Dole sells fresh vegetable division to private equity firm for $140M

Food Dive reported the development on 2025-08-06. A previous attempt to sell the business to Fresh Express was nixed by the DOJ over concerns the deal would have reduced competition and led to higher prices.

The report places the news in a wider commercial context. Dole sold its fresh vegetable division to private equity firm Arable Capital Partners, which owns packaged salad brand Organicgirl, for $140 million. Dole’s fresh vegetables segment oversees the processing and sale of everything from lettuce and cauliflower to broccoli and packaged salads. As part of the deal, Dole is retaining its facilities in Huron, California, and Yuma, Arizona.

For the food sector, the practical implications extend beyond the immediate announcement. Dole announced in January 2023 that it planned to divest the segment to Fresh Express, a subsidiary of Chiquita Brands International, for about $293 million. But the transaction was terminated a year later amid opposition from the DOJ, which alleged the deal would reduce competition and lead to higher prices.

Attention now turns to how companies, customers and regulators respond. When the company first announced its transaction with Fresh Express, Dole stated that a sale would enable it to improve its financial position and focus on the core businesses, specifically fresh fruit. Dole echoed a similar sentiment in its revised transaction with Arable Capital.