1957-1959 Del Monte Buffet Size (8Z) Sealed Tin Can (Empty)-USA

RARE FIND-This has NO contents and is sealed. Having no opening this can was either resealed for salesman samples, demonstrations, or resealed by previous collector. The size is an 8Z (8 or 8.75 fluid ounces) that were known as “buffet” size in grocery stores and households. Buffet-size cans were marketed as convenient single serve options that required no leftovers like the standard 16 fluid-ounce No. 303 cans. Throughout the 1960s, the smaller size can become popular for "picnicking" due to its packing stature. The labeling is painted on and not a paper label. Beautiful and bright colors and has a great patina. Measures 3” tall and has a diameter of 2”. Weighs 1 ounce. The original contents were 1 cup of Del Monte’s innovative canned Family-Style Whole Kernel Golden Sweet Corn.
Del Monte introduced its "Family-Style" Whole Kernel Golden Sweet Corn in the distinctively small, single serving cans in 1957, with a major national advertising push running heavily through 1958 and 1959.
Before this innovation, standard whole kernel canned corn was mostly vacuum-packed with very little liquid, which meant it could dry out or scorch easily if overheated. Del Monte introduced the "Family-Style" line by packing the kernels in a specially seasoned liquid broth (lightly sweetened with salt and sugar). This allowed the corn to be heated quickly without losing its fresh-off-the-cob crispness. This ideology is still used in modern day vegetable and fruit canning.
In the 1950s, food representatives (reps), and wholesale brokers for Del Monte, routinely carried salesman sample cases. These included miniature sample cans and eye-catching print materials to demonstrate product quality, branding changes, and to introduce the newly discovered Family-Style products.

ABOUT THE DEL MONTE BRAND:
It is a common misconception that Del Monte started as a vegetable farm. In reality, the brand originated in the late 19th century as a premium coffee blend created by a California food distributor for the Hotel Del Monte in Monterey, California. Yep!
The Del Monte brand originated in 1886 when Oakland-based wholesale grocer Tillman & Bendel, led by Frederick Tillman, developed a premium coffee blend exclusively for the Hotel Del Monte. The infamous hotel was a luxury resort in Monterey, California from 1880 to 1942 before closing when the U.S. Navy leased the property during World War II for a training center. This marked the brand's initial association with high-quality nourishment, drawing from the hotel's name, which evoked California's scenic landscapes and agricultural bounty.
In 1891, Frederick Tillman Sr. founded the Oakland Preserving Company, obtaining a license from the Hotel Del Monte to extend the brand to canned fruits and vegetables, beginning with peaches and apricots sourced from California's Central Valley orchards. The company emphasized superior packing techniques and fresh produce to differentiate its products in a competitive market, establishing canneries in Oakland and nearby fruit-growing regions like the Santa Clara Valley. By the mid-1890s, Del Monte-labeled cans gained recognition for quality, with output expanding to include tomatoes, corn, and other seasonal crops packed during harvest peaks. Expansion accelerated in 1899 with the formation of the California Fruit Canners Association (CFCA), a consolidation of 18 independent canneries. One of those was Oakland Preserving Company (Del Monte) that joined the CFCA under Frederick Tillman Jr. This California consolidation led to the world's largest fruit and vegetable "canning & packing companies" of the 20th century.
After 125 years the Del Monte Foods canned products, and name, are recognized everywhere and are still in use today. But, as of 2025 the company has been in financial crisis. Del Monte Foods noticeably began its severe financial decline around 2014, triggered by its acquisition by Singapore-based Del Monte Pacific Limited. This leveraged buyout saddled the company with over $1.2 billion in debt and nearly doubled its annual interest payments, setting the stage for its eventual Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2025. Following bankruptcy and a court-supervised asset split, Del Monte Foods was auctioned off to three different companies (2026). The global rights to the Del Monte trademark were acquired by parent company Del Monte Corporation. As of early 2026, parent company Del Monte Corporation reported a long-term debt of $438 million. Del Monte Foods itself carried over the Singapore-based Del Monte Pacific Limited $1.2 billion in secured debt. In a time when people are buying less canned goods (down 16.7% in just a few years), Del Monte might soon become a memory...buy now or lament later:)

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