B&G Foods buys College Inn, Kitchen Basics broth brands from Del Monte

B&G Foods adds College Inn, Kitchen Basics to its soups and pantry lineup

B&G Foods is acquiring Del Monte Foods’ entire broth and stock business, including the College Inn and Kitchen Basics brands, after a court approves asset purchase agreements in a Chapter 11 process. The purchase delivers B&G an established shelf-stable and refrigerated liquid-stock portfolio that complements its existing canned and shelf-stable pantry holdings, giving the company broader entry into cooking bases and culinary ingredients used by both retail and foodservice customers. B&G is preparing to integrate the brands’ SKUs, marketing and distribution channels while prioritising continuity of supply across grocery, club and foodservice customers as the transaction moves toward closing.

Company executives are assessing operational synergies and manufacturing footprints to capture procurement savings and faster route-to-market for the acquired broths and stocks. B&G is mapping production and co-packing options to avoid disruption during the transition and retain relationships with existing co-packers and brokers that support College Inn and Kitchen Basics. The deal also provides B&G with trademark and related intellectual property rights for the broth & stock segment, enabling immediate use of established brand equity while considering targeted product innovation and private-label opportunities.

Retail and category strategy teams at B&G focus on cross-selling and merchandising plans that place the new broth brands alongside complementary soups, gravies, cooking sauces and canned vegetables in-store and online. The company emphasises maintaining service levels for national accounts and independents, working with Del Monte and court-appointed advisors to coordinate inventory movement, logistics and trade promotions through the close.

Fresh Del Monte, Pacific Coast Producers transactions proceed

The same court approval clears sales of Del Monte’s vegetable, tomato and refrigerated fruit businesses to Fresh Del Monte Produce and of shelf-stable fruit rights to Pacific Coast Producers, narrowing Del Monte’s estate to the executed divestitures and positioning the acquired brand assets with industry peers focused on produce and ambient fruit categories.

Court timetable and Chapter 11 context

Bank-appointed advisors say the transactions are the highest or otherwise best offers after a competitive auction and are expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, subject to customary closing conditions; Del Monte and advisors coordinate with stakeholders on employee transitions and customer continuity during the Chapter 11 process.