After over 130 yrs of providing food to America, ranging from #Pineapples to #Pears to #Peaches to #PetFoods, modern marketing #mismanagement puts #California cannery #DelMonte into big #Bankruptcy blaming "borrowing" binge that led to billions in 21st century debt.
Current company HQ claims they secured another nearly a billion in #loans to keep operating as they seek a buyer.
Once one of the great west coast companies, "Del Monte Plant No. 1" built in post earthquake #SanFrancisco was heralded as the largest #fruit and #vegetable cannery in the world, employing 2,500 people and producing 200,000 cans of Del Monte brand food per day.
Later, it became a subsidiary of RJ Reynolds tobacco, and owner of #SunKist oranges & #StarKist tuna. In 2006, Del Monte became the second largest pet foods corp by purchasing Meow Mix & Milk Bone brands, but since then, HQ moved to suburban Walnut Creek CA and many of the Del Monte operations & brands have been thinned out and sold off. In 2025 brands still include #Contadina, College Inn #soups, and since 2001, a similar subsidiary 100+ yr old #canning brand called S & W and a more recent foray into burgeoning bubble teas.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/07/02/del-monte-economy-food-fruit-vegetable-court-bankrupt-bay-area-jobs/?share=muabystysmrmasntycab #GftLink #SharedStory #MercuryNews
