Reduction of Input Materials

Del Monte is constantly researching ways to improve our production process and packaging in order to minimize the generation of wastes. We have been successful in reducing input materials without significantly affecting the quality and safety of our products. Packaging innovations, such as the elimination of shrink bands on many of our fresh cut products as well as the many innovative changes in the design of our corrugated packaging have helped to reduce both input and packaging waste.

Elimination of Shrink Bands About 2 million containers of fresh cut product is packed without shrink bands. This packaging option minimizes the total volume of plastic wastes generated.

Use of PLA (corn-based plastic) Containers The use of PLA packaging saves 180,000 gallons of gasoline and reduces greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to driving a car over 4 million miles. Del Monte packs over 10 million PLA containers.

Innovations in Corrugated Packaging Our corporate packaging department is continually searching for and developing innovative designs that minimize the use of materials without compromising the quality of the product during handling and distribution. In recent years, multiple fiber reduction projects have reduced our paper consumption by over 7,000 tons based on annual volumes of product commercialized.