Dole Unveils Salad Bag Redesign and Much More at PMA

Dole, the #1 salad kit brand, is rolling out new salad bag graphics designed to make it easier for millions of salad buyers to select which of the 47 DOLE® Salads is right for them, as part of a nationwide trend toward healthier eating and increased consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables and salads.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171018006368/en/

New DOLE Salad Packaging (Photo: Business Wire)

New DOLE Salad Packaging (Photo: Business Wire)

Launching in U.S. supermarkets in November 2017, the refreshed graphics are part of a comprehensive new salad package design system being unveiled for the first time at PMA 2017 Fresh Summit Convention & Expo, Oct. 19-21, in New Orleans.

Other PMA highlights for Dole (Booth #1317) include tastings of some of the new DOLE Salad Kits coming in 2018, plus two original recipes inspired by Star Wars: The Last Jedi as part of Dole’s multiyear nutritional collaboration with Disney.

“Our salad bag redesign is the most comprehensive effort by Dole to rethink the packaged salad category in close to a decade, and is being driven both by consumer demand and the continued growth of salad as the basis of a healthier diet and lifestyle,” said William Goldfield, director, corporate communications, at Dole Food Company.

According to Goldfield, consumer preferences within the packaged salad segment have evolved significantly since the first DOLE Salad was introduced in 1993 – and throughout the launch and extension of Dole’s pioneering Chopped Kits, Blends and Organic lines over the years.

“Our customers told us they want a cleaner, more contemporary design that better communicates both brand and product benefits, and ultimately makes it easier to enjoy more salads and a salad-based diet. In response, Dole designers created a comprehensive new package design system that more clearly specifies the salad kit or blend category, plus product contents, ingredients and key nutritional benefits, while reinforcing Dole’s commitment to quality and freshness.”

The foundation of the redesign is a unique, color-coded system that assigns a unique PMS color to each DOLE Salad category, including Mild Basics, Leafy & Robust, Mixers, Classic Kits, Premium Kits and Chopped Kits.

Dole’s redesign project included extensive qualitative and quantitative research to determine specific consumer preferences, likes and dislikes. Focus groups, in-store interviews and other face-to-face interactions with salad users and Dole’s retail partners also provided critical insights in the development of the new graphics.

Tasty PMA Surprises

Visitors to Dole’s PMA booth will be among the first to sample some of the new DOLE Salad Kits arriving in supermarkets in February 2018. DOLE® Sweet Citrus Organic Salad Kit and DOLE® Savory Balsamic Organic Salad Kit extend the brand’s organic salad kit leadership with two uniquely paired flavor combinations, while the soon-to-hit-the-shelves DOLE® Chopped Greek Salad Kit delivers popular Greek-inspired flavors and craveable crunch in a restaurant-quality experience. All three of the new salad kits feature proprietary Dole dressings, which help to define the unique characteristics of each salad.

Meanwhile, booth visitors can savor two exciting new recipes created by Dole as part of Unite for a Healthy Galaxy, an 18-week healthy-living initiative inspired by Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The recipes – The First Order Smoothie inspired by Stormtroopers and the BB-8 Roundabout Sundae inspired by BB-8 – are among a dozen galactic creations developed by Mark Allison, director of culinary nutrition at the Dole Nutrition Institute, in honor of the film arriving in theaters Dec. 15.

Launched earlier this month, “Unite for a Healthy Galaxy” is highlighted by Star Wars: The Last Jedi characters Rey, Finn, Kylo Ren, Poe Dameron and others on hundreds of millions of DOLE® fruits and vegetables plus a dedicated microsite, digital interactions, a downloadable app and blogger and social media programs.

As part of the Unite for a Healthy Galaxy Sweepstakes,” Star Wars and produce fans can download the FREE DOLE App starting in late October and scan DOLE fruits and vegetables at their neighborhood supermarket to collect and share Star Wars: The Last Jedi content and be entered in a weekly drawing for a chance to win one of 18 remote-controlled, voice-activated BB-8 toys or Star Wars: The Last Jedi figurines.

For information on “Unite for a Healthy Galaxy,” go to www.dole.com/Disney. For details on Dole’s entire packaged salad line, go to www.dole.com, or visit us at www.facebook.com/Dole.

About the Unite for a Healthy Galaxy Sweepstakes

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Must be legal U.S./Canadian resident, 18 years (or age of majority) or older. Void in Puerto Rico and where prohibited. “Dole Unite for a Healthy Galaxy Sweepstakes” begins Oct. 8, 2017 at 12:00 p.m. PT and ends Feb. 16, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. PT, subject to weekly entry period deadlines. Winners selected via random drawing. For official rules and info on how to enter, prizes, odds and other details, go to www.dole.com/Disney. Sponsor: Dole Food Company, Inc.

About Dole Food Company, Inc.

Dole Food Company, Inc., is one of the world’s largest producers and marketers of high-quality fresh fruit and fresh vegetables. Dole is an industry leader in many of the products it sells, as well as in nutrition education and research. For more information, please visit www.dole.com.

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