This web site may contain forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Del Monte Food’s beliefs or expectations, are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on plans, estimates and projections at the time Del Monte made the original statement, and you should not place undue reliance on them. The continued inclusion of any such statements on this web site is not a re-publication thereof. Del Monte does not undertake to update any of these statements in light of new information or future events.
Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties and Del Monte cautions you that a number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any such forward-looking statement. These factors include, among others: Del Monte’s debt levels and ability to service Del Monte’s debt and comply with covenants; the failure of the financial institutions that are part of the syndicate of Del Monte’s revolving credit facility to extend credit to Del Monte; competition, including pricing and promotional spending levels by competitors; Del Monte’s ability to launch new products and anticipate changing pet and consumer preferences; Del Monte’s ability to maintain or increase prices and persuade consumers to purchase Del Monte’s branded products versus lower-priced branded and private label offerings and shifts in consumer purchases to lower-priced or other value offerings, particularly during economic downturns; Del Monte’s ability to implement productivity initiatives to control or reduce costs; cost and availability of inputs, commodities, ingredients and other raw materials, including without limitation, energy (including natural gas), fuel, packaging, fruits, vegetables, tomatoes, grains (including corn), sugar, spices, meats, meat by-products, soybean meal, water, fats, oils and chemicals; logistics and other transportation-related costs; hedging practices and the financial health of the counterparties to Del Monte’s hedging programs; currency and interest rate fluctuations; the loss of significant customers or a substantial reduction in orders from these customers or the financial difficulties, bankruptcy or other business disruption of any such customer; contaminated ingredients; allegations that Del Monte’s products cause injury or illness, product recalls and product liability claims and other litigation; transformative plans; strategic transaction endeavors, if any, including identification of appropriate targets and successful implementation; changes in, or the failure or inability to comply with, U.S., foreign and local governmental regulations, including packaging and labeling regulations, environmental regulations and import/export regulations or duties; impairments in the book value of goodwill or other intangible assets; sufficiency and effectiveness of marketing and trade promotion programs; adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, pestilences and other natural conditions that affect crop yields or other inputs or otherwise disrupt operations; any disruption to Del Monte’s manufacturing or supply chain, particularly any disruption in or shortage of seasonal pack; reliance on certain third parties, including co-packers, Del Monte’s broker and third-party distribution centers or managers; risks associated with foreign operations; pension costs and funding requirements; protecting Del Monte’s intellectual property rights or intellectual property infringement or violation claims; failure of Del Monte’s information technology systems; and the control of substantially all of Del Monte’s common stock by a group of private investors and conflicts of interest potentially posed by such ownership.
Generally, these factors and other risks and uncertainties are described in more detail, from time to time, in Del Monte’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.
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