards Organization ("ISO 9000") product quality certification in record time for its four divisions in the Philippines.
1995
Dole separates its food and real estate businesses. Dole Food Company, Inc. will operate as a food producer and distributor. Castle & Cooke, Inc. will operate as a developer and builder of residential real estate, resorts and commercial real estate.
1996
Dole launches its website: www.dole.com
1996
Dole Fresh Vegetables' salad operations in Soledad, California, receive Plant of the Year Award from Food Engineering Magazine for superior design in safety, hygiene, and efficiency.
1996
Dole acquires Pascual Hermanos, the largest fruit and vegetable grower in Spain.
1996
The DOLE brand is rated Number One in Customer Satisfaction in a survey by American Consumer Satisfaction Index, as reported in Fortune Magazine.
1997
The Council on Economic Priorities, which publishes the book, "Students Shopping For A Better World," gives Dole Food Company, Inc. an "A' in charitable giving, a "B" in environmental management programs and stewardship, and other high marks. Click here for more about Dole's philanthropy. Click here for information on Dole's environmental programs.
1998
Dole establishes a floral division with the purchase of Sunburst Farms, Inc., the largest importer and marketer of fresh cut flowers to the U.S. To expand the division, Dole also acquires Finesse Farms, a premier rose importer; Four Farmers, Inc., a bouquet company; and CCI Farms, a major fresh-cut flower producer.
1998
Dole opens its 180,000 square foot pre-cut salad plant in Springfield, Ohio.
1998
Dole also acquires 60% of Saba Trading AB in Sweden, a leading importer and distributor of fruit, vegetables and flowers, with imports from more than 60 countries.
1998
In July of 1998, Dole's banana operations in Costa Rica become the first banana exporter and the first agricultural producer in the world to become certified to the environmental management system requirements of ISO 14001. Dole's other divisions in Latin American and Asia to follow in 1999. Click here to learn more about Dole's environmental programs.
1998
Dole receives "Corporate Conscience: Honor Roll Designee Award" from Council on Economic Priorities (CEP).
1998
Dole receives the "Second Harvest Partnership Award" and the "Hunger's Hope Award" for generous giving to the hungry.
1999
Dole moves into its new Worldwide Headquarters building in Westlake Village, California.
Dole introduces its PREMIUM SELECT® pineapple.
1999
Dole introduces Fruit Bowls®, the first single-serve all natural fruit snack in a plastic cup. The DOLE Fruit Bowl line includes Mandarin Oranges, Mixed Fruit, Peaches, Pineapple and Tropical Fruit.
2000
DOLE Fruit-n-Gel Bowls™, the first snack in a single-serve plastic cup that combines fruit gel flavors with real fruit pieces, are introduced. Fruit-n-Gel Bowls come in three varieties - Peaches in Strawberry Gel, Pineapple in Lime Gel and Mandarin Oranges in Orange Gel.
2001
Dole recognized by Fortune magazine as one of America’s 50 best companies for minorities.
2001
Dole introduces organic bananas.
2001
Dole 5 A Day receives the Produce for Better Health Foundation’s “Diamond Crystal Excellence Award” for Dole’s long-term commitment to educating young children and their families about 5 A Day.
2001
Dole’s Springfield, Ohio packaged salad plant was named “Plant of the Year” by Refrigerated & Frozen Foods magazine for its advanced automation, sanitation and changeover techniques.
2002
The Dole 5 A Day website receives the highest rating possible (“Among the Best”) from the Tufts University Nutrition Navigator, a rating service for nutrition websites.
2002
Dole Food Company publishes, in conjunction with the Mayo Clinic and UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, the Encyclopedia of Foods: A Guide to Healthy Nutrition. Click here to order.
2002
Dole recognized as among the top ten companies in the food processing sector as ranked by the American Customer Satisfaction Index.
2002
The DOLE CHILE and the DOLE COLOMBIA, Dole’s two newest reefer container-ships received the “Winner for Innovation in Shipbuilding Containership” at the Lloyds List Awards.
2002
David H. Murdock makes bid to acquire all the outstanding shares of Dole stock not already owned by Mr. Murdock or his family.
2003
David H. Murdock completes acquisition of Dole. Dole is delisted from the New York Stock Exchange.
2003
Dole 5 A Day received a Produce for Better Health Foundation “Excellence Award” for the “5 A Day Virtual Classroom”, a week-long online interactive educational event that reached children in more than 3,500 classrooms throughout the United States.
2003
Dole takes lead in carrying FDA-Endorsed health message on its products: “Diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of some types of cancer and other chronic diseases.”
2003
Dole introduces the DOLE Tropical Gold® label on pineapple products.
2003
Dole partners with the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) with the ONDCP’s National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign. Click here for more information. (link to Company Information/Responsible Business/Anti-Drug Campaign)
2003
The Customer Respect Group ranked Dole second among thirty-one companies rated in the American Customer Satisfaction Index in the food, beverage and tobacco sector.
2003
Dole Fresh Vegetables wins Progressive Grocer magazine’s Supermarket Business Category Best of Class for Packaged Salads five of the last seven years.
2004
Dole holds groundbreaking ceremony for its Wellness Center™, Spa and Hotel. Click here for more information.
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