<PAGE>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
 
                            ------------------------
 
                                   FORM 10-K
 
(MARK ONE)
/X/  ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE
     ACT OF 1934 [FEE REQUIRED]
     FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 30, 1995
 
                                       OR
/ /  TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE SECURITIES
     EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 [NO FEE REQUIRED]
     FOR THE TRANSITION PERIOD FROM         TO
 
                         COMMISSION FILE NUMBER 1-4455
 
                            ------------------------
 
                            DOLE FOOD COMPANY, INC.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
 
<TABLE>
<S>                           <C>
           HAWAII                  99-0035300
(State or other jurisdiction    (I.R.S. employer
             of                  identification
      incorporation or               number)
       organization)
</TABLE>
 
                             31365 OAK CREST DRIVE
                       WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CALIFORNIA 91361
                    (Address of principal executive offices)
 
       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (818) 879-6600
 
          Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
 
<TABLE>
<S>                                            <C>
                                                           NAME OF EACH EXCHANGE
             TITLE OF EACH CLASS                            ON WHICH REGISTERED
---------------------------------------------  ---------------------------------------------
         Common Stock, No Par Value                       New York Stock Exchange
                                                          Pacific Stock Exchange
</TABLE>
 
        Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None
 
    Indicate by check mark whether registrant (1) has filed all reports required
to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the  preceding 12  months (or  for such shorter  period that  the registrant was
required to  file  such  reports), and  (2)  has  been subject  to  such  filing
requirements for the past 90 days. Yes _X_ No ___
 
    Indicate  by check mark if disclosure  of delinquent filers pursuant to Item
405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the
best of registrant's  knowledge, in definitive  Proxy or information  statements
incorporated  by reference in  Part III of  this Form 10-K  or any amendments to
this Form 10-K. / /
 
    The aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the
registrant as of March 9, 1996 was approximately $2,458,121,000.
 
    The number of shares  of Common Stock  outstanding as of  March 9, 1996  was
59,954,172.
 
                      DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
 
    Portions of the registrant's 1995 Annual Report to Stockholders for the year
ended December 30, 1995 are incorporated by reference into Parts I, II and IV.
 
    Portions  of the registrant's definitive Proxy Statement for its 1996 Annual
Meeting of Stockholders are incorporated by reference into Part III.
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>
                            DOLE FOOD COMPANY, INC.
                                   FORM 10-K
                      FISCAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 30, 1995
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
ITEM NUMBER
IN FORM 10-K                                                                                                                PAGE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  ------------
<C>        <S>        <C>        <C>                                                                                    <C>
                                                               PART I
       1.  Business...................................................................................................             1
       2.  Properties.................................................................................................             6
       3.  Legal Proceedings..........................................................................................             8
       4.  Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders; Executive Officers of the Registrant..................             9
 
                                                              PART II
       5.  Market for the Registrant's Common Equity and Related Stockholder Matters..................................            10
       6.  Selected Financial Data....................................................................................            10
       7.  Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations......................            10
       8.  Financial Statements and Supplementary Data................................................................            10
       9.  Changes in and Disagreements with Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure.......................            10
 
                                                              PART III
      10.  Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant.........................................................            10
      11.  Executive Compensation.....................................................................................            10
      12.  Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management.............................................            11
      13.  Certain Relationships and Related Transactions.............................................................            11
 
                                                              PART IV
      14.  Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules and Reports on Form 8-K............................................            11
           (a)        1.         Index to Financial Statements........................................................            11
                      2.         Index to Financial Statement Schedules...............................................            11
                      3.         Exhibits.............................................................................            11
           (b) Reports on Form 8-K....................................................................................            12
Signatures ...........................................................................................................            13
Financial Statements and Financial Statement Schedules ...............................................................    F-1 -- F-2
</TABLE>
 
                                      iii
<PAGE>
                                     PART I
 
ITEM 1.  BUSINESS
 
    Dole  Food Company, Inc. was founded in  Hawaii in 1851 and was incorporated
under the laws of  Hawaii in 1894. Unless  the context otherwise requires,  Dole
Food  Company, Inc. and its consolidated  subsidiaries are referred to herein as
the "Company" and "Dole".
 
    The Company's principal  executive offices  are located at  31365 Oak  Crest
Drive, Westlake Village, California 91361, telephone (818) 879-6600. At December
30,  1995, the Company  had approximately 43,000  full-time employees worldwide.
The Company is engaged in food production and distribution, and, until  December
28,  1995 was engaged in real estate development and resorts. Dole is one of the
largest companies  engaged  in  the  worldwide  sourcing,  growing,  processing,
distributing  and marketing of high quality,  branded food products. The Company
sources, grows, processes or markets  fruits, vegetables, nuts and beverages  in
the following locations: North America, Latin America, Asia and Europe.
 
    On  December  28,  1995,  the  Company  completed  the  distribution  to its
shareholders of the Common Stock of  Castle & Cooke, Inc., a Hawaii  corporation
to  which  all  of  the  Company's  real  estate  and  resorts  businesses  were
transferred. These  real estate  operations are  primarily conducted  under  the
"Castle  &  Cooke"  name  and  hold,  develop,  operate  and  sell  residential,
commercial, industrial,  retail and  resorts properties  in Hawaii,  California,
Arizona, North Carolina, Georgia and Mississippi.
 
    The  Company's food operations  are described below.  For detailed financial
information with respect to the Company's  business and its operations, see  the
Company's   Consolidated  Financial   Statements  and   the  related   Notes  to
Consolidated Financial Statements, which are included in its 1995 Annual  Report
for  the fiscal  year ended  December 30,  1995 (the  "Dole Annual  Report") and
incorporated by reference in Part II of this report.
 
FOOD
 
  GENERAL
 
    Dole is engaged in the worldwide sourcing, growing, processing, distributing
and marketing of high quality, branded  food products. Dole provides retail  and
institutional  customers  and other  food  product companies  with  high quality
products bearing the DOLE-Registered Trademark- trademark which are produced and
improved through  research,  agricultural assistance  and  advanced  harvesting,
processing, packing, cooling, shipping and marketing techniques.
 
    Dole is one of the world's largest producers of bananas and pineapples. Dole
is  also a major marketer  of citrus and table  grapes worldwide and an industry
leader in iceberg lettuce, celery, cauliflower and broccoli and in  value-added,
pre-cut  salads  and  vegetables.  Dole is  a  leading  processor  of California
raisins, almonds and dates. On May 19,  1995, the Company completed the sale  of
its worldwide (except for Japan) juice business (except for the canned pineapple
and pineapple blend fruit juice business) to Tropicana Products, Inc.
 
    Dole's  products are produced both directly  on Company-owned or leased land
and through associated producer and independent grower arrangements pursuant  to
which  Dole provides varying  degrees of farming,  harvesting, packing, storing,
shipping, stevedoring  and  marketing services,  as  well as  financing  through
advances  to growers  of certain products.  Fresh fruit  and vegetable products,
dried fruit and nuts  and processed pineapple products  are, for the most  part,
packed and/or processed directly by Dole.
 
    Dole  utilizes  product  quality,  brand  recognition,  competitive pricing,
effective customer  service  and  consumer marketing  programs  to  enhance  its
position within the highly competitive food industry. Consumer and institutional
recognition  of the DOLE-Registered Trademark-  trademark and related brands and
the association  of these  brands  with high  quality food  products  contribute
significantly  to Dole's ability to  compete in the markets  for fresh fruit and
vegetables, packaged foods and dried fruit and nuts. The
 
                                       1
<PAGE>
Company owns  these  trademarks  in  the United  States,  Canada  and  in  other
countries  in which it conducts business and regards them as important corporate
assets with high recognition and acceptance.
 
    The markets for all of Dole's  products are highly competitive. In order  to
compete  successfully,  Dole  sources  products of  high  quality  and  seeks to
distribute them in worldwide  markets on a timely  basis. Dole's competitors  in
the  fresh fruit business  include a limited number  of large international food
companies, as well  as a  large number  of smaller  independent food  companies,
grower  cooperatives  and  foreign  government-sponsored  producers  which  have
intensified competition in recent years.  With respect to vegetables, a  limited
number  of grower-shippers in the United  States and Mexico supply a significant
portion of  the  domestic  fresh vegetable  market.  However,  numerous  smaller
independent  distributors  also  compete  with  Dole  in  the  market  for fresh
vegetables. With respect to processed pineapple, Dole competes against a limited
number of  large U.S.  companies, as  well as  a substantial  number of  smaller
foreign  competitors and independent canners. Dole's  citrus and dried fruit and
nut  products  compete   in  North  America   primarily  against  large   grower
cooperatives with strong brand recognition.
 
    Dole's  earnings from its  fresh fruit, fresh vegetable  and dried fruit and
nut operations are sensitive to fluctuations  in the volatile market prices  for
these  products. Excess supplies  often cause severe  price competition. Growing
conditions in various parts of  the world, particularly weather conditions  such
as  floods, droughts  and freezes,  and diseases  and pests  are primary factors
affecting market prices  because of  their influence  on supply  and quality  of
product.  Other factors affecting  Dole's operations include  the seasonality of
its supplies, the ability to  process products during critical harvest  periods,
the   timing  and  effects  of  ripening,   the  degree  of  perishability,  the
effectiveness of worldwide  distribution systems, the  terms of various  federal
and  state  marketing  orders (particularly  for  dried fruit  and  nuts), total
worldwide industry volumes, the seasonality of consumer demand, foreign currency
exchange fluctuations, foreign  importation restrictions  and foreign  political
risks.
 
  PRODUCTS
 
    Dole  sources,  distributes  and  markets  fresh  fruit  products  including
bananas, pineapples, table  grapes, apples, pears,  plums, oranges,  grapefruit,
lemons,  mangoes, kiwi, tangelos, melons, cherries and other deciduous, tropical
and citrus fruits.
 
    Dole  sources,  harvests,  cools,  distributes  and  markets  more  than  20
different  types of fresh vegetable products, including iceberg lettuce, red and
green leaf  lettuce,  romaine  lettuce,  butter  lettuce,  celery,  cauliflower,
broccoli,  carrots, brussels sprouts, spinach,  red and green onions, asparagus,
snow  peas,  artichokes,  strawberries   and  raspberries.  Dole  also   markets
value-added  products such as iceberg lettuce  based salad mixes, complete salad
kits which include dressing  and condiments, blends  of specialty lettuces,  red
and green cabbage, mini peeled carrots and coleslaw.
 
    Dole  sources,  processes and  markets raisins,  prunes, dates,  almonds and
trail mix.
 
    Dole's fresh fruit and vegetable products  and its consumer dried fruit  and
nut products are marketed under the DOLE brand, under other brand names owned by
the Company, and, in some cases, under private labels.
 
    Dole  produces and markets processed  food products including sliced, chunk,
tidbit and  crushed pineapple  in cans,  as well  as tropical  fruit salad,  and
markets  mandarin oranges.  Dole also markets  DOLE-Registered Trademark- canned
pineapple juice and pineapple juice blend beverages and
DOLEWHIP-Registered Trademark- soft-serve, non-dairy dessert.
 
    Dole's products  are marketed  through 27  direct selling  offices in  North
America,  19 in Europe, four in Japan, one  each in Hong Kong, Korea, the Middle
East, the Philippines and Taiwan, as well as through independent brokers.
 
                                       2
<PAGE>
  DOLE NORTH AMERICA
 
    DOLE NORTH AMERICA sources, distributes and markets
DOLE-Registered Trademark- fresh fruits and vegetables, dried fruit and nuts and
other processed food products,  including processed pineapple, canned  pineapple
juices and pineapple juice blend beverages, in North America.
 
    Dole  North America markets  bananas and pineapples  grown in Latin America,
table grapes grown  in the  United States, Chile  and Mexico,  apples and  pears
grown  in the United States and Chile,  melons grown in Ecuador and citrus fruit
grown in the United States, as well as other deciduous and tropical fruit  grown
in  the United  States, Latin America  and Mexico. Fresh  pineapple destined for
North America is grown by Dole North America in Hawaii. These products are  sold
primarily  to wholesalers and retail chains,  which in turn resell or distribute
them to retail food stores.
 
    Fresh vegetables marketed by Dole are generally grown by independent growers
in California, Arizona, Colorado and northern and central Mexico. The vegetables
are generally  field  packed  and  transported to  Dole's  central  cooling  and
distribution  facilities. The products  are sold to  customers in North America,
Asia and Western Europe.
 
    Dried fruit and nut products are sourced from independent growers and, to  a
lesser  extent, produced by Dole North America. They are packaged for the retail
consumer and in bulk for cereal, confectionery and other food processors and for
food service use. Raisins are acquired  from growers and dehydrators located  in
the  San Joaquin Valley of California.  These products are marketed domestically
and overseas, primarily  in Western Europe  and Asia. Approximately  60% of  all
production  is sold  to other  food processors  for eventual  use in  other food
products. Raisins account for the largest portion of dried fruit and nut sales.
 
    On May  19, 1995,  the Company  completed the  sale of  its worldwide  juice
business  to  Tropicana  Products, Inc.  Dole  continues to  participate  in the
worldwide canned pineapple and pineapple blend fruit juice business. Snow  Brand
Milk  Products Co., Ltd.,  under license from Dole,  conducts the juice business
under the DOLE brand in Japan.
 
    Dole has  an agreement  with Nestle  Dairy Systems,  Inc., a  subsidiary  of
Nestle  USA, Inc., in which Dole has licensed to Nestle its rights to market and
manufacture processed products in key segments of the frozen novelty business in
the United States  and Canada, including  FRUIT 'N JUICE-Registered  Trademark-,
SUNTOPSTM,  FRESH LITES-Registered  Trademark-, FRUIT  'N YOGURTTM  and FRUIT 'N
CREAMTM bars  and,  in  the  premium novelty  category,  Fruit  Sorbet.  Certain
pineapple  and pineapple blend  fruit juices are  obtained through co-production
arrangements with  independent  manufacturers.  Co-producers  manufacture  these
products  pursuant  to  strict  specifications  and  under  Company  supervision
designed to ensure consistently high product quality.
 
  DOLE LATIN AMERICA
 
    DOLE LATIN AMERICA sources and  transports bananas grown in Colombia,  Costa
Rica,  Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and Venezuela for markets
principally in North America, Europe and the Mediterranean.
 
    Fresh pineapples  destined  for  the North  American  and  Western  European
markets  are grown by Dole Latin America  on plantations in Honduras and sourced
from independent producers in Costa Rica. Dole Latin America is winding down its
fresh pineapple operation in the Dominican Republic.
 
    Dole Latin America sources table  grapes, apples, pears and other  deciduous
fruit  grown in Chile, melons  grown in Ecuador, citrus  fruit grown in Honduras
and Argentina, and mangoes from Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Peru and  Venezuela
for markets in North America, Western Europe and Asia.
 
    Dole  operates a  fleet of  9 refrigerated  containerships and  25 breakbulk
refrigerated ships, of which 19 are Company-owned or bareboat chartered and  the
remainder are time chartered. From
 
                                       3
<PAGE>
time to time, excess capacity may be chartered to others or may carry commercial
cargo  for third parties. In January 1995 Dole took delivery of the last of four
new breakbulk  refrigerated vessels  built  to its  specifications in  a  Polish
shipyard.
 
    Dole  Latin America conducts other food and beverage operations in Honduras,
including an  approximately 80%  interest  in a  beer  and soft  drink  bottling
operation,  a  bottle crown  plant, a  plastic  injection molding  facility used
primarily for the manufacture of beer and soft drink plastic cases, a sugar mill
and sugar cane plantations,  as well as  a majority interest  in an edible  oils
refinery, a laundry soap factory, a palm oil extraction operation and a palm oil
plantation. The beer and soft drink bottling operation, which sells its products
primarily  in  Honduras,  competes  against  other  local  bottlers. Competition
focuses on product quality, consumer marketing programs and the effectiveness of
the distribution system.
 
  DOLE ASIA
 
    Bananas and pineapples grown in  the Philippines are transported to  markets
principally  in Asia and the Middle East. Pineapples used for processed products
are grown primarily  in Thailand  and the  Philippines. Dole  Asia also  sources
DOLE-Registered Trademark- and MOUNTAIN-Registered Trademark- asparagus from the
Philippines  and distributes and markets these products in Japan and other Asian
countries.
 
    Snow Dole Co., Ltd., a  joint venture of Dole  and Snow Brand Milk  Products
Co.,  Ltd. of Japan, processes and distributes frozen desserts, canned pineapple
and other processed foods in Japan.
 
    Dole Asia is developing citrus orchards in mainland China.
 
    Dole Asia also  produces leather-leaf ferns,  anthuriums and other  tropical
flowers  in the Philippines for export to Japan. The winding down of Dole Asia's
shrimp farming operation in the Philippines is continuing.
 
  DOLE EUROPE
 
    DOLE EUROPE is  a major importer  of bananas and  other fresh fruits,  dried
fruits, nuts and canned fruits in Europe and the Near East.
 
    Dole   Europe  operates  four  regional  banana  ripening  and  distribution
companies in France  which complement  the Company's investment  in the  largest
French  banana producer, with banana  plantations in Cameroon, import operations
in France and Spain, and banana ripening in eight regional facilities in  France
and  three in Spain. Dole Europe owns and operates four regional banana ripening
facilities in  Spain.  Dole Europe  is  a  minority partner  with  the  Jamaican
Producer  Group  (the  largest  banana producer  in  Jamaica),  in  the Jamaican
Producers Fruit Distributors Ltd.  in the United  Kingdom. This banana  ripening
and  fruit distribution company operates five  facilities in the United Kingdom.
This joint venture distributes fresh fruits and bananas under the DOLE brand, as
well as Jamaican bananas, fruits and  vegetables direct to retail in the  United
Kingdom.
 
    Dole  Europe is  the majority  partner, with  the Livorno  Stevedore Company
C.I.L.P., in a  major port discharge  and distribution facility  in the  Italian
port   of  Livorno.  This  facility  provides  refrigerated  container  services
utilizing feeder  vessels to  distribute fruit  to Mediterranean  markets.  Dole
Europe  operates  three  banana  ripening  facilities  and  fruit  and vegetable
distribution facilities in Italy. Dole Europe  operates a major fresh fruit  and
vegetable  distributor and  banana ripener  in Northern  Germany. A distribution
facility for fresh fruits  and banana ripening under  construction in Turkey  is
expected to be completed during the first half of 1996.
 
    In  October 1995,  Dole Europe launched  a bid to  acquire Pascual Hermanos,
Spain's foremost  Spanish  citrus  and vegetable  producer  and  exporter.  This
acquisition was completed in February 1996.
 
    Dole  Europe owns and operates a European dried fruit and nut business which
sources products from around  the world for processing  and packaging in  France
and  distribution  in  France  and  to  other  European  markets.  This business
distributes a line of dried fruit and nut products sold throughout Europe.
 
                                       4
<PAGE>
  RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
 
    Dole's research and development programs  concentrate on the development  of
new  value-added  products  and  new  uses for  existing  products,  as  well as
agricultural research  and  packaging  design  for  improving  product  quality.
Agricultural  research is directed  toward improving product  yields and product
quality by  examining and  improving  agricultural practices  in all  phases  of
production  (such as development  of specifically adapted  plant varieties, land
preparation, fertilization, cultural  practices, pest and  disease control,  and
post-harvesting,   packing,  and  shipping  procedures),  and  includes  on-site
technical  services  and  the  implementation  and  monitoring  of   recommended
agricultural  practices.  Specialized machinery  is  also developed  for various
phases of agricultural  production and packaging  which reduces labor,  improves
productivity and efficiency and increases product quality. Agricultural research
is  conducted at field facilities primarily in California, Hawaii, Latin America
and Asia.
 
  FOREIGN OPERATIONS
 
    Dole  has  significant  food  sourcing  and  related  operations  in  Chile,
Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, the Philippines
and  Thailand. Dole also sources food products in Algeria, Argentina, Australia,
Cameroon, China, Greece,  Guatemala, Italy,  Ivory Coast,  Mexico, New  Zealand,
Nicaragua,   Panama,  Peru,   Spain,  Syria,  Tunisia,   Turkey  and  Venezuela.
Significant volumes of Dole's fresh fruit and packaged products are marketed  in
Canada,  Western Europe and Japan, with  lesser volumes marketed in New Zealand,
Hong Kong, South Korea, Australia and certain countries in Asia, Eastern Europe,
Scandinavia, the Middle East  and Central and South  America. Exports of  Dole's
products  to these  countries, particularly Japan,  South Korea  and Taiwan, are
subject to various restrictions which may be increased or reduced in response to
international political pressures, thus affecting  Dole's ability to compete  in
these  markets. Some of Dole's dried fruit and nut products are marketed to Asia
and Western Europe. The  European Union ("EU")  banana regulations which  impose
quotas  and tariffs on bananas were in full effect in 1994 and continue to be in
effect in 1996. In addition, in 1995, four Latin American countries (Costa Rica,
Colombia, Nicaragua  and Venezuela)  implemented  an agreement  with the  EU  to
receive  a  guaranteed  share  of  the  import  quota.  Trade  negotiations  and
discussions continue between the EU, the United States and the individual banana
exporting countries. These trade negotiations  could lead to further changes  in
the  regulations governing  banana exports  to the EU.  The net  impact of these
changing regulations on Dole's future results of operations is not  determinable
at this time.
 
    Dole's  foreign  operations are  subject  to risks  of  expropriation, civil
disturbances,  political  unrest,  increases  in  taxes  and  other  restrictive
governmental policies, such as import quotas. Loss of one or more of its foreign
operations  could have  a material adverse  effect on  Dole's operating results.
Dole attempts to maintain a cordial  working relationship in each country  where
it operates. Because Dole's operations are a significant factor in the economies
of  certain  countries,  its  activities  are  subject  to  intense  public  and
governmental scrutiny, and may be affected by changes in the status of the  host
economies,  the makeup of the government or  even public opinion in a particular
country. The  Company  distributes  its  products  in  more  than  90  countries
throughout  the world. Dole's international sales are usually transacted in U.S.
dollars and  major  European  and  Asian currencies,  while  certain  costs  are
incurred  in currencies different from those that  are received from the sale of
the product. Results of operations may  be affected by fluctuations in  currency
exchange  rates  in both  the sourcing  and selling  locations. The  overall net
impact of  foreign  currency  fluctuations  was immaterial  to  the  results  of
operations in 1995, 1994 and 1993.
 
  ENVIRONMENTAL AND REGULATORY MATTERS
 
    Dole's  agricultural operations  are subject  to a  broad range  of evolving
environmental laws and regulations in each country in which it operates. In  the
United  States, these laws and regulations include  the Clean Air Act, the Clean
Water Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Federal  Insecticide,
Fungicide  and  Rodenticide Act  and  the Comprehensive  Environmental Response,
Compensation and Liability Act.
 
                                       5
<PAGE>
    Compliance with these foreign and  domestic laws and related regulations  is
an  ongoing process which is not currently expected to have a material effect on
Dole's capital  expenditures, earnings  or competitive  position.  Environmental
concerns are, however, inherent in most major agricultural operations, including
those  conducted  by  Dole, and  there  can be  no  assurance that  the  cost of
compliance with  environmental  laws  and  regulations  will  not  be  material.
Moreover,  it is possible that future  developments, such as increasingly strict
environmental laws and enforcement policies thereunder, and further restrictions
on the use of agricultural chemicals could result in increased compliance costs.
 
    Dole's food operations are  also subject to  regulations enforced by,  among
others,  the  U.S. Food  and Drug  Administration and  state, local  and foreign
equivalents and to inspection  by the U.S. Department  of Agriculture and  other
federal,  state, local and  foreign environmental and  health authorities. Among
other things, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration enforces statutory standards
regarding the branding and safety of food products, establishes ingredients  and
manufacturing  procedures for  certain foods, establishes  standards of identity
for foods and  determines the safety  of food substances  in the United  States.
Similar  functions  are  performed  by  state,  local  and  foreign governmental
entities with  respect  to  food  products  produced  or  distributed  in  their
respective jurisdictions. Management is not currently aware of any environmental
compliance  issues that are expected to have  a material effect on the Company's
capital expenditures, earnings or competitive position.
 
ITEM 2.  PROPERTIES
 
    The Company maintains executive offices in Westlake Village, California  and
auxiliary  executive offices in Los Angeles,  California and New York, New York,
all of  which are  leased  from third  parties.  Dole's various  divisions  also
maintain  headquarters  offices in  Westlake  Village, Bakersfield  and Salinas,
California, which are leased from third parties, and in Fresno, California,  and
Wenatchee,  Washington, which  are owned  by the  Company. The  Company owns its
Latin American regional headquarters building in Costa Rica, as well as  offices
in  Colombia and  Honduras. Dole Europe  maintains its  European headquarters in
Paris, France and regional  offices in Hamburg,  Germany, Brussels, Belgium  and
Genoa,  Italy, which are leased from  third parties. Dole Asia maintains offices
in Hong Kong, Manila,  the Philippines and Tokyo,  Japan, which are leased  from
third  parties. The  inability to renew  any of  the above office  leases by the
Company would not  have a  material adverse  effect on  the Company's  operating
results.  The Company and  each of its subsidiaries  believe that their property
and equipment are  generally well  maintained, in good  operating condition  and
adequate for their present needs.
 
    The following is a description of the Company's significant properties.
 
DOLE
 
  DOLE NORTH AMERICA
 
    Dole's  Hawaii pineapple operations for the fresh produce market are located
on the island of Oahu  and total approximately 7,000  acres, 5,500 of which  are
owned by the Company and the remainder of which are leased.
 
    Dole produces citrus on approximately 12,000 acres in the San Joaquin Valley
of  California  owned  directly  or  through  agricultural  partnerships  and on
substantial additional acreage under management arrangements, as well as through
independent  growing  arrangements.  Dole  also  provides  care  and  management
services  for approximately 10,000 citrus acres  in Florida. Citrus is packed in
six Company-owned or  leased packing  houses -- five  in California  and one  in
Florida.  Dole, through a joint venture,  operates a 175,000 square foot packing
house in southwest Florida with two multi-variety production lines.
 
    Domestic table grapes are  sourced from approximately  4,500 acres on  three
Company-owned  vineyards in  the San Joaquin  Valley. Domestic  table grapes are
fumigated and cooled in two Company-
 
                                       6
<PAGE>
owned facilities  in  the San  Joaquin  Valley.  Dole produces  wine  grapes  on
approximately  1,000  acres  and  stone  fruit  on  approximately  800  acres of
Company-owned property in  the San  Joaquin Valley.  The Company  owns a  cherry
packing and processing facility in Victor, California.
 
    Dole produces apples and pears directly from seven Company-owned orchards on
approximately 1,700 productive acres in Wenatchee and Chelan, Washington as well
as  through independent  growing arrangements. The  Company also  owns apple and
pear storage, processing and packing facilities in Wenatchee and Chelan.
 
    The Company owns  approximately 1,400  acres of farmland  in California  and
Arizona,  and leases  approximately 11,400 acres  of farmland  in California and
another 5,300 acres in Arizona  in connection with Dole's vegetable  operations.
The  majority of  this acreage is  farmed under joint  growing arrangements with
independent growers, while  the remainder is  farmed by Dole.  The Company  owns
cooling,  packing and  shipping facilities  in Yuma,  Arizona and  the following
California cities: Marina,
Holtville,  Guadalupe,  Gonzales  and  Huron.  Additionally,  the  Company   has
partnership  interests in  facilities in  Yuma, Arizona  and Mexico,  and leases
facilities in Oxnard, California. The Company owns state-of-the-art, value-added
processing plants in Yuma, Arizona and Soledad, California.
 
    Dole produces almonds  from approximately  4,300 acres  and pistachios  from
approximately  3,000 acres of orchards in the San Joaquin Valley, owned directly
or through agricultural partnerships or leased. The Company leases approximately
50 acres of date gardens in the Coachella Valley.
 
    The Company owns and operates one almond processing and packing plant, three
almond receiving and storage facilities and two raisin and prune processing  and
packing  plants, all  of which  are located  in the  San Joaquin  and Sacramento
Valleys. The Company owns and operates a date processing plant in the  Coachella
Valley. The Company sold its pistachio processing plant in August of 1995.
 
    Hawaii  sugar  operations include  a  mill which  produces  raw sugar  and a
plantation on the  island of  Oahu. The phase-out  of this  operation was  first
announced  in 1994 and  is continuing. The  plantation consists of approximately
12,000 acres (approximately 6,200 acres of which are owned and the remainder  of
which  are  leased)  which  are used  for  diversified  agricultural  crops. The
remaining sugar cane will be harvested in 1996.
 
    Portions of  the Company's  fresh fruit  and vegetable  farm properties  are
irrigated   by  surface  water  supplied  by  local  government  agencies  using
facilities financed by federal  or state agencies, as  well as from  underground
sources.  Water  received  through  federal  facilities  is  subject  to acreage
limitations under the 1982 Reclamation Reform  Act. The quantity and quality  of
these  water  supplies varies  depending  on weather  conditions  and government
regulations. The  Company  believes that  under  normal conditions  these  water
supplies are adequate for current production needs.
 
  DOLE LATIN AMERICA
 
    Dole produces bananas directly from Company-owned plantations in Costa Rica,
Colombia  and Honduras  as well as  through associated  producers or independent
growing arrangements  in  those countries  and  in Ecuador,  Guatemala,  Panama,
Nicaragua  and  Venezuela.  The  Company  owns  approximately  40,400  acres  in
Honduras, 32,400 acres in Costa Rica and 3,600 acres in Colombia.
 
    Dole also grows  pineapple on  approximately 6,000  acres of  owned land  in
Honduras,  primarily for the fresh produce  market, and owns a juice concentrate
plant in Honduras for pineapple and citrus.
 
    Dole produces citrus on  approximately 650 acres  of Company-owned land  and
operates a grapefruit packing house in Honduras.
 
    Dole   grows  grapes,  stonefruit,  kiwi  and  pears  on  approximately  900
Company-owned acres in Chile. Dole owns and operates 11 packing and cold storage
facilities, a corrugated box plant and a wooden grape box plant in Chile.
 
    Dole operates Company-owned corrugated box  plants in Colombia, Costa  Rica,
Ecuador and Honduras.
 
                                       7
<PAGE>
    The  Company has  an interest  in the  following properties  in Honduras: an
approximately 80% interest in a beer and soft drink bottling operation, a bottle
crown plant,  a  plastic  injection  molding facility  used  primarily  for  the
manufacture  of beer and soft drink plastic cases and a sugar mill, as well as a
majority interest in an edible oils refinery, a laundry soap factory, a palm oil
extraction operation and 3,400 acres of palm oil plantation.
 
    Dole operates  a fleet  of 9  refrigerated containerships  and 25  breakbulk
refrigerated  ships, of which 19 are Company-owned or bareboat chartered and the
remainder are  time  chartered.  From  time to  time,  excess  capacity  may  be
chartered  to others or may carry commercial cargo for third parties. In January
1995 Dole took delivery of the  last of four new breakbulk refrigerated  vessels
built to its specifications in a Polish shipyard.
 
  DOLE ASIA
 
    Dole  operates a pineapple  plantation of approximately  30,200 acres in the
Philippines. Originally  covered  by  a  grower agreement  between  Dole  and  a
government-owned  and controlled corporation, approximately  22,100 acres of the
plantation have been transferred  to a cooperative of  Dole employees that  will
acquire  the land pursuant to  an agrarian reform law.  The remaining acreage in
the Philippines  is farmed  pursuant to  farm management  contracts. A  cannery,
chillroom,  juice concentrate plant, corrugated  box plant and can manufacturing
plant, each owned by Dole, are proximately located to the plantation.
 
    Dole's Thailand subsidiary owns and operates a cannery, can plant and  juice
concentrate  plant located in central Thailand  and a second multi-fruit cannery
in southern Thailand. Through a subsidiary in Thailand controlled by Dole,  Dole
grows  pineapple  on  approximately 3,900  acres  of leased  land  and purchases
additional supplies of pineapple in Thailand on the open market.
 
    Dole also  produces  bananas  through associated  producers  or  independent
growing  arrangements in the Philippines, and,  with a joint venture partner, is
developing approximately 6,400 acres of citrus orchards in China.
 
  DOLE EUROPE
 
    Dole owns four banana ripening  and fruit distribution facilities in  France
and four in Spain, three in Italy and one in Germany. The Company has a minority
interest  in  a  French  company  which  has  eight  banana  ripening  and fruit
distribution facilities in France and three in Spain. This French company owns a
majority interest in banana plantations in Cameroon and pineapple plantations in
the Ivory Coast,  and has banana  producing interests in  the Ivory Coast.  Dole
owns  a minority  interest in a  banana ripening and  fruit distribution company
with five facilities in the United Kingdom. Dole Europe is the majority owner in
a port terminal and  distribution facility in Livorno,  Italy. The Company  owns
land  near Istanbul, Turkey on which construction of a banana ripening and fruit
distribution facility is nearly completed.
 
    In France, the Company owns a dried fruit and nut processing, packaging  and
warehousing  facility  in  Vitrolles, a  date  processing and  packing  plant in
Marseille and a prune processing and packaging plant in Agen.
 
ITEM 3.  LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
 
    In the  Company's Form  10-QA for  the quarter  ended October  7, 1995,  the
Company  described certain lawsuits that had been filed in Texas against some of
the manufacturers of a formerly  widely used agricultural chemical called  DBCP,
the Company and several of its competitors. In these lawsuits, a large number of
foreign  nationals allege  personal injuries  caused by  contact with  DBCP. The
plaintiffs claim  that during  the  1960's and  1970's  they were  employees  of
Company  subsidiaries,  competitors and  independent  local growers.  In October
1995, four of the six cases pending in Texas state courts were dismissed by  the
Texas  federal court on the grounds that  the plaintiffs' home countries are the
more appropriate forums  for the claims.  This dismissal involved  approximately
75%  of the Texas plaintiffs,  many of whom have now  filed claims in their home
countries. The remaining two  cases were remanded to  Texas state courts,  where
procedural issues are now being addressed.
 
                                       8
<PAGE>
Additionally,  two new, similar DBCP actions were filed in Louisiana state court
in June  1995  by  plaintiffs from  some  of  the same  foreign  countries.  The
Louisiana  cases were  removed to  federal court  where defendants  have filed a
motion to  dismiss  on the  same  grounds  successfully asserted  in  the  Texas
dismissal  action. As to all such matters,  the Company has denied liability and
asserted substantial defenses. In the opinion of management, after  consultation
with  outside counsel, the pending lawsuits are  not expected to have a material
adverse effect on the Company's financial position or results of operations.
 
    The Company is involved from time to time in other various claims and  legal
actions  incident to  its operations,  both as  plaintiff and  defendant. In the
opinion of  management, after  consultation with  outside counsel,  none of  the
claims or actions to which the Company is a party is expected to have a material
adverse effect on the Company's financial position or results of operations.
 
ITEM 4.  SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS
 
    There  were no matters  submitted to a  vote of security  holders during the
quarter ended December 30, 1995.
 
                      EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT
 
    Below is a  list of  the names  and ages of  all executive  officers of  the
Company  as of March  11, 1996 indicating  their positions with  the Company and
their principal occupations during the past five years. The current terms of the
executive officers  will  expire  at  the next  organizational  meeting  of  the
Company's Board of Directors or at such time as their successors are elected.
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
        NAME AND AGE              POSITIONS WITH THE COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES AND FIVE-YEAR EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
-----------------------------  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                            <C>
David H. Murdock (72)          Chairman  of the Board, Chief  Executive Officer and Director  of the Company since
                               July 1985. Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Castle  &
                               Cooke,  Inc. since October 1995.  Since June 1982, Chairman  of the Board and Chief
                               Executive Officer of Flexi-Van Corporation, a Delaware corporation wholly-owned  by
                               Mr.  Murdock. Sole  owner and  developer of  the Sherwood  Country Club  in Ventura
                               County,  California,  and  numerous  other  real  estate  developments;  also  sole
                               stockholder  of numerous corporations engaged in a variety of business ventures and
                               in the  manufacture  of  textile-  related products  and  industrial  and  building
                               products.
David A. DeLorenzo (49)        President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company since March 1996. President of
                               Dole  Food Company  -- International from  September 1993 to  March 1996. Executive
                               Vice President of the Company from July 1990 to March 1996. Director of the Company
                               since February 1991. President of Dole  Fresh Fruit Company from September 1986  to
                               June 1992.
Gerald W. LaFleur (63)         Executive  Vice President of the Company since April 1992. Executive Vice President
                               of Pacific  Holding  Company  (a  sole proprietorship  of  Mr.  Murdock)  and  Vice
                               President  of a number  of companies wholly  owned by Mr.  Murdock since July 1991.
                               Prior to July 1991, partner in Arthur Andersen LLP.
George R. Horne (59)           Vice President of the Company since October 1982. Vice President -- Human Resources
                               of Dole since February 1986.
Michael S. Karsner (37)        Vice President  -- Treasurer  and  Chief Financial  Officer  of the  Company  since
                               February  1995. Vice President  and Treasurer of  the Company from  January 1994 to
                               February 1995. Vice President and Treasurer of The Black & Decker Corporation  from
                               January  1990 to January 1994. Vice President -- Corporate Development of The Black
                               and Decker Corporation from March 1989 to January 1990.
</TABLE>
 
                                       9
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
        NAME AND AGE              POSITIONS WITH THE COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES AND FIVE-YEAR EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
-----------------------------  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                            <C>
Patricia A. McKay (38)         Vice President -- Finance and Controller  of the Company since February 1995.  Vice
                               President  --  Controller  of  the  Company  from  August  1991  to  February 1995.
                               Controller of Dole Fresh Fruit Company since October 1988.
Patrick A. Nielson (45)        Vice President -- International Legal and  Regulatory Affairs of the Company  since
                               October  1995. Vice President and General Counsel -- Food Operations of the Company
                               from May 1994 to October  1995. General Counsel --  Food Operations of the  Company
                               from  July 1991 to May 1994. Vice President and General Counsel of Dole Fresh Fruit
                               Company since 1983.
J. Brett Tibbitts (40)         Vice President, Corporate General  Counsel and Corporate  Secretary of the  Company
                               since  October 1995.  Vice President and  Corporate General Counsel  of the Company
                               from May 1994 to  October 1995. General  Counsel -- Corporate  of the Company  from
                               June  1992 to May 1994. Deputy General Counsel  of the Company from January 1990 to
                               June 1992. Assistant General Counsel of the Company from January 1988 to June 1990.
Roberta Wieman (52)            Vice President since  February 1995.  Executive Assistant  to the  Chairman of  the
                               Board  and  Chief Executive  Officer  from November  1991  to February  1995. Joint
                               proprietor of sportswear outlet from 1986 to October 1991.
</TABLE>
 
                                    PART II
 
ITEM 5.  MARKET FOR THE REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER
         MATTERS
 
    As of March 9,  1996, there were approximately  14,188 holders of record  of
the  Company's  Common  Stock.  Additional information  required  by  Item  5 is
contained on pages 29, 32, 37 and 39 of the Dole Annual Report. Such information
is incorporated herein by reference.
 
ITEM 6.  SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
 
    There is hereby  incorporated by reference  the information appearing  under
the  caption "Results of Operations  and Selected Financial Data"  on page 37 of
the Dole Annual Report.
 
ITEM 7.  MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS
         OF OPERATIONS
 
    There is hereby  incorporated by reference  the information appearing  under
the  caption "Management's Discussion and Analysis  of Results of Operations and
Financial Position" on pages 34, 35 and 36 of the Dole Annual Report.
 
ITEM 8.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
 
    There is hereby incorporated by reference the information appearing on pages
21 through 32 of the Dole Annual Report. See also Item 14 of this report.
 
ITEM 9.  CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND
         FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
 
    There have been no changes  in the Company's independent public  accountants
for  the 1995 and 1994  fiscal years nor have  there been any disagreements with
the  Company's  independent  public  accountants  on  accounting  principles  or
practices for financial statement disclosures.
 
                                    PART III
 
ITEM 10.  DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE REGISTRANT
 
    There  is  hereby incorporated  by reference  the information  regarding the
Company's directors to appear under the  caption "Election of Directors" in  the
Company's definitive proxy statement for its
 
                                       10
<PAGE>
1996  Annual Meeting of Stockholders (the  "1995 Proxy Statement"). See the list
of the Company's  executive officers  and related  information under  "Executive
Officers of the Registrant", which is set forth in Part I hereof.
 
ITEM 11.  EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
 
    There  is hereby incorporated  by reference the  information to appear under
the  captions  "Remuneration  of  Directors"  and  "Compensation  of   Executive
Officers" in the 1996 Proxy Statement.
 
ITEM 12.  SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
 
    There  is hereby incorporated  by reference the  information with respect to
security  ownership  to  appear   under  the  captions  "General   Information",
"Beneficial  Ownership  of  Certain  Stockholders"  and  "Security  Ownership of
Directors and Executive Officers" in the 1996 Proxy Statement.
 
ITEM 13.  CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
 
    There is hereby incorporated  by reference the  information to appear  under
the caption "Certain Transactions" in the 1996 Proxy Statement.
 
                                    PART IV
 
ITEM 14.  EXHIBITS, FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K
 
    (a)1.  Financial Statements:
 
    The  following consolidated  financial statements  are included  in the Dole
Annual Report and are incorporated herein by reference:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                          ANNUAL
                                                                                                          REPORT
                                                                                                           PAGES
                                                                                                        -----------
<S>                                                                                                     <C>
Consolidated Statements of Income -- fiscal years ended December 30, 1995, December 31, 1994 and
 January 1, 1994......................................................................................          21
Consolidated Balance Sheets -- December 30, 1995 and December 31, 1994................................          22
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flow -- fiscal years ended December 30, 1995, December 31, 1994 and
 January 1, 1994......................................................................................          23
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements............................................................       24-32
Report of Independent Public Accountants..............................................................          33
</TABLE>
 
       2.  Financial Statement Schedules:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                         FORM 10-K
                                                                                                           PAGES
                                                                                                        -----------
<S>                                                                                                     <C>
Independent Public Accountants' Report on Financial Statement Schedule................................         F-1
Schedule II -- Valuation and Qualifying Accounts......................................................         F-2
</TABLE>
 
    All other  schedules  are  omitted  because they  are  not  applicable,  not
required or the information is included elsewhere in the financial statements or
notes thereto.
 
       3.  Exhibits:
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 EXHIBIT
   NO.
----------
<C>         <S>
       3.1  The  Restated Articles of Association of  the Company, as amended through  July 30, 1991. Incorporated by
            reference to Exhibit 3(a) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended  December
            28, 1991, File No. 1-4455.
       3.2  By-Laws  of the Company, as amended  through March 25, 1993. Incorporated  by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to
            the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 1, 1994, File No. 1-4455.
</TABLE>
 
                                       11
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 EXHIBIT
   NO.
----------
<C>         <S>
       4.1  Credit Agreement dated as of May 10, 1994 among the Company, Citicorp USA, Inc., as Administrative  Agent
            and  Lender and  the financial institutions  which are Lenders  thereunder, relating to  the Company's $1
            billion revolving credit facility. Incorporated by reference  to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's  Quarterly
            Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 18, 1994, File No.1-4455.
       4.2  Indenture  dated as  of April  15, 1993  between the  Company and  Chemical Trust  Company of California,
            relating to $300 million of the Company's senior  notes. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to  the
            Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, event date May 6, 1993, File No. 1-4455.
       4.3  Indenture  dated  as of  July 15,  1993 between  the Company  and Chemical  Trust Company  of California,
            relating to $400 million  of the Company's senior  notes. Incorporated by reference  to Exhibit 4 to  the
            Company's Current Report on Form 8-K, event date July 15, 1993, File No. 1-4455.
       4.4  The  Company agrees  to furnish to  the Securities and  Exchange Commission  upon request a  copy of each
            instrument with respect to issues of long-term debt  of the Company and its subsidiaries, the  authorized
            principal  amount  of which  does  not exceed  10% of  the  consolidated assets  of  the Company  and its
            subsidiaries.
                                               Executive Compensation Plans and Arrangements -- Exhibits 10.1 - 10.9:
      10.1  The Company's  1991 Stock  Option and  Award Plan.  Incorporated by  reference to  Exhibit 10(a)  to  the
            Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 28, 1991, File No. 1-4455.
      10.2  The Company's 1982 Stock Option and Award Plan, as amended. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 28(a) to
            the Company's Report on Form S-8 filed on May 22, 1989, Registration No. 33-28782.
      10.3  Dole  Food  Company, Inc.  Executive Supplementary  Retirement  Plan (effective  January 1,  1989), First
            Restatement. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10(c) to  Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for  the
            fiscal year ended December 29, 1990, File No. 1-4455.
      10.4  Bonus  Agreement dated  as of August  30, 1991 by  and between the  Company and David  A. DeLorenzo, with
            promissory note dated September  5, 1991 in  the principal amount  of $500,000 by  David A. DeLorenzo  in
            favor  of the Company. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit  10(e) to the Company's Annual Report on Form
            10-K for the fiscal year ended December 28, 1991, File No. 1-4455.
      10.5  Employment Agreement between  the Company and  Gerald W.  LaFleur. Incorporated by  reference to  Exhibit
            10(k)  to the Company's Annual  Report on Form 10-K for  the fiscal year ended  January 2, 1993, File No.
            1-4455.
      10.6  Board of  Directors  Deferred Compensation  Plan.  Incorporated by  reference  to Exhibit  10.12  to  the
            Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 1, 1994, File No. 1-4455.
      10.7  Dole  Food  Company, Inc.  Annual  Incentive Plan.  Incorporated  by reference  to  Exhibit 10.15  to the
            Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 1, 1994, File No. 1-4455.
      10.8  Dole Food Company,  Inc. Long-Term  Incentive Plan.  Incorporated by reference  to Exhibit  10.16 to  the
            Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 1, 1994, File No. 1-4455.
      10.9  Dole  Food Company, Inc. Executive Deferred Compensation  Plan. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.9
            to Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1994.
      11    Computations of earnings per common share.
      13    Dole Food Company, Inc. 1994 Annual Report for the  fiscal year ended December 31, 1994. (This Report  is
            furnished  for information of the  Commission and, except for those  portions thereof which are expressly
            incorporated by reference herein, is not "filed" as a part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.)
</TABLE>
 
                                       12
<PAGE>
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 EXHIBIT
   NO.
----------
<C>         <S>
      22    Subsidiaries of Dole Food Company, Inc.
      23    Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP.
      27    Financial Data Schedules.
</TABLE>
 
    (b)Reports on Form 8-K:
 
    No current reports on  Form 8-K were  filed by the  Company during the  last
quarter of the year ended December 30, 1995.
 
                                       13
<PAGE>
                                   SIGNATURES
 
    Pursuant  to  the requirements  of  Section 13  or  15(d) of  the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
 
                                          DOLE FOOD COMPANY, INC.
                                          Registrant
 
March 13, 1996                       By   /s/ DAVID H. MURDOCK
                                          --------------------------------------
                                                     David H. Murdock
                                                CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD AND
                                                 CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
 
    Pursuant to the requirements  of the Securities Exchange  Act of 1934,  this
report  has  been  signed  below  by the  following  persons  on  behalf  of the
Registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
 
<TABLE>
<C>                                    <S>                                    <C>
        /s/ DAVID H. MURDOCK           Chairman of the Board and Chief
------------------------------------    Executive Officer and Director        March 13, 1996
          David H. Murdock
 
       /s/ DAVID A. DELORENZO          President, Chief Operating Officer
------------------------------------    and Director                          March 13, 1996
         David A. DeLorenzo
 
       /s/ MICHAEL S. KARSNER          Vice President -- Treasurer and Chief
------------------------------------    Financial and (Principal Financial    March 13, 1996
         Michael S. Karsner             Officer)
 
        /s/ PATRICIA A. MCKAY          Vice President -- Finance and
------------------------------------    Controller (Principal Accounting      March 13, 1996
          Patricia A. McKay             Officer)
 
         /s/ ELAINE L. CHAO
------------------------------------   Director                               March 13, 1996
           Elaine L. Chao
 
            /s/ MIKE CURB
------------------------------------   Director                               March 13, 1996
              Mike Curb
 
        /s/ RICHARD M. FERRY
------------------------------------   Director                               March 13, 1996
          Richard M. Ferry
 
          /s/ JAMES F. GARY
------------------------------------   Director                               March 13, 1996
            James F. Gary
 
          /s/ FRANK J. HATA
------------------------------------   Director                               March 13, 1996
            Frank J. Hata
</TABLE>
 
                                       14
<PAGE>
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 EXHIBIT
   NO.                                                                                          PAGE
---------                                                                                     ---------
<C>        <S>                                                                                <C>
   3.1     The Restated Articles of Association of the Company, as amended through July 30,
           1991. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3(a) to the Company's Annual Report on
           Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 28, 1991, File No. 1-4455...........
   3.2     By-Laws of the Company, as amended through March 25, 1993. Incorporated by
           reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
           fiscal year ended January 1, 1994, File No. 1-4455...............................
   4.1     Credit Agreement dated as of May 10, 1994 among the Company, Citicorp USA, Inc.,
           as Administrative Agent and Lender and the financial institutions which are
           Lenders thereunder, relating to the Company's $1 billion revolving credit
           facility. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Quarterly
           Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 18, 1994, File No.1-4455..........
   4.2     Indenture dated as of April 15, 1993 between the Company and Chemical Trust
           Company of California, relating to $300 million of the Company's senior notes.
           Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Current Report on Form
           8-K, event date May 6, 1993, File No. 1-4455.....................................
   4.3     Indenture dated as of July 15, 1993 between the Company and Chemical Trust
           Company of California, relating to $400 million of the Company's senior notes.
           Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4 to the Company's Current Report on Form
           8-K, event date July 15, 1993, File No. 1-4455...................................
   4.4     The Company agrees to furnish to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon
           request a copy of each instrument with respect to issues of long-term debt of the
           Company and its subsidiaries, the authorized principal amount of which does not
           exceed 10% of the consolidated assets of the Company and its subsidiaries........
                Executive Compensation Plans and Arrangements -- Exhibits 10.1 - 10.10:
  10.1     The Company's 1991 Stock Option and Award Plan. Incorporated by reference to
           Exhibit 10(a) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
           ended December 28, 1991, File No. 1-4455.........................................
  10.2     The Company's 1982 Stock Option and Award Plan, as amended. Incorporated by
           reference to Exhibit 28(a) to the Company's Report on Form S-8 filed on May 22,
           1989, Registration No. 33-28782..................................................
  10.3     Dole Food Company, Inc. Executive Supplementary Retirement Plan (effective
           January 1, 1989), First Restatement. Incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10(c)
           to Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 29,
           1990, File No. 1-4455............................................................
  10.4     Bonus Agreement dated as of August 30, 1991 by and between the Company and David
           A. DeLorenzo, with promissory note dated September 5, 1991 in the principal
           amount of $500,000 by David A. DeLorenzo in favor of the Company. Incorporated by
           reference to Exhibit 10(e) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
           fiscal year ended December 28, 1991, File No. 1-4455.............................
</TABLE>
 
                                       15
<PAGE>
                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 EXHIBIT
   NO.                                                                                          PAGE
---------                                                                                     ---------
<C>        <S>                                                                                <C>
  10.5     Employment Agreement between the Company and Gerald W. LaFleur. Incorporated by
           reference to Exhibit 10(k) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
           fiscal year ended January 2, 1993, File No. 1-4455...............................
  10.6     Board of Directors Deferred Compensation Plan. Incorporated by reference to
           Exhibit 10.12 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
           ended January 1, 1994, File No. 1-4455...........................................
  10.7     Dole Food Company, Inc. Annual Incentive Plan. Incorporated by reference to
           Exhibit 10.15 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
           ended January 1, 1994, File No. 1-4455...........................................
  10.8     Dole Food Company, Inc. Long-Term Incentive Plan. Incorporated by reference to
           Exhibit 10.16 to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
           ended January 1, 1994, File No. 1-4455...........................................
  10.9     Dole Food Company, Inc. Executive Deferred Compensation Plan. Incorporated by
           reference to Exhibit 10.9 to Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
           December 31, 1994................................................................
   11      Computations of earnings per common share........................................
   13      Dole Food Company, Inc. 1994 Annual Report for the fiscal year ended December 31,
           1994. (This Report is furnished for information of the Commission and, except for
           those portions thereof which are expressly incorporated by reference herein, is
           not "filed" as a part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.).......................
   22      Subsidiaries of Dole Food Company, Inc...........................................
   23      Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP...................................................
   27      Financial Data Schedule..........................................................
</TABLE>
 
                                       16
<PAGE>
                  REPORT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS ON
                          FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULE
 
To the Shareholders and Board of Directors
of Dole Food Company, Inc.:
 
    We  have audited in  accordance with generally  accepted auditing standards,
the consolidated  financial statements  included in  Dole Food  Company,  Inc.'s
annual  report to shareholders incorporated by  reference in this Form 10-K, and
have issued our report thereon  dated February 5, 1996.  Our audit was made  for
the  purpose of  forming an opinion  on those  statements taken as  a whole. The
schedule listed in the  preceding index is the  responsibility of the  Company's
management  and  presented for  purposes of  complying  with the  Securities and
Exchange Commission's rules and are not part of the basic financial  statements.
This schedule has been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the audit
of  the basic  financial statements  and, in our  opinion, fairly  states in all
material respects  the  financial data  required  to  be set  forth  therein  in
relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole.
 
                                          /s/ ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP
 
Los Angeles, California
February 5, 1996
 
                                      F-1
<PAGE>
                                                                     SCHEDULE II
 
                            DOLE FOOD COMPANY, INC.
                       VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS
 
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            ADDITIONS
                                                              BALANCE AT   CHARGED TO
                                                               BEGINNING    COSTS AND                   BALANCE AT
                                                                OF YEAR     EXPENSES    DEDUCTIONS (A)  END OF YEAR
                                                              -----------  -----------  --------------  -----------
                                                                                 (IN THOUSANDS)
<S>                                                           <C>          <C>          <C>             <C>
Year Ended December 30, 1995
  Allowance for doubtful accounts
    Trade receivables.......................................   $  25,034    $  11,120     $    3,825     $  32,329
    Notes and other current receivables.....................      10,034        5,588            957        14,665
    Long-term receivables...................................      13,895        2,584          6,080        10,399
 
Year Ended December 31, 1994
  Allowance for doubtful accounts
    Trade receivables.......................................   $  18,167    $  10,969     $    4,102     $  25,034
    Notes and other current receivables.....................       8,654        2,403          1,023        10,034
    Long-term receivables...................................      19,319        5,821         11,245        13,895
 
Year Ended January 1, 1994
  Allowance for doubtful accounts
    Trade receivables.......................................   $  15,123    $   7,567     $    4,523     $  18,167
    Notes and other current receivables.....................       8,879        1,003          1,228         8,654
    Long-term receivables...................................      27,588        4,518         12,787        19,319
</TABLE>
 
Note:
(A) Write-off of uncollectible amounts.
 
                                      F-2