process. In 2012, Dole reached a deal to sell its packaged food division and Asian fresh produce operations to the Japanese firm Itochu for $1.7 billion, with the purchase concluding in April 2013. As part of the Itochu deal, the Dole brand continued to be used for some packaged food products worldwide and fresh produce in Asia, Australia and New Zealand, although the Dole Food Company had no business involvement for these products. In August 2013, Murdock reacquired Dole as a private company at a valuation of $1.6 billion. He and Dole Food Company President Michael Carter were later sued by investors for undervaluing the company during the Itochu deal, and in 2015, a judge in Delaware ordered the pair to pay shareholders $148 million for intentionally lowering the value of Dole stock prior to the buyout. Total Produce purchased a 45% stake in the Dole Food Company in 2018, and merged with Dole in 2021 to form Dole plc. Dole plc () began trading on the New York Stock Exchange in July 2021. Operations Covering five continents, Dole has of its own farmland, 13 cargo vessels, five manufacturing plants, 75 packing houses and 160 distribution centers. Dole is a vertically integrated producer, owning plantations in Central America. Its container ships are specially equipped with refrigerated containers, and use their own cranes instead of relying on port infrastructure. Management As of 2021, Rory Byrne is CEO, Carl McCann is chairman, and Johan Lindén is chief operating officer. Headquarters Following the 2021, merger with Total Produce, Dole plc has world headquarters in Dublin, Ireland and US headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina. Public relations The Guinness Book of World Records (2007) lists the pineapple maze at the Dole Plantation on Oahu, Hawaii as the world's largest maze. Bobby Banana, a mascot of Dole plc, is an anthropomorphic banana who appears in Dole comics and games for children. Products Including pineapples, Dole products include some 300 fresh plant foods as whole deciduous and citrus fruits, berries, and fresh-cut vegetables; salad products include greens, salad kits, and shreds. Brand licensing As of 2022, Dole has a brand licensing arrangement with The Walt Disney Company for fruits and vegetables branded with Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars fictional characters to encourage produce consumption among children, such as using stickers on bananas. The arrangement includes cobranded recipes featuring Disney films, including Star Wars: The Force Awakens