January 25, 2026 – By Caleb Hampton – California farmers who grow fruit for canned products suffered a major setback last week as Del Monte Foods announced plans to close its only remaining cannery in the state.
The Walnut Creek-based company filed for bankruptcy in July, citing burdensome debt payments stemming from a prior acquisition of the company and missteps in long-term fruit purchasing commitments made when sales briefly spiked during the pandemic.
Kingsburg Cling credit: Burchell Nursery
This month, following a lengthy court-supervised bidding process, Del Monte auctioned off many of its assets, but no buyer came forward to purchase the company’s cannery in Modesto…