Chiquita Brands International Elects Dr. Clare M. Hasler to Board of Directors

CINCINNATI, Oct. 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Chiquita Brands International, Inc. today announced that Dr. Clare M. Hasler, 48, has joined its board of directors. Hasler is executive director of the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science at the University of California at Davis. She is a leading authority on "functional foods" that provide specific health benefits, such as lowering the risk of heart disease or cancer in addition to meeting basic nutritional needs.

"We are delighted to welcome Clare to Chiquita's board," said Fernando Aguirre, chairman and chief executive officer. "Her extensive experience in food science, nutrition and food safety will help Chiquita as we continue to focus on delivering healthy and convenient food choices. Clare's leadership and ability to bridge the worlds of academia, industry and the public will diversify an already strong group of independent board members whose vision and experience will continue to advance Chiquita's sustainable growth strategy."

"Chiquita has embarked upon an exciting mission to become the global leader in branded and value-added produce by helping the world's consumers enjoy nutritional and healthy products," Hasler said. "I am excited to add my skills and experience to Chiquita's board and to work closely with this management team."

Hasler holds a dual doctoral degree in environmental toxicology and human nutrition from Michigan State University and a master's degree in nutrition from the Pennsylvania State University. She also earned a master's degree in business administration from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. From 1990 to 1992, Hasler served as a postdoctoral fellow at the National Cancer Institute.

Prior to joining the Robert Mondavi Institute at UC Davis, Hasler was an assistant professor in the department of food science and human nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, as well as an adjunct assistant professor in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has published more than 50 research papers, invited reviews or book chapters and is the editor of the 2004 book The Regulation of Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals - A Global Perspective.

Hasler is a member of a number of professional societies, including the American Association for Cancer Research, American Association of Cereal Chemists, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Nutraceutical Association, American Society for Nutritional Sciences, Gamma Sigma Delta, Institute of Food Technologists and Sigma Xi. In 1998, she was recognized by Self magazine as one of the "Top 25 Food Influentials" and has received numerous professional awards.

Chiquita's board of directors now has nine members. In addition to Aguirre and Hasler, the board includes: Morten Arntzen, president and chief executive officer for Overseas Shipholding Group, Inc., an oceangoing vessel operator; Jeffrey Benjamin, senior advisor to the private investment firm of Apollo Management, L.P.; Robert Fisher, Chiquita's former acting chief operating officer with more than 35 years senior management experience at various banana companies; Roderick Hills, chairman of Hills Enterprises Ltd., an investment consulting firm, and former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission; Durk Jager, former chairman, president and chief executive officer at the Procter & Gamble Co.; Jaime Serra, senior partner of Serra Associates International, a consulting firm in law and economics, and Mexico's former secretary of finance and secretary of trade and industry; and Steven Stanbrook, president, Asia and Americas, at S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc., a manufacturer of consumer products.

Chiquita Brands International, Inc. (http://www.chiquita.com/) is a leading international marketer and distributor of high-quality fresh and value-added produce, which is sold under the Chiquita(R) premium brand, Fresh Express(R) and other related trademarks. The company is one of the largest banana producers in the world and a major supplier of bananas in Europe and North America. In June 2005, Chiquita acquired Fresh Express, the U.S. market leader in value-added salads, a fast-growing food category for grocery retailers, foodservice providers and quick-service restaurants.