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Morning Star Tomatoes buys Hanford Del Monte plant
Morning Star Tomatoes, a major California tomato processor, has acquired Del Monte Foods' Hanford facility, a 670,000-square-foot processing plant. However, Morning Star intends to resell the property rather than utilize it for their own operations.
Chris Rufer, Morning Star's owner, explained that the purchase was not for expansion, but to facilitate finding a new buyer for the facility. He noted the plant is equipped for tomato processing but could be adapted for other food processing purposes.
Del Monte's decision to close the plant and lay off 378 workers was driven by industry consolidation and a decline in canned tomato product popularity among younger consumers. They planned to cease operations by June 2025.
Rufer highlighted that Del Monte is still seeking a company to handle their canning needs, and Morning Star is actively involved in these discussions. He attributed the facility's closure to changing consumer habits, similar to shifts observed in the wine industry.
Sources: MorningStar, Hanfordsentinel.com, abc30.com, foodprocessing.com
