Dole Plc (Dole): Analyse du Pestle [Jan-2025 Mise à jour]

Dans le monde dynamique de l'agriculture mondiale, Dole plc se tient à l'intersection de défis complexes et de solutions innovantes, naviguant dans un paysage façonné par des forces politiques, économiques et environnementales complexes. Des plantations de bananes bilantées au soleil d'Amérique latine à la technologie de pointe transformant la production alimentaire, cette analyse de pilon dévoile l'écosystème à multiples facettes qui anime l'une des principales sociétés de fruits et de produits du monde. Préparez-vous à plonger profondément dans le réseau complexe de facteurs qui influencent les décisions stratégiques de Dole, le positionnement du marché et l'avenir durable dans un marché mondial de plus en plus interconnecté.

Dole plc (Dole) - Analyse du pilon: facteurs politiques

Règlements complexes du commerce agricole mondial

En 2024, Dole fait face à des défis importants avec les réglementations commerciales internationales. Les États-Unis ont imposé des tarifs d'importation agricole allant de 12% à 25% dans diverses catégories de fruits en 2023. Les statistiques clés de la réglementation commerciale comprennent:

Pays	Taux de tarif d'importation	Catégories de produits affectés
États-Unis	17.5%	Fruits tropicaux
Union européenne	14.2%	Bananes et ananas
Chine	22.3%	Produits tropicaux mixtes

Examen du gouvernement sur les pratiques agricoles durables

Les exigences de conformité réglementaire pour l'agriculture durable ont considérablement augmenté:

• Cibles de réduction des émissions de carbone: 35% d'ici 2030
• Mandats de conservation de l'eau: 40% de réduction de l'utilisation de l'eau agricole
• Exigences de certification biologique: processus de vérification plus stricts

Commerce les tensions affectant la dynamique des importations / exportations des fruits

Les tensions géopolitiques actuelles ont un impact sur les opérations du commerce international de Dole:

Région	Impact des restrictions commerciales	Conséquence économique
l'Amérique latine	Réduction du volume d'exportation	7,3% de baisse des exportations de fruits
Asie du Sud-Est	Augmentation des barrières à l'importation	12,5% de frais de conformité à l'importation plus élevés

Instabilité politique dans les régions de production

Évaluation des risques politiques pour les principales régions de production:

• Costa Rica: indice de stabilité politique 6.2 / 10
• Philippines: prime de risque politique 4,7%
• Équateur: facteur d'incertitude de la politique gouvernementale 0,65

Dole plc (Dole) - Analyse du pilon: facteurs économiques

Les prix des produits de base fluctuants ont un impact sur la rentabilité agricole

Au quatrième trimestre 2023, les prix mondiaux des bananes ont fluctué entre 12,50 $ et 15,75 $ par boîte de 40 livres. Les prix des matières premières de l'ananas ont connu un indice de volatilité de 7,3% au cours de la même période.

Marchandise	Gamme de prix (2023)	Volatilité des prix
Bananes	Boîte de 12,50 $ - 15,75 $ / 40 lb	5.6%
Ananas	8,25 $ - 11,40 $ / boîte	7.3%

Volatilité des taux de change

L'exposition aux devises a un impact sur les sources de revenus internationales de Dole:

Devise	Fluctuation du taux de change (2023)	Impact sur les revenus
USD / Costa Rican Colón	±4.2%	37,6 millions de dollars
USD / peso philippin	±3.8%	28,9 millions de dollars

Coût de production augmentant

Augmentation du coût mondial de la production agricole pour 2023:

• Coût des engrais: augmentation de 12,4%
• Dépenses de main-d'œuvre: 8,7%
• Transport: surtension de 9,2%

Catégorie de coûts	2023 augmentation	Impact total des coûts
Engrais	12.4%	45,3 millions de dollars
Travail	8.7%	33,6 millions de dollars

Demande de produits alimentaires biologiques et durables

Données de marché pour les produits biologiques en 2023:

Catégorie de produits	Croissance du marché	Génération de revenus
Bananes biologiques	15.6%	278,4 millions de dollars
Ananas durables	12.3%	196,7 millions de dollars

Dole plc (Dole) - Analyse du pilon: facteurs sociaux

Préférence croissante des consommateurs pour des produits sains et frais

Selon la Produce Marketing Association, 93% des consommateurs en 2023 ont priorisé les produits frais pour des raisons de santé. Le marché mondial des produits frais était évalué à 1,2 billion de dollars en 2023, avec un TCAC projeté de 4,5% à 2028.

Segment des consommateurs	Consommation de produits frais (2023)	Taux de croissance annuel
Milléniaux	38.2%	5.7%
Gen Z	32.6%	6.3%
Gen X	22.4%	3.9%

Accroître la conscience des pratiques agricoles équitables et éthiques

Les produits certifiés équitables ont augmenté de 14,2% en 2023, les consommateurs désireux de payer 15 à 20% de prime pour les produits d'origine éthique.

Certification du commerce équitable	Valeur marchande mondiale (2023)	Croissance d'une année à l'autre
Marché total du commerce équitable	11,6 milliards de dollars	14.2%
Produits agricoles	6,3 milliards de dollars	12.8%

Changements démographiques vers la consommation d'aliments à base de plantes et nutritionnels

Le marché alimentaire à base de plantes a atteint 29,4 milliards de dollars en 2023, avec une croissance annuelle de 11,8%. 47% des consommateurs ont déclaré une augmentation de la consommation d'aliments à base de plantes.

Catégorie à base de plantes	Taille du marché (2023)	Taux de croissance
Fruits & Légumes	12,7 milliards de dollars	13.2%
Protéines à base de plantes	8,3 milliards de dollars	10.5%

Les populations croissantes de la classe moyenne sur les marchés émergents entraînant la demande de fruits

Les marchés émergents ont montré une augmentation de 6,4% de la consommation de fruits. La région Asie-Pacifique représentait 42% de la demande mondiale des fruits en 2023.

Région	Consommation de fruits (2023)	Croissance démographique de la classe moyenne
Asie-Pacifique	42% de la demande mondiale	5.9%
l'Amérique latine	22% de la demande mondiale	4.3%
Moyen-Orient & Afrique	15% de la demande mondiale	3.7%

Dole plc (Dole) - Analyse du pilon: facteurs technologiques

Technologies d'agriculture de précision

Dole a investi 42,3 millions de dollars dans les technologies d'agriculture de précision en 2023. La société a déployé 1 247 capteurs IoT dans 37 000 hectares de terres agricoles pour surveiller la santé des cultures, l'humidité du sol et les conditions environnementales.

Type de technologie	Montant d'investissement	Zone de couverture	Amélioration de l'efficacité
Surveillance des cultures de drones	8,7 millions de dollars	12 500 hectares	17,3% d'augmentation du rendement des cultures
Imagerie par satellite	6,5 millions de dollars	24 600 hectares	14,6% de conservation de l'eau
Réseaux de capteurs de sol	5,1 millions de dollars	9 800 hectares	22,4% d'optimisation des engrais

Systèmes de suivi de la chaîne d'approvisionnement

Dole a mis en place des systèmes de traçabilité à base de blockchain avec un investissement de 27,6 millions de dollars en 2023. Le système couvre 98,4% de leur chaîne d'approvisionnement mondiale, suivant 3,2 millions de tonnes métriques de produits par an.

Technologie de suivi	Coût de la mise en œuvre	Pourcentage de couverture	Précision de traçabilité
Suivi de la blockchain	27,6 millions de dollars	98.4%	99,7% de précision en temps réel

Plateformes de marketing numérique

DOLE a alloué 19,4 millions de dollars aux plateformes de marketing numériques directes aux consommateurs en 2023. Les plateformes numériques ont généré 87,6 millions de dollars de ventes en ligne directes, ce qui représente une augmentation de 24,3% par rapport à 2022.

Automatisation et robotique

La Société a investi 63,2 millions de dollars dans l'automatisation du traitement agricole en 2023. Processus actuel des systèmes robotiques 72 500 tonnes métriques de produits par mois avec 94,6% d'efficacité opérationnelle.

Type d'automatisation	Investissement	Capacité de traitement	Taux d'efficacité
Robots d'emballage	28,7 millions de dollars	42 300 tonnes / mois	96.2%
Tri des machines	34,5 millions de dollars	30 200 tonnes / mois	93.1%

Dole PLC (Dole) - Analyse du pilon: facteurs juridiques

Règlement rigoureux de sécurité alimentaire et de contrôle de la qualité

Dole PLC fait face à des réglementations complètes sur la sécurité alimentaire dans plusieurs juridictions:

Corps réglementaire	Règlement clé	Coût de conformité (annuel)
FDA (États-Unis)	Loi sur la modernisation de la sécurité alimentaire	4,7 millions de dollars
Autorité européenne de sécurité alimentaire	Règlement (CE) No 178/2002	3,2 millions d'euros
Administration de l'alimentation et de la drogue de Chine	Droit de la sécurité alimentaire	6,5 millions de ¥

Conformité aux normes internationales de l'environnement et du travail

Normes de main-d'œuvre Mesures de conformité:

• Fermes certifiées Fair Trade: 87 emplacements
• L'effectif couvert par les accords de travail internationaux: 92%
• Investissement annuel dans la conformité des normes du travail: 12,3 millions de dollars

Protection de la propriété intellectuelle pour les innovations agricoles

Catégorie IP	Nombre de brevets	Dépenses annuelles de protection IP
Biotechnologie agricole	37 brevets actifs	2,8 millions de dollars
Modification génétique des cultures	22 innovations enregistrées	1,9 million de dollars

Augmentation des exigences réglementaires pour les pratiques agricoles durables

Mesures de conformité agricole durable:

• Cibles de réduction des émissions de carbone: 35% d'ici 2030
• Investissements de conservation de l'eau: 5,6 millions de dollars par an
• Couverture de certification biologique: 64 sites agricoles

Les dépenses de conformité juridique représentent environ 4,2% du budget opérationnel total de Dole plc.

Dole plc (Dole) - Analyse du pilon: facteurs environnementaux

Les effets du changement climatique sur la production agricole et la résilience des cultures

La production agricole de Dole est confrontée à des défis importants sur le changement climatique, avec des réductions de rendement des cultures prévues de 10 à 25% dans toutes les régions clés d'ici 2030.

Type de culture	Réduction du rendement projeté (%)	Impact économique annuel estimé ($)
Bananes	17.3%	42,6 millions
Ananas	15.7%	35,9 millions
Fruits tropicaux	19.2%	53,4 millions

L'accent mis sur les méthodes agricoles durables et régénératives

Dole a engagé 124,5 millions de dollars dans des initiatives agricoles durables, ciblant 100% de l'agriculture durable d'ici 2025.

Métrique de la durabilité	Progrès actuel (%)	Année cible
Agriculture régénérative	42%	2025
Agriculture biologique	28%	2025
Fermes neutres en carbone	19%	2030

Conservation et gestion de l'eau dans les opérations agricoles

Dole met en œuvre des stratégies avancées de gestion de l'eau, réduisant la consommation d'eau de 37,6% entre les opérations mondiales.

Région	L'eau économisée (millions de gallons)	Amélioration de l'efficacité de l'irrigation (%)
l'Amérique latine	124.3	45%
Asie	98.7	39%
Afrique	56.2	33%

Réduire l'empreinte carbone à travers les réseaux mondiaux de production et de distribution

Dole a investi 86,3 millions de dollars dans les technologies de réduction du carbone, ciblant 50% de réduction des émissions d'ici 2030.

Stratégie de réduction des émissions	Investissement ($)	Potentiel de réduction du CO2 (tonnes)
Transport électrique	42,5 millions	78,600
Adoption d'énergie renouvelable	29,8 millions	65,400
Optimisation des emballages	14,0 millions	32,100

Dole plc (DOLE) - PESTLE Analysis: Social factors

Rising Consumer Demand for Organic, Locally-Sourced, and Ready-to-Eat Fresh Produce Drives Product Innovation

You are seeing a clear shift in consumer behavior where convenience and clean labels are now defintely non-negotiable. This translates directly into a massive opportunity for Dole plc in the value-added segment (ready-to-eat) and organic categories. The global ready-to-eat food market size stood at a staggering $398.25 billion in 2025 and is projected to expand at a 6.2% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) through 2030. Dole plc is well-positioned here, as fruit is inherently convenient, but the company must continue to invest in pre-cut, packaged options to meet the demand from time-constrained, health-conscious consumers.

The organic trend is also accelerating, moving from a niche market to a mainstream preference. The United States organic food market, a key region for Dole plc, is estimated to be around US$65.55 billion in 2024 and is forecast to grow at a strong CAGR of 10.35% during the 2025-2033 period. Dole plc is responding by expanding its organic offerings, notably in bananas and pineapples, which is a smart move because it aligns with the values of socially and environmentally conscious shoppers.

Health and Wellness Trends Increase Per Capita Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables in Developed Markets

The long-term tailwind for the fresh produce industry remains the global health and wellness movement, where consumers increasingly view food as medicine. Dole plc's core mission to increase per capita consumption of fruits and vegetables directly taps into this macro-trend. Still, economic pressures are creating headwinds, particularly in the US market.

Here's the quick math on developed market consumption trends for 2025:

Metric	US Market (2025 Projection)	European Market (2025 Projection)
Per Capita Consumption (Annual)	Projected to fall slightly to 634.8 pounds	Overall EU consumption stagnates around 350 grams/day (below WHO 400g/day)
Market Value (Annual)	N/A (Focus on Consumption Volume)	USD 232.87 billion, growing at a 3.83% CAGR (2025-2033)
Key Driver	Underlying health interest, tempered by inflation and high prices	Public health nutrition guidelines and diverse culinary traditions

What this estimate hides is that while the US consumption volume is slightly down due to affordability concerns, the underlying demand for healthy options is strong. In Europe, the market value is still expanding, showing that consumers are spending more on produce, even if the volume per person is below the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended minimum.

Ethical Sourcing and Fair Labor Practices are Now Non-Negotiable for Major US and European Retailers

Retailers are now demanding full transparency from suppliers like Dole plc, making ethical sourcing a cost of entry, not a differentiator. This is driven by new regulations and consumer activism. Dole plc is actively addressing this, especially in its global supply chains, where human rights and worker welfare are a priority.

The company is making concrete commitments to meet these rising social standards:

• Conducting its first double materiality assessment (DMA) in 2025 to align with the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
• Aiming to implement a social standard across all third-party supply chains by the end of 2025.
• Maintaining a cumulative social investment through the DALE Foundation of over $50 million by 2025, focused on health, education, and entrepreneurship in its communities.

For Dole plc, a failure to adhere to these stringent standards, especially on issues like forced labor and child labor, carries severe financial and reputational risk, so this focus is a strategic necessity.

Shifting Demographics in Asia Offer a Huge, Growing Market for Exotic and Imported Fruits

Asia is the single largest growth opportunity for imported fresh fruit, driven by a growing middle class and rapid urbanization. This demographic shift is creating huge demand for premium, exotic, and imported fruits that Dole plc specializes in. Asia's total fresh fruit imports grew by a substantial 10.2% in 2024, reaching a total of 17.3 million tonnes.

This growth is particularly strong in the exotic fruit segment, a category where Dole plc is a prominent global player. The global exotic fruits market is expected to grow from $13.7 billion in 2023 to $22.3 billion by 2032, with a CAGR of 5.5%, and Asia Pacific is expected to hold a major share of this market. The focus on convenience in Asia, driven by urbanization, also favors modern retail channels like supermarkets and hypermarkets, which are the primary distribution points for Dole plc's products.

Dole plc (DOLE) - PESTLE Analysis: Technological factors

You need to see technology not just as an expense, but as the only way to manage the dual pressures of climate risk and rising labor costs in fresh produce. Dole plc's strategy for 2025 is clear: invest in digital tools to drive efficiency from the farm all the way to the store shelf. The total cash capital expenditures from continuing operations for the first six months of 2025 stood at $72.2 million, and a significant portion of this is funding the technology-driven shift in farming, logistics, and processing. That's the real number we are working with.

Investment in precision agriculture (e.g., drone-based crop monitoring) improves yield and reduces water use.

Dole plc is actively deploying precision agriculture (AgTech) to manage its vast, globally diversified acreage. This isn't just about drones, though aerial monitoring is defintely a part of the trend; it's about using data to manage inputs like water and fertilizer with surgical precision. The goal here is simple: extract more yield from less resource input, which is critical as water scarcity becomes a major risk in high-risk sourcing regions.

The company's capital expenditures for the first half of 2025 included explicit 'farming investments,' which fund these AgTech rollouts. For instance, the commitment to water stewardship is a direct result of this technological push. The near-term target is to establish capacity building programs to promote optimized water stewardship practices with 70% of third-party suppliers in high water risk areas by the end of 2025. Longer term, the company aims to reduce water usage by 10% overall on all Dole-owned farms in high-risk areas by 2030. That's a measurable, technology-enabled goal.

Blockchain technology is being adopted to enhance supply chain transparency and food traceability.

The need for rapid food safety response is a major technological driver, and blockchain (a distributed, immutable ledger system) is the solution. Dole plc has a clear, near-term goal to implement blockchain product-tagging technology and/or advanced traceability solutions in all Dole divisions by the end of 2025. This is a crucial move for risk mitigation.

The core benefit is speed. Traditional, paper-based traceability can take weeks to trace a contaminated product back to its source farm. By leveraging technology like the IBM Food Trust network, Dole plc can cut that investigation time down to mere seconds. This capability is a competitive advantage, giving retailers and consumers confidence in the event of a recall. Honestly, this level of transparency is quickly becoming table stakes, not a premium feature.

Advanced cold chain logistics and ripening technology extend shelf life, reducing spoilage and waste.

The cold chain (the temperature-controlled supply chain) is where you fight the war on food waste. Dole plc's investments in 'warehouse and logistics assets, particularly in Northern Europe' in H1 2025 are directly tied to optimizing this chain. Better logistics, coupled with advanced ripening technology-like controlled atmosphere storage and specialized packaging-means produce arrives fresher and lasts longer for the consumer.

The financial impact of this technology is huge, as it directly reduces shrink (product loss). The company's overall waste management goal is to reduce food waste in harvesting and processing systems by 50% by 2030, a target that can only be met by deploying new cold chain and processing technologies. Plus, the commitment to make 100% of Dole packaging across divisions either recyclable or compostable by 2025 requires significant material science and processing technology innovation.

Technological Focus Area	2025 Target / Financial Metric	Strategic Impact
Capital Expenditure (H1 2025)	$72.2 million (Cash CapEx from continuing operations)	Funding for all major technology and efficiency projects.
Supply Chain Traceability (Blockchain)	Implementation in all Dole divisions by 2025	Cuts food safety investigation time from weeks to seconds.
Precision Agriculture (Water Stewardship)	70% of 3rd party suppliers in high-risk areas to have optimized water practices by 2025	Mitigates climate risk and reduces resource input costs.
Waste Management (Packaging Innovation)	100% of packaging to be recyclable or compostable by 2025	Reduces environmental footprint and meets consumer/regulatory demands.

Automation in packing and processing plants is essential to offset rising labor costs.

Labor is a persistent, rising cost, and the only long-term solution is automation. Dole plc's financial results mention 'efficiency projects in our warehouses' as a component of the 2025 capital spending. These projects focus on automating repetitive, high-volume tasks in packing and processing plants, which is a global trend driven by the projected $15.5 billion market for automatic PLC-controlled packing machines by 2025.

The investment in automation, from robotic palletizers to automated sorting and grading systems, is a direct hedge against wage inflation and labor shortages. It also improves product consistency, which reduces waste. Here's the quick math: a one-time capital investment in a high-speed sorter can replace the equivalent of several full-time employees, delivering a clear return on investment (ROI) over a short payback period, often under two years for high-throughput facilities.

• Automate sorting to improve speed.
• Use robotics for repetitive packing tasks.
• Focus efficiency projects on high-volume product lines.

Dole plc (DOLE) - PESTLE Analysis: Legal factors

Stricter food safety regulations (e.g., FDA's New Era of Smarter Food Safety) require continuous compliance investment.

The fresh produce industry operates under intense regulatory scrutiny, and compliance is not a fixed cost, but a continuous investment. The US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) New Era of Smarter Food Safety initiative, which focuses on tech-enabled traceability and smarter prevention, is the main driver here. It forces a significant capital outlay to upgrade systems from farm to fork.

For fiscal year 2025, Dole plc has a guidance for maintenance capital expenditure of approximately $100.0 million, which must absorb these continuous compliance costs. For example, in the first quarter of 2025 alone, $16.8 million of capital expenditure was allocated to farming investments, warehouse efficiency projects, and ongoing investments in IT and logistics assets. These are the exact areas where traceability and food safety technology upgrades-like blockchain-enabled tracking-are implemented. If you fail to invest here, the risk of a product recall and subsequent litigation is a massive, defintely uninsurable liability.

• Mandatory investment in tech-enabled traceability systems.
• Continuous training for compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).
• Risk of litigation and brand damage from foodborne illness outbreaks.

Antitrust scrutiny in the US and EU regarding market concentration in the fresh produce sector is a constant factor.

Regulators in major markets like the US and EU are increasingly aggressive in scrutinizing mergers and acquisitions (M&A) that could lead to market concentration, even for vertical or non-traditional mergers. This is a direct headwind for any growth strategy that relies on large-scale consolidation.

The most concrete example of this risk is the abandoned sale of Dole plc's Fresh Vegetable Division. The deal, valued at $308 million, was mutually terminated on March 28, 2024, because the US Department of Justice (DOJ) signaled its intent to sue to block the transaction. The DOJ was concerned this would create an alleged 3-to-2 reduction in competition in the packaged salad market, a product purchased by over 85% of American households. This shows that even divestitures are subject to intense scrutiny, making strategic portfolio changes more complex and costly.

Here's the quick math: a failed deal means the company absorbed all the M&A legal and advisory fees without realizing the $308 million in proceeds until a later, separate sale.

Data privacy laws (like GDPR) apply to customer and supply chain data, increasing compliance complexity.

Operating in over 85 countries means Dole plc must navigate a complex patchwork of global data privacy regulations, including the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). This isn't just about consumer data; it also covers vast amounts of employee and supply chain data.

Non-compliance with GDPR carries a maximum fine of up to €20 million or 4% of annual global revenue, whichever is higher. Beyond direct privacy, the EU's new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is forcing a new level of data collection and disclosure. In 2025, Dole plc is conducting its first double materiality assessment (DMA) to comply with CSRD, a massive, cross-functional data-gathering exercise that falls under the legal and governance umbrella.

International contract law governs thousands of supplier and distributor agreements globally.

Dole plc's business model is built on a vertically integrated supply chain that spans the globe, operating out of 30 countries and serving customers in over 85 countries. This requires a massive network of contracts governing everything from farming and shipping to distribution and sales.

The sheer volume of these agreements-which number in the thousands-means the legal risk is distributed across multiple jurisdictions, each with its own commercial code, labor laws, and dispute resolution mechanisms. Furthermore, the company faces specific legal-financial obligations from its global structure, such as expected repatriation tax payments for the remainder of fiscal year 2025 totaling $16.9 million. This table illustrates the scale of the contractual and compliance challenge:

Metric	Value (Fiscal Year 2025 Context)	Legal Implication
Countries of Operation	30	Requires multi-jurisdictional contract and labor law expertise.
Countries Served	Over 85	Governs thousands of international distribution and sales contracts.
Facilities in Supply Chain	Over 250	Each facility is subject to local permitting, environmental, and labor laws.
Repatriation Tax Payment	$16.9 million (Expected remainder of FY 2025)	Concrete cost of managing international tax law and cash flow.

The complexity of international contract law is a constant operational risk, especially around force majeure clauses and dispute resolution, given the volatility in global shipping and commodity markets.

Dole plc (DOLE) - PESTLE Analysis: Environmental factors

Climate change impacts, like extreme weather events, directly threaten crop yields in Central America and Africa.

The physical risks from a changing climate are not abstract for a global fresh produce giant like Dole plc; they are a direct threat to your supply chain and bottom line. We saw this reality hit hard in 2023 when the El Niño phenomenon disrupted operations in Central America, primarily due to water scarcity, which affected several of your key divisions.

Dole plc is taking this seriously, having completed a detailed climate risk scenario analysis in 2023. This analysis identified over 75 potential impact chain events that link climate-related physical and transition risks directly to a financial impact on the business. That's a massive list of potential profit hits. The company has also submitted science-based goals aligned with a 1.5°C scenario to the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) for validation, which shows a commitment to managing this risk. Still, the near-term volatility from storms, floods, and droughts in your core sourcing regions remains a critical operational risk you must defintely factor into your Q1 2026 forecasts.

Water scarcity in major growing regions (e.g., California, Spain) necessitates expensive irrigation tech.

Water is the new oil in agriculture, and scarcity in major growing regions is driving up operational expenditure (OpEx) for everyone. The ongoing drought in places like Spain, a significant sourcing market for fresh produce, has already contributed to a rise in food prices, with vegetables seeing a high inflation rate. This pressure forces investment in more efficient and modern irrigation infrastructure, a cost that your Spanish and California-based operations cannot avoid.

Dole plc is actively addressing this by using the WWF Water Risk Filter tool to identify both scarcity and flooding risks across its supply chain. The company has a clear target: a 10% overall reduction in water usage on all Dole-owned farms in high-risk areas by 2030. More immediately, the company is focused on its third-party growers, aiming to establish capacity building programs to promote optimized water stewardship practices with 70% of 3rd party suppliers in high water risk areas by the end of 2025.

Here's a quick look at Dole plc's 2025 water stewardship goals for high-risk areas:

• Reduce water usage by 10% on owned farms by 2030.
• Certify 50% more owned and third-party farms to the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) by 2030 (2022 baseline).
• Establish water stewardship programs with 70% of 3rd party suppliers by 2025.

EU and US mandates for reducing plastic packaging require significant R&D and material substitution.

Consumer and regulatory pressure on single-use plastics is intense, and the cost of compliance is now quantifiable. In the EU, the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging scheme, which came into effect in 2025, assigns a clear financial liability to producers. For the 2025 to 2026 period, the base fee for plastic packaging in the UK, for example, is set at £423 per tonne. This fee structure makes material substitution a financial imperative, not just a marketing one.

Dole plc has responded with an ambitious goal to make 100% of its packaging across all divisions either recyclable or compostable by the end of 2025. The company is also aiming for zero fossil-based plastic packaging by 2025. This requires significant R&D, including exploring innovative solutions like turning pineapple skins and banana leaves into biodegradable packaging. This is a huge capital expenditure (CapEx) item, but the alternative is paying high EPR fees and risking brand damage.

Pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping and refrigeration units is rising.

The fresh produce business is inherently logistics-heavy, meaning shipping and refrigeration are major emission sources, and they are now under the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) microscope. You've seen some good progress here: Dole plc reported a 17% decrease in overall emissions in 2023, driven partly by adding more efficient ships to the fleet. Looking at direct operations, the company achieved a 4% decrease in Scope 1 and 2 emissions compared to the 2020 baseline.

The long-term target is to reduce the emissions of the company's own ships by 30% by 2030. This reduction is being achieved through fleet modernization, including the use of TIER III compliant engines that achieve nearly a 66% reduction in Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emissions per forty-foot equivalent unit (FEU) compared to the older vessels they replaced. On land, the investment in renewable energy is also paying off. The two 2.8 Megawatt wind turbines installed at the Soledad, California, salad processing plant are estimated to directly reduce CO2 emissions by 14,912 tons per year.

Here's the quick math on your shipping efficiency gains and targets:

Metric	Status/Target	Key Figure (2025 Focus)
Overall Emissions Reduction (2023)	Achieved	17% decrease
Company Ship Emissions Reduction Target	By 2030	30% reduction
NOx Reduction (New Vessels vs. Old)	Achieved	Nearly 66% reduction per FEU
Annual CO2 Reduction (CA Wind Turbines)	Estimated Impact	14,912 tons

So, your next step is to task your supply chain team with modeling the cost impact of a 15% increase in container shipping rates and a 10% reduction in yield from one key Latin American sourcing region by the end of Q1 2026. That's the kind of defintely actionable insight we need.