MONTEREY, Calif. — The innovation team at Dole Fresh Vegetables continues to shake-up the packaged salad kit segment with four bold new DOLE® Salad Kit varieties debuting at the Southeast Produce Council (SEPC) Southern Exposure Show (Booth 928) March 6-8, in Orlando, Fla.
The one new DOLE® Chopped Kit and three DOLE® Premium Kits — showcasing smash burger, apple harvest, cool melon and strawberry poppyseed flavors — are the direct result of expanded research by Dole into the latest taste trends ranging from fruits, herbs and spices to low-sugar, smoke and char preferences. They also directly leverage 12-month shopper grocery sales and preferences.
“Dole is using every R&D tool at its disposal — from new consumer insights and culinary partnerships to focus groups involving not just salad loyalists but the growing number of Millennial and Gen Z salad users — to continually evolve the packaged salad experience,” said David Austin, Dole Fresh Vegetable’s VP of product innovation.
The four new kits bring the total number of DOLE® Salads offerings to 73, including 30 separate salad kit SKUs, and strengthen the brand’s reputation for pairing Dole lettuces and vegetables with differentiated toppings and dressings in new, inspired ways to encourage healthier eating and increased vegetable consumption.
“This latest launch also strengthens U.S. shopper confidence in the DOLE® brand, which was ranked the most-trusted in Salad Kits in the 2025 BrandSpark Most Trusted Awards Presented by Newsweek,” said Austin.
Now shipping to retail throughout North America, the new SKUs officially launch at SEPC Southern Exposure (Booth 928) before joining the Dole refrigerated salad sets at supermarkets in the U.S. and Canada by April 7, 2025.
- DOLE® Chopped Smash Burger Salad Kit: A bold, crave-worthy twist on a classic American favorite, this kit transforms the flavors of a burger into a fresh, satisfying experience. Featuring DOLE® Romaine Lettuce, Green and Red Cabbage, Carrots, thick-cut cheddar cheese, crispy onions, brioche croutons and fried pickles, this salad is topped with a rich, creamy secret sauce dressing that brings all the flavor indulgence of a smash burger without the bun or patty.
- DOLE® Premium Apple Harvest Salad Kit: This hearty, flavorful salad features a bed of DOLE® Spring Mix Baby Leaf Lettuces topped with savory and creamy aged cheddar cheese, crunchy brown sugar pecans, and Dole’s house Apple Cider Vinaigrette. The dressing is a secret blend of tangy, sweet apple cider and spices that results in a comforting flavor experience.
- DOLE® Premium Cool Melon Salad Kit: Inspired by the agua fresca flavor trend, this summery salad is bursting with refreshing fruity flavor. With tender butter & red leaf lettuces, salty feta cheese, almonds, and sweet-dried cherries, it’s the perfect balance of salty and sweet. Dole’s bright and tangy Cucumber Melon Vinaigrette brings it all together.
- DOLE® Premium Strawberry Poppyseed Salad Kit: The new kit offers a refreshing, vibrant combination of flavors. Starting with a blend of DOLE® Spinach and Spring Mix Lettuce, it is topped with creamy feta cheese and crunchy pecans for a delicious contrast of textures. The star of the salad is a bright, tangy strawberry poppyseed dressing that balances sweetness with a hint of zest, making it a crowd-pleaser for those seeking a lighter yet flavorful option.
Dole is discontinuing its Double Dill, Teriyaki Pineapple and Garden Herb Chopped Kits, and its Backyard BBQ and Teriyaki Pineapple Fresh Takes® SKUs.
For the DOLE® Chopped Smash Burger Salad Kit, Austin said his team captured all the indulgence of the trending smash burger phenomenon without the bun. He cites an 118% growth in the sale of burger-related grocery items over the past year and an anticipated 159% growth in “Smash Burger” menu penetration through 2029.
According to Austin, the DOLE® Chopped Apple Harvest Salad Kit was designed to leverage the growing proliferation of apple-themed chicken salads at fast casual restaurants nationwide. “A special feature is our secret-formula Apple Cider Vinaigrette that blends tangy sweet apple cider, Dijon mustard and spices to create a comforting flavor experience.”
“Equally trendworthy are our DOLE® Chopped Cool Melon Salad Kit and DOLE® Chopped Strawberry Poppyseed Salad Kit, which capitalize on the growth of the agua fresca and strawberry poppyseed flavor trends, as evidenced by whopping annual grocery-component sales increases of 231% and 357%, respectively.
This latest salad kit debut is being supported by a national marketing program encompassing SEPC Southern Exposure trade show trials, advertising, PR and at-retail POS.
To place an order, contact your Dole sales rep at SEPC Southern Exposure (SEPC Booth 928), or to make separate arrangements before or after the show.
For original Dole salad recipes, nutritional insights, and other information, visit www.dole.com or follow Dole’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest pages.
About Dole Fresh Vegetables
Dole Fresh Vegetables is one of the largest fresh and cut vegetable producers and distributors in North America. The Monterey, Calif.-based division of Dole plc markets a wide range of value-added salads, meal kits, and farm-packed vegetables throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico through three geographically diverse, state-of-the-art U.S. salad processing plants able to supply its broad retail and foodservice customer base.
In the U.S., Dole was ranked as the most-trusted brand in Salad Kits in the 2025 BrandSpark Most-Trusted Brand Awards Presented by Newsweek. The rankings were determined by more than 29,000 American shoppers who shared their insights on which brands they trust most and why.
For more information, please visit www.doleplc.com/our-business/our-business-units/dole-fresh-vegetables/default.aspx.
