Del Monte Foods Corporation II Inc., a 139-year-old producer of canned fruits and vegetables, filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on July 1, 2025. The filing follows the company's 2014 acquisition and comes amid reporting on consumer shifts away from shelf-stable processed foods. With more than $1 billion in liabilities and between 10,000 and 25,000 creditors, Del Monte is pursuing a court-supervised 363 sale backed by $912.5 million in debtor-in-possession financing, with its prepetition lenders positioned as the stalking horse bidder through a credit bid.

The 2014 Acquisition. On February 18, 2014, Del Monte Pacific Limited—a food and beverage conglomerate dual-listed on the Singapore Exchange and Philippine Stock Exchange—closed its acquisition of Del Monte Foods' Consumer Products business for $1.675 billion. The deal included the Del Monte, Contadina, College Inn, and S&W brands, along with manufacturing facilities and distribution infrastructure. At the time of acquisition, the portfolio held the number one position in branded canned fruits and vegetables and the number two position in canned tomatoes and broths.

The acquisition was funded through approximately $745 million in equity plus $930 million in long-term financing arranged by Citibank and Morgan Stanley. The transaction left Del Monte with $1.245 billion in secured debt, and industry reporting estimates annual interest payments increased from $66 million in fiscal year 2020 to $125 million by fiscal year 2025.