For more than 100 years, Chiquita Brands International Inc. has been one of the leading marketers and distributors of bananas in North America and Europe. The company owns more than 35,000 acres and leases approximately 20,000 acres of improved land in Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras and Guatemala, primarily for the cultivation of bananas and support activities. In addition to bananas, it also offers whole produce and fruits like apples, avocados, grapes, kiwis, cherries, melons, pears and pineapples. Chiquita Brands International Inc. markets its products under the Chiquita and Fresh Express premium brands. In 2007, it acquired Verdelli Farms, which is one of the premier regional processors of value-added salads, vegetables and fruit snacks on the east coast of the United States. Employing more than 23,000 employees and operating from more than six continents, the company serves retailers, ripeners and wholesalers.