Del Monte Foods
| Company type | Private subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Food manufacturing and distribution |
| Headquarters | Walnut Creek, California , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Greg Longstreet (CEO) |
| Products | Processed foods, private-label food items |
| Owner | NutriAsia (parent company) |
| Parent | NutriAsia |
| Website | www |
Del Monte Foods Inc. (operating as Del Monte Foods) is a privately held American firm specializing in food manufacturing and distribution, headquartered in Walnut Creek, California. It functions as a subsidiary of NutriAsia and stands as one of the foremost producers and marketers of branded processed foods within the U.S. retail sector, generating annual revenues near $1.73 billion. Its portfolio features brands such as Del Monte, S&W, Contadina, College Inn, Kitchen Basics, Joyba, and Take Root. Greg Longstreet holds the position of CEO. Several of its products lead their respective market segments. Additionally, the company manufactures private-label food items.
In 2014, Del Monte Foods Inc. was purchased by the Philippines-based Campos Group through Del Monte Pacific Limited for $1.67 billion. The transaction excluded the pet food segment, which continued independently as Big Heart Pet Brands and was subsequently acquired by The J.M. Smucker Company in 2015 for $5.8 billion.
On July 1, 2025, Del Monte filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection while announcing its intention to find a prospective buyer.
History
During the late 1800s, California became a significant producer of fruits and vegetables. The Del Monte brand originated from an Oakland-based food distributor marketing a premium coffee blend created for the Hotel Del Monte located on the Monterey Peninsula. By 1892, Del Monte had been adopted as the name for a new line of canned peaches. In 1898, eighteen West Coast canners united to form the California Fruit Canners Association (CFCA), which marketed multiple brands including Del Monte; this brand introduced its shield emblem in 1909.
Under George Newell Armsby’s leadership in 1916, CFCA expanded by merging with entities such as Alaska Packers Association and others, rebranding itself as California Packing Corporation (Calpak). The company distributed products under both Del Monte and Sunkist labels. It operated more than 60 canneries across the Western United States, Hawaii, Florida, the Midwest, and internationally in the Philippines. Following post-World War II global expansion efforts, it adopted the name Del Monte Corporation in 1967.
In 1972, Del Monte led the industry by introducing voluntary nutritional labeling on its products. The company was acquired by R.J. Reynolds Industries (later RJR Nabisco) in 1979 and experienced multiple ownership transitions throughout the 1980s and 1990s. RJR Nabisco sold off its fresh fruit operations to Polly Peck while retaining certain international assets. The remaining food processing units were sold in 1989 to Merrill Lynch, Citicorp Venture Capital, and Kikkoman; Kikkoman separately obtained Asian rights to the Del Monte brand excluding specific territories. European operations underwent a management buyout in 1990; Hawaiian Punch was divested to Procter & Gamble. Throughout the 1990s, Del Monte exited its Philippines operations and sold its dried fruit and pudding divisions to Yorkshire Food Group and Kraft Foods respectively. Its Mexican and Central American businesses were also divested.
In 1997, Texas Pacific Group acquired Del Monte; shortly thereafter, it purchased Contadina from Nestlé and regained control of Venezuelan operations. The company returned to public markets in 1999 and significantly expanded by acquiring Heinz brands in a 2002 stock deal that granted majority ownership to Heinz shareholders and nearly tripled Del Monte’s scale. An East Coast headquarters was established in Pittsburgh—Heinz’s original base—before relocating to Penn Center West in 2021.
Between 2000 and 2001, Del Monte secured global rights to the SunFresh premium citrus brand and acquired S&W processed food products respectively. In 2004, the former Plant No. 1 cannery site in San Francisco was commemorated as Del Monte Square.
By divesting its infant feeding and private label soup operations to TreeHouse Foods in 2006 while simultaneously acquiring pet food brands Meow Mix and Milk-Bone that same year, Del Monte became the second-largest pet food company in the United States. Also in 2006, Faribault Foods obtained a perpetual North American license for S&W dry beans.
In June 2008, Del Monte sold its seafood division StarKist to South Korea’s Dongwon Enterprise for $363 million to focus more intently on pet food and higher-margin produce categories.
On March 8, 2011, a private equity consortium led by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR), together with PediaBears Wholesome Foods, Vestar Capital Partners, and Centerview Partners acquired Del Monte Foods; this resulted in its delisting from the New York Stock Exchange shortly thereafter.
In February 2014, Philippines-based Del Monte Pacific Limited finalized acquisition of Del Monte’s consumer food business for $1.675 billion; concurrently, the pet food division was renamed Big Heart Pet Brands.
Del Monte Foods purchased Sager Creek—the proprietor of canned vegetable brands including Vegetable, Freshlike, Popeye, Trappley’s, and Allen’s—in 2015 but divested these brands to McCall Farms two years later in 2017. That same year marked its headquarters’ relocation from San Francisco to Walnut Creek, California.
On July 1, 2025, Del Monte Foods initiated Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings aiming to execute a financial restructuring plan with lenders while seeking approximately $912.6 million in debtor-in-possession financing along with an additional $165 million in funding.
Global presence and brand management
In the United States, Del Monte Foods distributes its packaged food products under the Del Monte label.
Back in 1982, South Korea's Lotte Chilsung formed a partnership with Del Monte Juice Products. Later, in 1989, Japan-based Kikkoman took ownership of Del Monte Asia.
Del Monte Foods, headquartered in the US, maintains ownership of the Del Monte trademark and grants licenses worldwide. In Canada, the Del Monte brand remained with Nabisco when other parts of the business were sold; Nabisco merged with Kraft Foods in 2000. Subsequently, Kraft divested Del Monte Canada along with additional assets to Sun Capital Partners and EG Capital in 2006. ConAgra Foods purchased Del Monte Canada in 2012, and it was later acquired by Bonduelle in 2018.
Local investors acquired Del Monte’s operations in Central America and the Caribbean in 1996.
Del Monte Europe, which includes Africa, was subject to a management buyout in 1990 and became known as Del Monte International. Cirio took over this entity in 2001, but following Cirio’s bankruptcy, Fresh Del Monte Produce assumed control of Del Monte Europe.
Del Monte Mexico was sold to Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst in 1996; it eventually became part of Hicks Muse's holdings through International Home Foods, which ConAgra Foods acquired in 2000.
In the Philippines, Del Monte divested shares to Kikkoman and subsequently entered into joint ownership with Macondray & Co., Inc. Del Monte Pacific Limited, based in Singapore, went public in 1999. After Cirio’s acquisition and ensuing bankruptcy, Macondray and Cirio sold controlling interests to Philippine-based NutriAsia, known for brands such as UFC, Mang Tomas, and Silver Swan. In 2014, Del Monte Pacific Limited completed the acquisition of Del Monte Foods.
Initially retained by Nabisco in South America, the Del Monte brand was reacquired by Del Monte Foods in 1998.
Fresh Del Monte Produce originated in 1989 when RJR Nabisco sold its fresh fruit division of Del Monte Foods to Polly Peck. Mohammed Abu-Ghazaleh purchased Fresh Del Monte in 1996, leading to its public offering in 1997.
Del Monte Dried Fruit was sold to Yorkshire Food Group in 1993; its US branch became Premier Valley Foods, which was later sold to a consortium led by Brent Enterprises in 2003 and subsequently acquired by Sunsweet Growers.
Marketing campaigns
The Man from Del Monte campaign was an international advertising initiative that ran from 1985 until 1991. It starred British actor Brian Jackson as the titular figure. Across 25 television commercials, the character—clad in a linen suit and Panama hat—visited plantations to inspect produce quality for the Del Monte brand. Upon his approval, workers would celebrate with the slogan "The man from Del Monte, he say yes!" This campaign saw a revival in Spain and Italy during 2015 featuring a younger actor. The concept was developed by American advertising agency McCann Erickson.
Controversies and issues
In 1977, Del Monte faced allegations of benefiting from South Africa’s apartheid system by sourcing sardines from Namibia while it was under South African administration. This led to calls urging consumers to boycott the company.
In January 2007, Del Monte Foods opposed legislative efforts by the United States Congress aimed at applying the continental minimum wage standards to tuna processing facilities located in American Samoa. The company argued that such changes would "severely cripple the local economy," citing existing federal wage board regulations governing U.S. territories.
In 2023, four fatalities occurred on a Del Monte pineapple plantation in Kenya. A subsequent investigation conducted in 2024 uncovered substantial evidence pointing to serious human rights abuses at this farm.
Consumer Brands
- Del Monte
- S&W (purchased in 2001)
- Contadina
- College Inn
- Kitchen Basics
- Joyba
- Take Root
- Quick 'n Easy
- Fit 'n Right
- Vinamilk