Del Monte Foods, a company with a 138-year history in the fruit and vegetable sector, is adapting its strategy to appeal to Gen Z and millennials by introducing products with bold and spicy flavors. This month, the company unveiled Mexican Style Street Corn and Southern Style Green Beans, aiming to meet the evolving tastes of younger consumers.
Bibie Wu, chief communications and technical development officer at Del Monte Foods, emphasized the importance of focusing on the younger demographic to keep the category vibrant. The company has accelerated its innovation efforts over the past six years, incorporating contemporary flavors, enhancing packaging convenience, and leveraging its history to introduce novel products. Wu revealed that new innovations now account for about 10% of Del Monte's annual sales, a significant increase from a decade ago.
Despite the push towards innovation, Del Monte continues to rely on its traditional canned fruits and vegetables, which still represent a substantial portion of its revenue. The company is integrating spicy, bold, and regional flavors into these products to cater to younger consumers' preferences. Del Monte's approach to innovation includes collaborating with chefs, analyzing restaurant menus, and monitoring social media trends.
One of the company's notable successes was the launch of Joyba Bubble Tea in 2021, inspired by the popularity of tea shop beverages among young consumers and the lack of widely available bubble tea in stores. Wu stated, "Traditionally, [fruits and vegetables] have been not as much on the leading edge" of innovation, "We're changing that."
Source: Food Dive