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Fresh Produce The Company marketes line of fresh fruits and vegetables sold under the "Chiquita" and other brand names. Chiquita's fresh fruits and vegetables included bananas, berries, citrus, grapes, lettuce, melons, mushrooms, onions, potatoes, stone fruit, and tomatoes. The core of Chiquita's Fresh Produce operations is the marketing, distribution and sourcing of bananas. Sales of bananas accounted for approximately two-thirds of Fresh Produce net sales. Processed Foods Chiquita's Processed Foods included private-label and branded canned vegetables sold in North America and abroad; processed bananas and other fruits sold primarily in North America, Europe and the Far East under the "Chiquita" brand; fruit juices and beverages sold in North America and Europe; and other consumer products (primarily edible oils) sold in Honduras under the "Clover" and other brand names. Chiquita's vegetable canning operations are conducted by its subsidiary, Chiquita Processed Foods, (CPF). CPF's operations tried to consolidate productive capacity and integrate four canning operations acquired from September 1997 through April 1999. CPF operated 15 processing facilities in the upper Midwest and Northwest and marketed a full line of over 20 types of processed vegetables. These include corn, green beans, peas, pumpkin, root vegetables and other related products, to retail and food service customers throughout the United States and in over 40 other countries. Corn was CPF's leading canned vegetable product, accounting for approximately 30% of Processed Foods net sales. CPF was the largest processor of private-label canned vegetables in the United States and enjoyed the largest share of the U.S. private-label canned vegetable business. CPF also sold branded products under the "Stokely's," "Festal," "Tendersweet" and other labels. CPF competed directly with a few major producers of both branded and private-label canned vegetables, as well as indirectly with numerous marketers of frozen and fresh vegetable products.
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