The latest news, trends, analysis, interviews and podcasts from the global food and beverage industry

Del Monte Foods has announced plans to close plants in Toppenish, Washington and Markesan, Wisconsin, to “align and streamline operational capacity with consumer demand”. Production at both of the sites will end on 26 April this year, with labelling and distribution activities forecasted to continue until Q3. Reports state that there are currently 90 people employed at the Wisconsin plant and 127 in Washington. According to reports, the closure of the plants comes in response to a realignment of buying habits at pre-Covid levels that has led the company to assess its manufacturing network and, in turn, reduce the number of facilities. As a result of the pandemic, US food manufacturers saw a surge in demand for cereal, pasta, broths and canned goods – however, as consumers have returned closer to their pre-pandemic routines of spending more time outside the home, demand has fallen. Del Monte Foods’ Wisconsin location is a fruit and vegetable canning facility, while the Washington plant handles canned corn and peas. Del Monte Foods is working with a union in Toppenish over the effects of the closure and says it plans to provide affected employees with resources and support.