EXHIBIT 99.1

                                         CHIQUITA
                                  [LOGO] BRANDS
                                         INTERNATIONAL


NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

          CHIQUITA FILES CHAPTER 11 DEBT RESTRUCTURING PLAN AS EXPECTED

           - PLAN INCORPORATES PREVIOUSLY-ANNOUNCED AGREEMENT WITH BONDHOLDERS
           - OPERATIONS TO CONTINUE AS NORMAL


Cincinnati, Ohio, November 28, 2001 - Chiquita Brands International, Inc. (NYSE:
CQB) today filed in Federal Court in Cincinnati a Pre-Arranged Plan of
Reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. The filing was made
according to an agreement with bondholder committees announced November 12 that
will reduce Chiquita's debt and accrued interest by more than $700 million and
its future annual interest expense by about $60 million. The terms of the Plan
are as previously announced.

The Chapter 11 Plan involves a restructuring of only the publicly held debt and
equity securities of Chiquita Brands International, Inc., which is a holding
company without any business operations of its own. The Company's subsidiaries,
which hold all of its operations, are independent legal entities that generate
their own cash flow and have access to their own credit facilities. These
subsidiaries will continue to operate normally and without interruption, and
their creditors will be unaffected. Throughout the process, customers will
continue to receive shipments normally and suppliers will continue to be paid in
full according to normal terms. The Company expects that the Chapter 11 case
will be completed in 90 to 120 days.

Steven G. Warshaw, President and Chief Executive Officer of Chiquita, said: "The
Chapter 11 filing brings us another step closer to completing the financial
restructuring process we began in January. Since then, we have operated
normally, as we will continue to do throughout the Chapter 11 process. It is our
plan to emerge from Chapter 11 in the first quarter of 2002 with a solid balance
sheet and a bright future. With the recent settlement of the U.S.-EU banana
trade dispute, we will have even stronger prospects for revenue and earnings
growth."



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Completion of the restructuring plan is subject to certain conditions, including
its acceptance by affected classes of public debt and equity holders, whose
approval will be solicited as part of the Court process. Having already achieved
agreement with the ad hoc committees representing its bondholders, the Company
continues to believe that it will receive the votes required for approval of the
plan.

A copy of Chiquita's November 12, 2001 press release announcing its agreement
with bondholders is available on www.chiquita.com.

Chiquita is a leading international marketer, producer and distributor of
quality fresh fruits and vegetables and processed foods.




This press release contains certain statements that are "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. These statements are subject to a number of assumptions, risks and
uncertainties, including the successful implementation of the restructuring of
the Company's parent company debt described herein, the implementation of the
announced U.S.-EU agreement regarding the EU's banana import regime, the
continuing availability of sufficient borrowing capacity or other financing to
fund operations, capital spending and working capital requirements, the prices
at which Chiquita can sell its products, the costs at which it can purchase or
grow (and availability of) fresh produce and other raw materials, currency
exchange rate fluctuations, natural disasters and unusual weather conditions,
operating efficiencies, labor relations, actions of governmental bodies, and
other market and competitive conditions, many of which are beyond the control of
Chiquita.

The forward-looking statements speak as of the date made and are not guarantees
of future performance. Actual results or developments may differ materially from
the expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, and the
Company undertakes no obligation to update any such statements.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Jeffrey M. Zalla, Vice President, Corporate Communications
William T. Sandstrom, Director of Investor Relations

         Media contacts:   (513) 784-8517
         Investor calls:   (513) 784-8100