Del Monte Foods: Recognizing the Environmental Quality of Packaging

Del Monte Foods markets some 100 different products, from canned fruits and vegetables to fruit-based beverages and snacks, to microwave-ready vegetable side dishes. About 75% of the company’s products are packaged in steel cans.

In an effort to fulfill its commitment to environmental packaging and awareness, steel cans containing Del Monte Foods will display a recycling message, as well as a notation that the cans contain recycled steel. In fact, Del Monte is placing a recycling message on all of the recyclable containers it uses.

To convey its environmental message, one phase of the company’s trade and consumer advertising focuses on the environmental compatibility of the can, as well as its functional and attractive packaging qualities.

According to A. Ewan Macdonald, President and Chief Operating Officer of Del Monte Foods, “We are responsible for manufacturing and marketing a quality product, and we want our products’ packaging to meet that quality standard. An important indicator of a package’s quality today is its environmental compatibility. We know that the steel cans containing our products are 100% recyclable; we want to be sure that our customers know.”

Recently, Del Monte Foods hosted a forum to discuss packaging and the environment. Among those attending were representatives of major food and beverage retail chains. “Recycling doesn’t begin and end with Del Monte’s efforts, or those of any other single entity,” said Jacqueline Bogard, Environmental Director of Del Monte Foods. “It is an integrated, long term effort, one that will achieve its greatest success through cooperation among all levels of the private
and public sectors. At Del Monte Foods, we’re doing our best to ensure success by helping to create the infrastructure that alleviates the solid waste problem.”