Dole Food plans to go public

Dole Food Company has filed a registration statement on Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission relating to a proposed initial public offering of shares of its common stock.

The number of shares to be offered and the price range for the proposed offering and the stock exchange on which Dole will apply to list its common stock have not yet been determined.

Morgan Stanley, BofA Merrill Lynch and Deutsche Bank Securities are acting as the joint lead book-running managers for the proposed offering. The offering will be made only by means of a prospectus. When available, a copy of the preliminary prospectus may be obtained from any of the following sources:

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 180 Varick Street, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10014 or via email: [email protected]

BofA Merrill Lynch, NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd Floor, Charlotte, NC 28255-0001, Attention: Prospectus Department or via email: [email protected]

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., 60 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005, Attention: Prospectus Group, via telephone: 1-800-503-4611 or via email: [email protected]

A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, but has not yet become effective. These securities may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which the offer, solicitation or sale of securities would be unlawful prior to their registration and qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction.