Vegetables & Fruits

POY Awards Go to Del Monte Veggie Pocket Pies, Deluxe Gold Pineapple

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Del Monte Foods is a double winner in the highly competitive Product of the Year (POY) competition for the third time running. The Walnut Creek, California-headquartered company copped an award for its new frozen Veggie Pocket Pies in the convenience meal category, and  won another prize in the fruit category for its canned Deluxe Gold Pineapple.

Product of the Year is the world’s largest consumer-voted award for product innovation. Winners are determined by the votes of 40,000 people in a nationally representative survey conducted by Kantar, an international consumer research company. 2021 marked the competition’s 13th year in the United States and more than 30 years on the international competition stage.

Del Monte’s hand-held Veggieful Pocket Pies are filled with vegetables, plant-based proteins and cheese baked in a golden crust made with cauliflower. The assortment features four recipes: Spinach Artichoke Parmesan, Broccoli Potato Cheddar, Rosemary Garlic Plant-based Chicken, and Plant-based Philly Cheesesteak. Each has one full serving of vegetables and up to 10 grams of protein.

“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 of 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.”

Mario DiFalco, the company’s vice president of innovation and insights, added: “We follow emerging trends, and have an ongoing dialog with customers so we can create products that meet their changing needs. We are excited and honored to receive the recognition, especially directly from consumers who voted for us.”

This year’s premium extra sweet Deluxe Gold Pineapple winner is loaded with Vitamin C and has no added sugar. Available in slices, tidbits and chunks, the offerings are ready to eat and ideal  for use in recipes.

Del Monte’s past Product of the Year winners include Veggieful Veggie Bowls, Fruit Crunch Parfait and Contadina Pizzettas in 2020; Fruit & Oats in 2019; and Fruit Refreshers in 2017.