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Is Del Monte Foods Owned by Private Equity?

Not anymore — Del Monte Foods was owned by KKR, which acquired it in 2011, but the firm has since exited. The effects of that ownership can linger.

FORMERLY PE OWNED

Del Monte Foods

Includes Del Monte

Canned Goods / Grocery · Walnut Creek, CA

PE Firm
KKR →
Year Acquired
2011

KKR took Del Monte private in 2011, broke it up, and flipped the cans three years later.

What Happened

  1. KKR took Del Monte Foods private in 2011 for $5.3 billion, loading it with massive acquisition debt.
  2. KKR sold the consumer foods division to Del Monte Pacific in 2014 while keeping the more profitable pieces — a textbook break-it-up exit.
  3. After KKR sold out in 2014, new owner Del Monte Pacific watched interest on the buyout debt climb from $66 million in 2020 to $125 million by 2025.

The Damage Done

  • A pantry staple since 1886, Del Monte landed in bankruptcy in July 2025 after shoppers turned away from canned fruit and vegetables.
  • Del Monte's Modesto cannery closure cut 765 jobs and squeezed the supply of canned peaches, pears, and apricots.

Sources

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What people ask

Is Del Monte Foods owned by private equity?

Not anymore. Del Monte Foods was formerly owned by KKR starting in 2011, but the firm has since exited. The effects of PE ownership often linger.

What happened to Del Monte Foods after the acquisition?

A pantry staple since 1886, Del Monte landed in bankruptcy in July 2025 after shoppers turned away from canned fruit and vegetables. Del Monte's Modesto cannery closure cut 765 jobs and squeezed the supply of canned peaches, pears, and apricots.

Who owns Del Monte Foods?

Del Monte Foods is owned by KKR, which acquired it in 2011.

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