For many Americans, the name Del Monte brings back memories of family dinners, pantry shelves lined with canned peaches, green beans, and corn.
But now, that familiar brand has hit a major roadblock.
After more than a century of serving U.S. households, Del Monte Foods has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The Company Behind Canned Comfort Is In Trouble
Del Monte Foods, founded 138 years ago, quietly filed for bankruptcy protection late Tuesday night.
The company—known not just for canned fruits and vegetables but also for brands like College Inn broths and Joyba bubble tea—says this move is part of a larger plan to sell itself under a court-supervised process.
The goal? To stay afloat and find a path forward.
Business Will Keep Running for Now
Despite the bankruptcy, Del Monte isn’t shutting its doors.
The company has lined up $912.5 million in financing to keep operations going during the sale process.
So your favorite Del Monte products won’t be vanishing off the shelves overnight.
Company CEO Greg Longstreet called this “a strategic step forward,” saying the sale process is the most effective way to turn things around and secure a stronger future for the brand.
Changing Consumer Tastes Are to Blame
So what happened to this once-reliable grocery giant?
According to Sarah Foss from Debtwire, Del Monte simply couldn’t keep up with evolving food trends.
More and more consumers are moving away from canned and processed foods, preferring fresher, healthier options.
“The company has been struggling with falling demand and rising costs from unsold inventory,” Foss explained.
Billions in Debt and Thousands of Creditors
Del Monte’s financial situation is no small matter.
The company reported somewhere between $1 billion and $10 billion in assets and liabilities.
Its bankruptcy filing also lists as many as 25,000 creditors, painting a grim picture of just how widespread the financial impact could be.
Some of Del Monte’s international business arms are still operating and aren’t part of the court proceedings.
Not the Only Food Brand in Crisis
Del Monte is just one of several big names in the food world that have taken a financial hit recently.
In fact, Foss noted that it’s the fourth food and beverage company to file for Chapter 11 in 2025 alone, and the fifteenth since the beginning of 2024.
Others include Hearthside Foods, which rebranded as Maker’s Pride after its own bankruptcy, and Harvest Sherwood Food Distributors, which filed earlier this year.
What About the Rest of the Grocery Industry?
Not all food companies are struggling in the same way.
Campbell’s, the company behind iconic soups and Pepperidge Farm snacks, just reported $66 billion in profits.
Interestingly, they’ve seen a surge in sales for affordable soups—suggesting that while snack sales might be slowing, more Americans are cooking at home again, likely in response to rising food prices and economic uncertainty.
Home Cooking Is Back, Snacks Are Taking a Hit
According to Campbell’s CEO Mick Beekhuizen, consumers are preparing meals at home more now than they have since the early pandemic days.
That’s helping boost certain categories like soups, even as snack sales dip.
The trend mirrors broader economic shifts, as higher grocery costs and inflation drive families to rethink how they spend and eat.
What This Means for Shoppers
For now, Del Monte products will remain on store shelves as the company works through its bankruptcy process.
But the future of the brand remains uncertain.
A sale could mean changes in product lines, pricing, or availability down the road.
Still, for many, Del Monte’s struggles are just one more reminder of how quickly even iconic brands can be shaken when they fail to adapt.
The Bigger Picture in American Food Retail
As consumer habits evolve and economic pressure builds, more legacy food brands may find themselves at a crossroads.
What’s happening with Del Monte might not be an isolated case, but rather a signal of deeper shifts in how Americans eat, shop, and budget.
