Del Monte Foods has named Neil Harrison interim CEO as its US$5bn sale to a private-equity consortium nears completion.

Harrison is a senior advisor at Vestar Capital, one of the private-equity firms involved in the purchase.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

Del Monte said yesterday (10 February) that Harrison will join the group’s board of directors as it continues to search for a permanent CEO.

The company announced in late January that current CEO Rick Wolford would stay on until the buy-out, led by KKR, is completed.

Harrison was previously CEO and chairman of Birds Eye Foods, as well as president and CEO of Heinz’s North American division. He has also held senior positions at Weight Watchers Gourmet Food Co. and Miller Brewing Co.

Current CFO Dave Meyers is also set to leave Del Monte, with current executive vice president of finance Larry Bodner becoming the CFO of the new Del Monte Corp. on completion of the merger.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

The deal is set to close shortly after a stockholder vote on 15 February.

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact