Dole Food Company timeline
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Castle & Cooke Partnership is Formed
Castle & Cooke was started in 1851 by two former mission secular agents, Samuel Northrup Castle and Amos Starr Cooke. They had both arrived in the... Read more
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Castle & Cooke Invest in Haiku Sugar Company
Castle & Cooke enter the food business with their first investment in Hawaii's sugar industry. The Haiku Sugar Company, is the first sugar... Read more
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Oahu Railway and Land Company Opens First Railroad in Hawaiian Islands
On November 16, 1889, the Oahu Railway and Land Company (OR&L) began operating on Hawai`i's third largest island, Oahu. The brainchild of... Read more
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Castle & Cooke is incorporated under the laws of Hawaii.
The Castle & Cooke partnership was incorporated and Joe Atherton was elected president. At this time the company was just coming out of a financial... Read more
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James Drummond Dole comes to Hawaii
James Drummond Dole come to Hawaii, fresh out of Harvard's School of Horticulture and Agriculture with a love of farming and a desire to set up a... Read more
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President William McKinley appoints Sanford Dole first territorial governor of Hawaii
The territory of Hawaii is established and Sanford Dole, cousin of James Dole, is appointed first Governor of the new territory. Read more
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Hawaiian Pineapple Company Founded
James Dole begins growing pineapple on 60 acres on Wahiawa, north of Oahu. Dole's company becomes Hawaiian Pineapple Company and is... Read more
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Dole brings pineapple cannery to Honolulu
Dole moves pineapple cannery to Honolulu and places ads in U.S. magazines to promote pineapple. (This was one of the first nationwide consumer ad... Read more
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Henry Ginaca invents machine (the "Ginaca Machine") that automated the peeling and coring of pineapples
A Dole engineer, Henry Ginaca, invents a machine that peels, cores and cuts pineapple at the speed of 80 to 100 pineapples per minute. Read more
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Dole's first pineapple on Lana'i
Dole's first pineapple is harvested on Lana'i. (Note: It takes 18 months to two years to grow a pineapple from the crown). Read more
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Dole Name Appears on Cans of Pineapples and Pineapple Juice
Recognizing the popularity and significance of quality in James Dole's name, the company first stamps "DOLE" on cans of pineapple and pineapple... Read more
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Castle & Cooke Enters Tuna Packing Business
Castle & Cooke enters the tuna packing business by purchasing 41% of the stock and a few years later 97% of the stock of Hawaiian Tuna Packers. Read more
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Castle & Cooke Enters the Banana Business
Castle & Cooke purchases 55% interest in Standard Fruit & Steamship Company, New Orleans, entering the banana business. Read more
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Castle & Cooke Exchanges Ownership in Hawaiian Tuna Packers for Columbia River Packers Association
Castle & Cooke exchanges ownership in Hawaiian Tuna Packers for 12% interest in Columbia River Packers Association, producers of Bumble Bee® Seafood. Read more
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Dole and Columbia River Packers (which Becomes Bumble Bee Seafood, Inc.) Merge with Castle & Cooke
Dole and Columbia River Packers merge with Castle & Cooke. Because the DOLE® brand was so well known and signified high quality with consumers,... Read more
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Dole Philippines Is Organized
Dole Philippines, the pineapple growing operations in the Philippines, is organized under the name Dolefil. Read more
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Castle & Cooke Gains Full Ownership of Standard Fruit
Castle & Cooke acquires 100% of Standard Fruit, the second largest producer and importer of bananas. Read more
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Castle & Cooke Becomes Leader in North American Banana Market
Castle & Cooke develop two large banana plantations on the coasts of Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Castle & Cooke banana operations become the leader... Read more
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Donald J. Kirchoff Becomes President of Castle & Cooke
Donald J. Kirchoff becomes president of Castle & Cooke. Read more
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Castle & Cooke Merges with Flexi-Van Corp in Response to Financial Problems
Castle & Cooke faces severe financial problems. A merger with Flexi-Van Corporation, a transportation equipment leasing company, brings financial... Read more
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Dole Unveils Redesigned Logo
The DOLE logo is redesigned. The bright yellow sunburst is chosen as research shows it signifies freshness, quality, wholesomeness and good tasting... Read more
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Dole Launches 5 A Day Program to Encourage Healthy Eating
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. Read more
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Castle & Cooke Officially Becomes Dole Food Company
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... Read more
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Dole 5 A Day Program Commences Distribution of Free Nutritional Education Materials to Schools
Dole 5 A Day begins distributing free nutrition education materials to elementary schools across the United States. Read more