Del Monte Foods Wins 2021 Product of the Year Award in Two Categories

Innovation Results in High Praise for Veggieful Pocket Pies™ and Deluxe Gold Pineapple™

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Feb 18, 2021, 09:00 ET

WALNUT CREEK, Calif., Feb. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Del Monte® Foods, Inc. is a winner of the Product of the Year awards for the third year running. The company won two awards for its new Del Monte® Deluxe Gold Pineapple™ in the Fruit category, and Del Monte® Veggieful Pocket Pies™ in the Convenience Meal category.

Product of the Year is the world's largest consumer-voted award for product innovation. Winners are determined by the votes of 40,000 consumers in a nationally representative survey conducted by research partner Kantar, a global leader in consumer research. This year marked the 13^th year of the award in the U.S. and more than 30 years globally.

For more than 130 years, Del Monte has been working to make nutritious and delicious fruits and vegetables accessible to all. Receiving top honors in the fruit category, Del Monte's new Deluxe Gold Pineapple has been perfected for years to be extra sweet and flavorful. The premium pineapple products have no added sugar and naturally contain twice the Vitamin C. Available in 'slices', 'tidbits', and 'chunks', Deluxe Gold Pineapple is ready to eat, or perfect for use in recipes.

In the Convenience Meal category, Del Monte Veggieful Pocket Pies™ found in the Frozen Section are tasty hand-held pocket pies that are the perfect work-from-home bite or distanced learning snack. Filled with veggies, plant-based proteins and real cheese baked in a golden crust made with cauliflower, Veggieful Pocket Pies™ are easy to heat and enjoy in just minutes. Available in four flavors – Spinach Artichoke Parmesan, Broccoli Potato Cheddar, Rosemary Garlic Plant-Based Chicken, and Plant-Based Philly Cheesesteak – each Pocket Pie has one full serving of veggies and up to 10 grams of protein. Veggieful Pocket Pies™ are part of Del Monte's Veggieful line of vegetable-centric meals, snacks and sides, further expanding the brand's innovations that encourage better-for-you options.

"As one of the original plant-based food companies, we are committed to leveraging our rich heritage to develop new product offerings," said Bibie Wu, Chief Marketing Officer, Del Monte Foods. "We are delighted to continue bringing the highest quality products that are full of fruit and vegetables as better-for-you options, without sacrificing delicious taste."

"At Del Monte, we follow emerging trends, and have an ongoing dialog with our consumers so we can create products that meet their changing needs," said Mario DiFalco, Vice President of Innovation & Insights, Del Monte Foods. "We are excited and honored to receive the recognition, especially directly from consumers who voted for us."

Del Monte's past Product of the Year winners include Del Monte® Veggieful Veggie Bowls™, Fruit Crunch Parfait, Contadina® Pizzettas in 2020, Fruit & Oats™ in 2019, and Fruit Refreshers™ in 2017. A family-favorite for generations, Del Monte continues to create delicious products that fit into every lifestyle and budget.

For more information and to locate a store partner near you, visit www.delmonte.com.

About Del Monte Foods
For more than 130 years, Del Monte Foods, Inc. has been driven by our mission to nourish families with earth's goodness. As the original plant-based food company, we're always innovating to make nutritious and delicious foods more accessible to consumers across our portfolio of beloved brands, including Del Monte®, Contadina®, College Inn®, and S&W®. We believe that everyone deserves great tasting food they can feel good about, that's why we grow and produce our products using sustainable, and earth-friendly practices for a healthier tomorrow.

Del Monte Foods, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of Del Monte Pacific Limited (Bloomberg: DELM SP, DELM PM) and is not affiliated with certain other Del Monte companies around the world, including Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc., Del Monte Canada, or Del Monte Asia Pte. Ltd. For more information about Del Monte Foods and our products, please visit www.delmontefoods.com or www.delmonte.com.

About Product of the Year:
Product of the Year is the largest consumer-voted award for product innovation. Established over 30 years ago, POY currently operates in over 40 countries with the same purpose: Guide consumers to the best products in their market and reward manufacturers for quality and innovation. Product of the Year winners are backed by the votes of 40,000 consumers in a national representative study conducted by research partner Kantar, a global leader in consumer research.  The award is a powerful merchandising program for marketers proven to increase product sales, distribution and awareness.  Winning products are announced in February each year and receive the right to use the Product of the Year logo in marketing communications for two years.  For more information, visit productoftheyearusa.com.

About Kantar:
Kantar is the world's leading marketing data, insight and consultancy company. We know more about how people live, feel, shop, vote, watch and post worldwide than any other company. Working across the entire sales and marketing lifecycle, we help brands uncover growth in an extraordinary world. Kantar is part of WPP and its services are employed by over half of the Fortune 500 companies in 100 countries.

Media Contact:
Jane Chung
Edelman
[email protected]
415-936-5627

SOURCE Del Monte Foods