Manufacturing
Team members from across the company are working to reduce costs and impact by discovering ways to use less energy, less water and reduce waste in our plants and operations.
Waste Diversion
We actively seek ways to divert food waste from landfill, including through upcycling.
A dedicated task force reviews food waste streams on a quarterly basis to find new uses for the streams. In fiscal 2023 we set a new goal to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill from our manufacturing plants by 4%.
Upcycling
For years, we’ve been reducing food waste by upcycling — using edible food that would have otherwise been thrown away. Our Research & Development department is also evaluating processes that decompose organic matter into fuel and other useful components.
Upcycled food has emerged as one of the most effective approaches the food industry can use to reduce waste. At Del Monte Foods, we’re proud to be leaders in this movement. We’re members of the Upcycled Food Association, and 3 of our products are Upcycled Certified™ by the Upcycled Food Association, the world’s only third-party certification program for upcycled food ingredients and products.
Water
Presently, three of the five facilities that we own or operate are in areas with medium-high water stress, so it is imperative for us to use water sparingly. We capture and reuse water as much as possible at our facilities. For example, we recycle the water used in production and later reuse it to run our cooling towers. This reduces the amount of fresh water needed and energy used.