8-K

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSIONWASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

___________

FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORTPursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities and Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): December 4, 2012

CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

New Jersey
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) 1-1550
(Commission
File Number) 04-1923360
(IRS Employer
Identification No.)

550 South Caldwell Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: 980-636-5000

N/A

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions

□ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

□ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

□ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

□ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers

On December 4, 2012, the Company appointed Brian W. Kocher (age 43) as the Company’s Chief Operating Officer, effective upon the appointment by the Company of a new Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Kocher joined Chiquita in 2005 as the Company’s Vice President, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer.  From October 2007 until December 2010 he served as President of North America.  In January 2011 Mr. Kocher was appointed President, Europe and the Middle East, responsible for all of the Company’s operations across that region and in February 2012 was appointed as the Company’s Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Prior to joining Chiquita, Mr. Kocher held increasingly responsible finance and executive positions for more than 10 years at several companies, including Hill-Rom, Inc. and General Electric Capital Corp.

There are no family relationships between Mr. Kocher and any director or executive officer of the Company, and he has no direct or indirect material interest in any transactions with the Company.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)    Exhibits.

The following exhibit is furnished with this Current Report on Form 8-K:

Exhibit No.Description

99.1    Press Release issued by Chiquita Brands International, Inc., dated as of December 4, 2012.

SIGNATURES

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

	CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL, INC.
Date: December 4, 2012	By:	/s/ James E. Thompson
		James E. Thompson
		Senior Vice President, General Counsel and
		Secretary

EX-99.1

EXHIBIT 99.1

News Release

Contacts: Steve Himes, 980-636-5636, SHimes@chiquita.com (Investors & Analysts)

Tiffany Breaux, 980-636-5029, TBreaux@chiquita.com (Media)

CHIQUITA ANNOUNCES MANAGEMENT UPDATE

CHARLOTTE, N.C.- December 4, 2012 – Chiquita Brands International, Inc. (NYSE: CQB) today announced that Brian W. Kocher, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, has been named to the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer (COO). Kocher will remain in his position as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) until his replacement is named. The Company has initiated a CFO search.

In alignment with the Company’s new strategic direction, it is consolidating global sales, business unit and food safety capabilities into a single organization, to be led by Kocher, focused on increasing cash flow in core businesses and driving value via customer relationships. Chiquita’s commercial operations will be organized around two core business units: Bananas globally and Salads & Healthy Snacks in North America. The decision comes with the goal of reestablishing and reenergizing Chiquita bananas and Fresh Express salads as the simple core of the Company’s focus, which ultimately will create increased value for consumers, customers and shareholders.

“While these are early days in my tenure, I continue to be impressed by the caliber of the Chiquita team. Brian is an outstanding CFO, but as we look to consolidate our commercial operations to better leverage our core products, it is clear that Brian has the right experience and skills for the task at hand. Brian’s financial depth combined with his vast operations experience having been President of both North America and Europe and the Middle East, make him uniquely qualified to serve as COO,” said Ed Lonergan, Chiquita President

and Chief Executive Officer. “As we look to find Brian’s replacement, our focus will be on a finance executive with a commitment to our re-focused business strategy in our two core areas and a mindset to drive profitable growth.”

Kocher has held various senior leadership positions since joining Chiquita in 2005. Prior to serving as Chief Financial Officer, he was President, North America; President, Europe and the Middle East; and Vice President, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer. He has more than 18 years of accounting, sales, finance and business process change expertise, including senior roles at General Electric, Hill-Rom, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

ABOUT CHIQUITA BRANDS INTERNATIONAL, INC.

Chiquita Brands International, Inc. (NYSE: CQB) is a leading international marketer and distributor of nutritious, high-quality fresh and value-added food products – from energy-rich bananas, blends of convenient green salads, other fruits to healthy snacking products. The company markets its healthy, fresh products under the Chiquita® and Fresh Express® premium brands and other related trademarks. With annual revenues of more than $3 billion, Chiquita employs more than 21,000 people and has operations in nearly 70 countries worldwide. For more information, please visit our corporate web site at www.chiquita.com.

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