Fresh Del Monte reports solid 2025 growth following strategic portfolio reshaping

Leading global grower and distributor Fresh Del Monte is reporting positive results for fiscal year 2025. According to the recently released document, the company experienced steady sales and improved profit margins, even as it navigated significant structural changes.

For 2025, Fresh Del Monte reported steady net sales of $4.32 billion, up less than one percent from the previous year. The increase, the company explained, was driven by higher per-unit selling prices in the fresh and value-added products and banana business segments. The company saw a larger jump in gross profit, rising 11 percent to $399.1 million, resulting in an expanded gross margin of 9.2 percent.

While the company’s reported net income for the year sat at $90.7 million (down 57 percent from $142.2 million in 2024), the adjusted figures—which strip out volatile costs—showed significant underlying strength. 

"Fiscal 2025 reflected solid execution across the business, supported by pricing discipline, continued demand for our core categories, and a strong focus on cash flow," said Mohammad Abu-Ghazaleh, Fresh Del Monte’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We closed the year with improved financial flexibility, reduced debt, and continued investment in our operations to support long-term performance.”

The executive underscored the importance of disciplined decision-making and thoughtful capital allocation going into 2026. 

The most defining structural change of 2025 was the divestiture of the Mann Packing business, which was completed in the fourth quarter. This move is part of a broader effort to "streamline operations" and exit lower-margin business units to focus on high-growth categories. Combined with the 2024 sale of Fresh Leaf Farms, these actions reflect a company-wide shift toward a leaner, more profitable business model as it enters 2026.

Fresh Del Monte’s adjust and evolve strategy

Fresh Del Monte’s growth in 2025 was primarily fueled by strategic pricing discipline and a favorable product mix. High demand for premium value-added products, particularly pineapples and fresh-cut fruits, allowed the company to implement tariff-related price adjustments in North America, successfully offsetting inflationary pressures. 

Additionally, the company's third-party ocean freight services saw increased volume, providing an extra revenue stream.

However, these gains were partially tempered by rising production and procurement costs within the banana segment, alongside higher distribution expenses. The company also faced headwinds from lower sales volumes in its fresh-cut vegetable lines and recorded significant asset impairment charges related to low-productivity banana farms in the Philippines.

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