Del Monte Foods

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Del Monte logo

Del Monte Foods (NYSE: DLM) is an American food production and distribution company based in San Francisco, California.

It offers canned goods in Del Monte, S&W and Contadina brands, soups and stocks under College Inn, pet foods under Kibbles n' Bits, 9Lives, Pounce, and several premium brands, canned tuna under StarKist Tuna, baby food under the Del Monte brand and other foodstuffs.

[edit] History

In the 1870s and '80s, California became a major producer of fruits and vegetables; and, in 1899, 11 of the state's biggest canners merged under the name California Fruit Canners Association. In 1916 CFCA drew in two more canners and a food brokerage house, incorporated itself as California Packing Corporation, or Calpak, and began marketing its products under the Del Monte brand. The new company then operated more than 60 canneries, some in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Alaska. In 1917 it acquired pineapple lands and a cannery in Hawaii and, in the 1920s, added canneries in Florida and the Midwest, as well as in the Philippines. After World War II more facilities were constructed or purchased overseas. These multinational operations made the name California Packing Corporation obsolete, and in 1967 the name Del Monte Corporation was adopted.

Del Monte canned fruit

In 1979 Del Monte (headquartered in San Francisco) was merged into R.J. Reynolds Industries, Inc. (later RJR Nabisco, Inc.). Ten years later the fresh fruit business was sold and renamed Fresh Del Monte Produce; although no longer affiliated with Del Monte Foods, it continued to market pineapples, bananas, and other produce under the Del Monte label. It should be noted that Del Monte Foods does, however, license the Del Monte brand to Fresh Del Monte Produce. RJR Nabisco sold the remaining food processing divisions, known as Del Monte Foods, to private investors in 1989. Del Monte Foods again became a publicly traded company in 1999 and in 2002 Del Monte purchased several brands from US food giant Heinz in an all stock transaction that left Heinz shareholders with 74.5% of Del Monte and original Del Monte shareholders with 25.5% of the company and nearly tripled Del Monte Foods size; Today Del Monte Foods products include canned fruits and vegetables, baby foods, tuna, and pet foods under labels such as Del Monte, Contadina, and StarKist Tuna.

There are several Del Monte brand licensees throughout the world. Kraft Foods holds the brand's juice drinks in Canada, while CanGro holds the canned goods section in that country. Del Monte Foods holds the brand in North America (except Canada) and Central & South America. Fresh Del Monte Produce holds the Del Monte brand license in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Del Monte Asia holds the brand in Asia except the Philippines and the Indian subcontinent and Oceania. Del Monte Asia is owned by Kikkoman Corporation. Del Monte Pacific holds the brand in the Philippines and the Indian subcontinent. These companies supply each other stocks of fruit. All of these companies license the Del Monte name from Del Monte Foods. Del Monte Asia has a plantation in Thailand, now the world's biggest pineapple grower. Del Monte Pacific has a plantation in the Philippines, the second-biggest pineapple grower in the world. Del Monte Foods has a plantation in Hawaii but they will close the plantation in two years time. Cirio/Del Monte, CanGro and Kraft imports fruit from DM Asia and DM Pacific.

Del Monte Foods bought Meow Mix in May, 2006, and has also announced the acquisition of Milk-Bone.

Effective November 18th, 2006, two years before the expected 2008 end date, Del Monte's Hawaii plantation has been closed leaving over 550 workers without jobs.

In 2007, Del Monte declared a national recall of several of brands of its pet foods because they were killing people's pets. [1]

[edit] Trivia

On Pee Wee's Playhouse, the picture phone has a Del Monte can. The logo does not have the words 'Del Monte', but is solid red within the Del Monte symbol. There is also a cat in the fruit cocktail. Paul Reubens.net
During The Troubles in Ireland, the Unionist political slogan, "Ulster says no!" was mocked by nationalists who added "...and the man from Del Monte says yes." This was in response to the Del Monte advertising campaign at the time.
On The Simpsons, Mr. Burns hires an assassin to kill Grandpa Simpson and delivers a picture of Grandpa eating Del Monte canned peas. The assassin, believing the target to be 'Del Monte' himself remarks, 'Ah, Del Monte. Enjoy them old man, they will be your last!"