(831) 722-3516
Menu
An industry leader in custom food manufacturing.
Del Mar Foods’ home of Watsonville is situated in the Pajaro Valley, an area of California’s central coast which features an ideal growing climate with temperate weather that makes its surrounding farmland some of the highest valued soil in the nation.
The company began as an apple processor back in 1959 when apple orchards dominated the local agricultural landscape. We quickly expanded product lines to process other commodities, including freestone peaches and strawberries, capturing the valuable bounty within our reach.
Over the years, we have evolved with the shifting local agricultural and industrial dynamics. In the 1980s, our community was home to several canneries and frozen food processors. All but precious few have since shuttered or left town. On more than one occasion, we have responded to local facility closures by absorbing labor and capital that was left behind and expanding our business in unfamiliar ways. These maneuvers have enriched our organization while simultaneously preserving as much local industry as possible, of which we are very proud.
Today we feature more than 100,000 square feet of processing, freezing, and cold storage space. We process strawberries, apricots, peaches, spinach, Brussels sprouts, and bell peppers. We specialize in a variety of pack styles, including IQF, BQF, puree, BIB, and retail.
We serve a wide variety of customers in the supply chain, and we have established multiple contract manufacturing partnerships that have lasted decades.
Finally, we cannot tell the story of Del Mar Foods without spotlighting our employees. The experience of our workforce is extraordinary, with more than 100 employees in our history boasting at least 25 years of service. Our core team members have given their careers to Del Mar Foods and are fully invested in its success.
We are proud to be associated with these organizations
Situated in the heart of California’s Monterey Bay area since 1959, Del Mar Food Products makes its home in the Pajaro Valley which offers an ideal environment for worldwide food processing. A temperate Mediterranean climate not only benefits the many crops grown in the valley, but provides for ideal packing as well. In fact, during the 1966 packing season, upon partnering with the University of California Davis Food and Agriculture Department, Del Mar Foods developed an Individual Quick Frozen (IQF) application for sliced freestone peaches. This innovation has forever changed the way frozen fruit is marketed and utilized. Capitalizing on its early successes, the business grew and evolved in tandem with the region’s diversification into specialty fruit crops. As a charter member of California’s processed strawberry industry, Del Mar Foods is proud to have contributed to the state’s growth as the world’s premier strawberry producer.
In 1984, Del Mar Foods expanded into vegetable processing by acquiring Coast Counties Canning Company, a local canner of apples and bell peppers. Ten years later, the company firmly established itself as a frozen vegetable processor when it was awarded a multi-season contract to pack Green Giant products for the Pillsbury Company. The company’s initial year of spinach production was highlighted with the successful development and implementation of a vacuum process called the “SuperVac.” Designed to gently eliminate defects and attain previously unachievable cleanliness levels, this technology is now an industry standard.
Our facility has over 100,000 square feet of processing, freezing and cold storage space.
Our knowledgeable and highly-trained staff is committed to assuring the highest quality in food safety standards and practices.
Kosher: Organized Kashruth Laboratories
Organic: Quality Assurance International
Founded in 1959, Del Mar Food Products makes its home in the beautiful Pajaro Valley in an area known as the agriculture jewel of California.