CHARLOTTE, NC - Dole Food Company continues its support of marathoners by supporting two signature endurance events this fall – the Monterey Bay Half Marathon in California (Nov. 8) and the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon in North Carolina (Nov. 14) – plus the scenic Big Sur International Marathon in April 2027.

Dole will again provide its ubiquitous DOLE® Bananas to thousands of runners in November to help them refuel and recover after the race. With thousands of participants from around the globe, these events provide Dole a powerful platform to share its mission through good nutrition and community connection.

Dole has a long history on the California coast in support of the Monterey Bay Half Marathon, this year donating 10,000 bananas for the event. Runners and spectators will see Dole’s presence throughout race weekend on sponsor signage, emails and the website.

A week later in November, Dole will serve as the Official Banana of the Novant Health Charlotte Marathon for the third year running, reinforcing its hometown commitment to wellness and community spirit.

On Nov. 13, the day before the race, Dole will host a booth at the marathon expo at the Charlotte Convention Center. Dole mascots Bobby Banana and Pinellopy Pineapple will cheer runners on and pose for photos while company representatives and volunteers will distribute 13,000 DOLEÒ Bananas in a dedicated Dole-branded tent to create a festive finish-line experience celebrating the joy of movement and good nutrition.

At the Big Sur International Marathon on April 25, 2027, Dole will provide its bananas to runners completing the course along the Central California coast.

“Marathons represent everything we believe in; sharing the virtues of healthy fuel and proper wellness builds energy, endurance, and community,” said Melanie Marcus, MA, RD, Dole’s Nutrition and Health Communications Manager, in the recent release. “Supporting runners across the country is one more way we live our mission to make healthy living fun and attainable.”

In support of the three races, Marcus has developed a Runner's Recipes and Resources webpage featuring a Q&A, recipes, and pre- and post-race nutritional insights for marathoners.

“Beyond directly contributing to these long-distance endurance races which require serious commitment, Dole supports everyday fitness, nutrition and wellness for all ages and at all levels of activity,” said Marcus.

Learn more about Dole’s health and wellness initiatives at www.dole.com or on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and YouTube.

VALENCIA, CA - Sunkist Growers is entering the new citrus season with strong momentum, backed by a diverse portfolio of citrus offerings including Navels, Cara Cara oranges, mandarins, Blood oranges, Minneola tangelos, lemons, grapefruit, and organic citrus. As the California citrus season gets underway, Sunkist expects strong availability across key citrus varieties and is helping retailers maximize citrus performance through category expertise, innovative merchandising solutions and integrated marketing programs designed to drive shopper engagement and sales. At the IFPA Global Show, visitors can explore seasonal crop opportunities, merchandising solutions and consumer engagement initiatives designed to drive citrus sales throughout the season.

This year, Sunkist will introduce Sunkist Produce Academy, a new online learning platform designed to help produce professionals build product knowledge, strengthen selling skills and gain practical insights across retail, foodservice and produce operations. The platform offers training across multiple produce categories to help industry professionals identify opportunities to drive sales and help with ever-increasing turnover and training expenses. Visitors can also experience live demonstrations at the Sunkist booth on both Thursday and Friday, offering an interactive look at the cooperative's latest tools, programs, and solutions designed to support produce industry professionals.

Sunkist will also showcase continued momentum behind its consumer-facing Welcome to the Co-Op platform, which highlights the growers and families behind the cooperative while creating new opportunities for consumers to connect with the Sunkist brand. The platform reinforces the heritage and grower values that have defined Sunkist for more than 130 years.

"Welcome to the Co-Op reflects our belief that the best way to build the Sunkist brand is by putting the people behind the fruit at the center of the story," said Cassie Howard, Sr. Director of Category Management and Marketing at Sunkist Growers, in the recent release. "That approach continues to resonate with consumers and is helping strengthen awareness, engagement, and connection with the Sunkist brand as we enter the new season."

That momentum is also evident in the continued growth of Sunkist Cali™ Mandarins, which have delivered double-digit volume growth while expanding their appeal beyond families to Millennial and Gen Z shoppers. Looking ahead, the program will continue to engage consumers through family-focused storytelling, seasonal promotions and character-driven partnerships.

Sunkist's organic citrus program remains an important area of growth heading into the new season. Backed by more than 25 years of dedicated organic citrus production, the cooperative is expanding support for its organic portfolio through new packaging innovations and its Power with the Pink Orange™ Cara Cara partnership with the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF). The partnership was recently recognized with NBCF's 2026 Corporate Service Award, reflecting Sunkist's ongoing commitment to supporting early detection, education, and support services for those affected by breast cancer.

"Success doesn't happen through a single investment or initiative," said Christian Harris, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Sunkist Growers. “It’s the result of continually looking for ways to improve how we operate, how we serve customers and how we position the organization for the future. That's the approach driving many of the decisions we're making today."

Looking ahead, Sunkist is preparing for another strong season of retail, foodservice and consumer programming. Building on last season's success, including a holiday carton program that drove a 24% lift in Navel orange volume, the cooperative will once again offer holiday packaging, Lunar New Year merchandising solutions, and new seasonal giro bag options and additional consumer activations designed to support citrus sales during key promotional periods.

Visit Sunkist at Booth #2443 at IFPA Global Show to explore seasonal crop opportunities, learn more about Sunkist Produce Academy, and discover the cooperative's latest consumer and retail initiatives.