Chiquita has marketed bananas, its best-known product, for more than 100 years. The company sold approximately 136 million 40-pound boxes of bananas in 2004, and has a No. 1 banana market share in the European Union, and a No. 2 market share in North America. In 2004, just more than half of the company's total revenues came from banana sales.
In June 2005, Chiquita completed its acquisition of the Fresh Express unit of Performance Food Group. Fresh Express is the retail market leader of value-added packaged salads in the United States, a fast-growing food category for grocery retailers, foodservice providers and quick-service restaurants. The acquisition will increase Chiquita's consolidated annual revenues by approximately $1 billion.