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Chiquita

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"Chiquita" redirects here. For other uses, see Chiquita (disambiguation).
Chiquita Brands International Inc.
Company typePublic
NYSE: CQB
IndustryAgriculture
Founded1863
HeadquartersCharlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
Key people
Edward F. Lonergan, President and Chief Executive Officer
ProductsFood, Bananas
RevenueDecrease$3.07 billion USD (2012)
Decrease$405 million USD (2012)
Number of employees
10,000 (2007 est)
Websitewww.chiquita.com

File:Big Scrotum 1.jpg

New Chiquita headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina

Chiquita Brands International Inc. is an American producer and distributor of bananas and other produce. The company operates under a number of subsidiary brand names, including the flagship Chiquita brand and Fresh Express salads. Chiquita is the leading distributor of bananas in the United States.

Chiquita is the successor to the United Fruit Company. It was formerly controlled by Cincinnati businessman Carl H. Lindner, Jr., whose majority ownership of the company ended when Chiquita Brands International exited a prepackaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy on March 19, 2002. In 2003, the company acquired the German produce distribution company, Atlanta AG. Fresh Express salads was purchased from Performance Food Group in 2005. Chiquta's current headquarters is located in Charlotte, North Carolina.[1]

On March 10, 2014, Chiquita Brands International Inc. and Fyffes plc announced that the Boards of Directors of both companies unanimously approved a definitive agreement under which Chiquita will combine with Fyffes, in a stock-for-stock transaction that is expected to result in Chiquita shareholders owning approximately 50.7% of ChiquitaFyffes, and Fyffes shareholders owning approximately 49.3% of ChiquitaFyffes, on a fully diluted basis. The agreement will create the largest banana company in the world.[2]

Chiquita Banana

The trademark logo mascot, "Miss Chiquita," now Chiquita Banana, was created in 1944 by Dik Browne, who is best known for his Hägar the Horrible comic strip. Miss Chiquita started as an animated banana with a woman's dress and legs. Vocalist Patti Clayton was the original 1944 voice of Chiquita Banana, followed by Elsa Miranda, June Valli and Monica Lewis. Advertisements featured the banana character wearing a fruit hat. The banana with a fruit hat was changed into a woman in 1987.[3] A new Miss Chiquita design was unveiled in 1998.[4] Peel-off stickers with the logo started being placed on bananas in 1963. They are still placed by hand today to avoid bruising the fruit.[3]

History

Chiquita Center in Downtown Cincinnati, Ohio

Early history

Main article: United Fruit Company

Chiquita Brands International's history began in 1870 when Lorenzo Dow Baker purchased 160 bunches of bananas in Jamaica and resold them in Jersey City eleven days later The following year,Minor C. Keith contracted to build a railroad in Costa Rica. He planted bananas alongside the track to attract patrons and provide revenue for the railroad.[4] In 1878, Baker partnered with Andrew Preston to form the Boston Fruit Company.[5] United Fruit Company was founded in 1899 when the Boston Fruit Company and various fruit exporting concerns controlled by Keith merged. In 1903, United Fruit Company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange and began the first company to use refrigration during open sea transport. By 1930, the company's fleet had grown to 95 ships.[4]

The brand name Chiquita was registered as a trademark in 1947. By 1955, United Fruit Company was processing 2.7 billion pounds (1.2 billion kilograms) of fruit a year. In 1966, the company expanded into Europe. In 1970, the company merged with AMK Corporation and changed its name to United Brands Company.[4] Eli Black took a controlling interest by outbidding two other conglomerates, Zapata Corporation and Textron.[6] In 1980, Chiquita was an official sponser of the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid.[4]

In 1990, the company renamed itself Chiquita Brands International, as it undertook major investments in Costa Rica. In 1993, the company was hit by European tariffs on the import of Latin American bananas. In 1994, select Chiquita farms were certified the Rainforest Alliance's Better Banana Project as being environmentally friendly. In 1995, the company sold the John Morrell meat business that was part of the original AMK Corporation. In 1998, the world's largest banana processing facility debuted in Costa Rica.[4]

Cincinnati Enquirer accusations and resulting lawsuit

Chiquita Scandinavia, a former Chiquita Brands International ship.[7]

On May 3, 1998, The Cincinnati Enquirer published an eighteen-page section, "Chiquita Secrets Revealed" by investigative reporters Michael Gallagher and Cameron McWhirter. The section accused the company of mistreating workers on its Central American plantations, polluting the environment, allowing cocaine to be brought to the United States on its ships, bribing foreign officials, evading foreign nations' laws on land ownership, forcibly preventing its workers from unionizing, and a host of other misdeeds.[8] Chiquita denied all the allegations, and sued after it was revealed that Gallagher had repeatedly hacked into Chiquita's voice-mail system. (No evidence ever indicated that McWhirter was aware of Gallagher's crime or a participant.) A special prosecutor was appointed to investigate, because the elected prosecutor at the time had ties to Carl Lindner, Jr.

On June 28, 1998, the Enquirer retracted the entire series of stories and published a front-page apology saying it had "become convinced that [the published] accusations and conclusions are untrue and created a false and misleading impression of Chiquita's business practices."[9] The Enquirer also agreed to pay a multi-million-dollar settlement. The exact amount was not disclosed, but Chiquita's annual report mentions "a cash settlement in excess of $10 million." Gallagher, was fired and prosecuted and the paper's editor, Lawrence K. Beaupre, was transferred to the Gannett's headquarters amid allegations that he ignored the paper's usual procedures on fact-checking.

Response to social activism

In 1998, a coalition of social activist groups, led by the European Banana Action Network (EUROBAN), targeted the banana industry in general and Chiquita in particular, aiming to create a new climate of corporate social responsibility. Their strategy was to encourage small farming of bananas rather than large scale monoculture, and to push for subsidies and other government relief to level the field for small producers. The fair trade movement, which sought to influence consumers to purchase the products of smallholders, also joined in the action.[10]

Chiquita responded to the activism with changes in corporate management and new patterns of global competition, according to J. Gary Taylor and Patricia Scharlin. Chiquita partnered with the Rainforest Alliance, an environmental group dedicated to preserving the rainforest, and made major reforms in the way they plant and protect their bananas. The changes focused on the use of pesticides, but also affected corporate culture.[10] In 2000, Chiquita adopted a new code of conduct that included the Social Accountability International's SA8000 labor standard. Also in 2000, Chiquita achieved Rainforest Alliance certification for environmental friendly practices on 100% of its farms. In 2001, Wal-Mart named Chiquita ad the "Enivornmental Suppulier of the Year."[4]

Restructuring

In November 2001, Chiquita filled for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in order to restructure the company.[4] It emerged from the bankruptcy on March 19, 2002, ending Cincinnati businessman Carl H. Lindner, Jr.'s control of the company. Also in 2002, Chiquita joined the Ethical Trading Initiative and was named as a top "green stock" by The Progressive Investor.[4]

In 2003, Chiquita acquired the German produce distribution company, Atlanta AG. It also sold its processed foods division to Seneca Foods that year. In 2004, 100% of Chiquita farms were certified compliant with the SA8000 labor standard and the company earned the "Corporate Citizen of the Americas Award" from a Honduran charity.[4] Fresh Express salads was purchased from Performance Food Group in 2005.[4]

Payments to paramilitary groups

See also: Colombian armed conflict and Doe v. Chiquita Brands International

On March 14, 2007, Chiquita Brands was fined $25 million as part of a settlement with the United States Justice Department for having ties to Colombian paramilitary groups. According to court documents, between 1997 and 2004, officers of a Chiquita subsidiary paid approximately $1.7 million to the right-wing United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), in exchange for local employee protection in Colombia's volatile banana harvesting zone. Similar payments were also made to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), as well as the National Liberation Army (ELN) from 1989 to 1997, both left-wing organizations.[11][12] All three of these groups are on the U.S. State Department's list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations. Chiquita sued to prevent the United States government from releasing files about their illegal payments to Colombian left-wing terrorist and right-wing paramilitary groups.[13]

According to a Wall Street Journal report in 2004, outside attorneys for Chiquita notified the company that the payments violated U.S. anti-terrorism laws and should not continue. However, payments to the groups continued until Chiquita sold its subsidiary, Banadex, in June 2004.[14] On December 7, 2007, the 29th Specialized District Attorney's Office in Medellín, Colombia subpenaed the Chiquita board to answer questions "concerning charges for conspiracy to commit an aggravated crime and financing illegal armed groups." Nine board members named in the subpena allegedly personally knew of the illegal operations.[15]

Allegations of workers' rights violations

In May 2007, the French non-governmental organization (NGO) Peuples Solidaires publicly accused the Compañia Bananera Atlántica Limitada (COBAL), a Chiquita subsidiary, of knowingly violating "its workers' basic rights" and endangering their families' health and their own. According to the charge, the banana firm carelessly exposed laborers at the Coyol plantation in Costa Rica to highly toxic pesticides on multiple occasions. Additionally, COBAL was accused of using a private militia to intimidate workers. Finally, Peuples Solidaires claimed that Chiquita ignored some union complaints for more than a year.[16]

However in 2009, Chiquita was awarded the "Circle of Excellence Award" by the Distribution Business Management Association for exhibiting scoial responsibility and for environmentally friendly practices. In 2010, the company's salad brand, Fresh Express, was awarded a Black Pearl award for global food safety.[4]

Move to North Carolina

On November 29, 2011, the North Carolina Economic Investment Committee approved $22 million in incentives for Chiquita to move its headquarters to Charlotte, North Carolina. The same day, Chiquita officially announced their move to the city, with the new headquarters residing in the NASCAR Plaza tower. Research and development was also moved to the Charlotte area. In addition to the incentives, the company cited the growing airport as a reason for the move.[1][17] According to the companies 2012 annual report, the company was aiming to "transform [itself] into a high-volume, low-cost operator" and to "minimize investments outside of [its] core product offerings."[18]

Merger with Fyffes

In March 2014, Chiquita Brands International and Fyffes announced that the boards of directors of both companies had unanimously approved a merger agreement. In the stock-for-stock transaction, former Chiquita shareholders will own approximately 50.7% of the new company, ChiquitaFyffes, while Fyffes shareholders will own 49.3% of the new company.[19] The all-stock purchase was valued at US$526 million[20] The agreement will create the largest banana company in the world.[21]

The new company, ChiquitaFyffes will have projected annual revenues of US$4.6 billion and will be domiciled in Ireland but will be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Chiquita's CEO Ed Lonergan will serve as Chairman and Fyffes Executive Chairman David McCann will become the CEO of the new entity. Lonergan called this a "milestone transaction" and that "the combined company will also be able to provide customers with a more diverse product mix and choice;" while McCann added that both companies will benefit from their "joint expertise, complementary assets and geographic coverage to develop a business."[19][22] According to Chiquita, the deal will "provide substantial operational efficiencies and cost savings."[23] The combined company will have tax savings from being domiciled in Ireland, similar to the 2013 acquisition by US drug-maker Perrigo of Irish company Élan.[24]

Operations

Chiquita Brands International operates in 70 countries and employs approximately 20,000 people as of 2014. The company sells a variety of fresh produce, including bananas, ready-made salads, and health foods.[25] The company's Fresh Salads brand has approximately $1 billion of annual sales and a 40% market share in the United States.[4]

Chiquta's current headquarters is located in Charlotte, North Carolina.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Portillo, Ely (30 November 2011). "Chiquita relocating headquarters to Charlotte". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved 30 November 2011.
  2. ^ "Chiquita Brands International, Inc. And Fyffes Plc To Combine To Create Leading Global Produce Company". Chiquita Brands International, Inc. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Stickers With A-Peel. Chiquita Banana Design Contest & A Little Brand History". Orderan Blog. 26 October 2010. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "The Chiquita Story". Chiquita Brands International. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  5. ^ Dan Koeppel, Banana: The Fate of the Fruit that Changed the World (New York: Hudson Press, 2008), pp. 52-56.
  6. ^ "Prettying Up Chiquita". Time. 3 September 1973. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  7. ^ Corporate-ir.net
  8. ^ Mindfully.org
  9. ^ Harry M. Whipple; Lawrence K. Beaupre (1 July 1998). "An Apology to Chiquita". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. A1.
  10. ^ a b J. Gary Taylor and Patricia Scharlin, Smart Alliance: How Global Capitalism and Environmental Activists Transformed a Tarnished Brand (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2004).
  11. ^ Michael Evans, 'Para-politics' Goes Bananas, The Nation, 4 April 2007
  12. ^ Matt Apuzzo, Associated Press writer, Chiquita to Pay $25M Fine in Terror Case, ABC News, 15 March 2007
  13. ^ "Chiquita Sues to Block Release of Files on Colombia Terrorist Payments". National Security Archive. 8 April 2013. Retrieved 26 June 2013.
  14. ^ Hallinan, John. "Chiquita Says It Paid Terrorists To Protect Workers In Columbia" (PDF). Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 24 November 2013. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  15. ^ Colectivodeabogados.org, Extraditions Cut Short Jose Alvear Restrepo Lawyers' Collective, May 25, 2008
  16. ^ peuples-solidaires.org, "Chiquita Indegestible Bananas", Peuples Solidaires, From May 7 to June 30, 2007
  17. ^ Dalesio, Emery P. (29 November 2011). "Chiquita moving corporate HQ to Charlotte". News & Record. Associated Press. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  18. ^ http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External.File?item=UGFyZW50SUQ9NTA1MTg1fENoaWxkSUQ9NTQ2NTY2fFR5cGU9MQ==&t=1
  19. ^ a b "Fyffes shares soar as investors go bananas for Chiquita deal". The Irish Times. 10 March 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  20. ^ Jarvis, Paul (10 March 2014). "Chiquita to Buy Fyffes Creating Biggest Banana Supplier". Bloomberg. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  21. ^ "Chiquita Brands International, Inc. And Fyffes Plc To Combine To Create Leading Global Produce Company". Chiquita Brands International, Inc. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  22. ^ "Fyffes' shares soar on Chiquita merger deal". RTÉ News. 10 March 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  23. ^ "Chiquita Financial Release" (Press release). Chiquita. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  24. ^ "Chiquita buys Fyffes to create world's biggest banana supplier". Reuters. 10 March 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  25. ^ "Meet Chiquita". Chiquita Brands International. Retrieved 13 March 2014.

Further reading

External links

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