Del Monte Foods claims to be launching the industry's first canned vegetable product to be Upcycled Certified by the Upcycled Food Assn., undersized green beans that will be marketed as "petite cut" and "farmhouse cut."
A spokesperson for the company said Del Monte processing plants sort out small cuts of green beans that are perfectly fine to eat but didn’t make the size specification for retail canning. "Del Monte has found a way to utilize the ‘off-spec’ -- yet nutritious, edible, high quality -- green beans which previously went to waste."
Del Monte Blue Lake Petite Cut and Blue Lake Farmhouse Cut Green Beans are made with 100% upcycled and sustainably grown green beans from Wisconsin and Illinois.
Is Upcycling the Answer to America’s Food Waste Problem?
Learn more about it on this episode of the Food For Thought podcast
Del Monte re-directed approximately 600,000 pounds of surplus green beans last year, helping to provide healthy and affordable food, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The company says it will continue to identify opportunities to expand its upcycling efforts across its portfolio of brands.
The smaller green beans have been certified by the Upcycled Food Assn., a nonprofit focused on preventing food waste by accelerating the upcycled economy.
