Dole Fresh Vegetables is suing its rival Ready Pac for what it says are illegal practices in luring away some of its employees.
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The lawsuit claims Ready Pac Produce Inc. had engaged in unfair competition in connection with the hiring of three ex-Dole managers, Ready Pac’s now vice-president of value-added product sales, and two sales managers.
The suit, which will be pursued in front of a jury, says Ready Pac’s president had formerly been with Dole and supervised the three former employees, adding that employment agreements signed by the three executives prohibited them from interfering with Dole’s business or its relationships with clients while employed at Dole or for a year after leaving the company. The companies are close competitors in agriculture and the fresh-cut market.
