WALNUT CREEK, Calif. — Furthering its focus on reducing food waste, and in support of its commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, Del Monte Foods Inc. announced Wednesday that two more of its products — Del Monte Gut Love and Boost Me Fruit Infusions — have been Upcycled Certified by the Upcycled Food Association, the world's only third-party certification program for upcycled food ingredients and products.
Through these two products, Del Monte Foods is re-directing approximately 130,000 pounds of pineapple juice each year, helping to provide nutritious and affordable food, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Last year, Del Monte announced the industry's first canned vegetable product to be Upcycled Certified. The company's Del Monte Blue Lake Petite Cut and Blue Lake Farmhouse Cut Green Bean products are 100% upcycled and sustainably grown green beans from Wisconsin and Illinois.
"As growers of good, Del Monte Foods is focused on producing nutritious food while also protecting the health of our planet," said Greg Longstreet, president and CEO of Del Monte Foods. "The food industry has a huge opportunity to reduce food waste and Del Monte Foods is committed to playing a leadership role through our expanded focus on upcycling."
According to a report by the World Wildlife Fund, Driven to Waste, nearly 2.5 billion tons of food are wasted each year globally, generating 10% of heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions. From the water used to grow and produce food that doesn't get consumed, to the greenhouse gases emitted when food decomposes in landfills, food waste profoundly affects the environment.
As part of Del Monte Foods' mission to nourish people and communities with earth's goodness, the company has been focused on reducing all forms of food waste across its supply chain. Over the past 24 months alone, the company has diverted more than 25 million pounds of food from landfills through a focus on upcycling and food donations.
"Cutting food waste is the single-most effective thing companies and people can do to address climate change," said Turner Wyatt, co-founder and CEO of the Upcycled Food Association. "As a household brand, the early leadership that Del Monte Foods is showing in the upcycling space will have an important impact on consumer awareness of reducing food waste for a healthier planet and future."
"Food that is produced but never eaten still requires enormous resources to grow, harvest, transport and prepare," said Molly Laverty, environmental, social & governance senior manager at Del Monte Foods. "Producing and choosing upcycled products and ingredients is important in the fight against food waste."
Introduced in summer 2021, Del Monte Fruit Infusions was recently named a 2022 Product of the Year in the fruit snack category.
