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 that two more of its products — Del Monte® Gut Love and Boost Me Fruit Infusions — have been Upcycled Certified™ by the Upcycled Food Association, a 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 Foods announced the industry's first canned vegetable product to be Upcycled Certified™ by the Upcycled Food Association. 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.
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.
Introduced in Summer 2021, Del Monte® Fruit Infusions was recently named a 2022 Product of the Year in the fruit snack category. Product of the Year is the world's largest consumer-voted award for product innovation. Del Monte Fruit Infusions provide a full serving of fruit and are rich in antioxidant vitamin C. Made with real fruit juice, they do not contain added sugar, artificial sweeteners, artificial certified colors or GMO (genetically modified organism) ingredients. The product line's Gut Love and Boost Me are the two flavors that have been Upcycled Certified™ by the Upcycled Food Association.
