I’ve heard it said that these days you either have to be incredibly good at one thing or offer as wide a range as possible in order to impress the supermarkets. If you can do both, it’s even better.

Del Monte, a business synonymous with fruit, is making a fairly substantial step away from type with its move into such things as vegetable cous cous and tuna pasta.

The company is creating an overarching brand identity to ensure maximum exposure across a wide range of products, which seems to make sense even if it does mean sacrificing the Naked Fruit name that it has spent the last 18 months building up.

We’re seeing this kind of diversification more and more often. Leafy salad specialists Florette and Natures Way Foods have both moved into fruit supply and are eyeing up the opportunities presented by the burgeoning fresh convenience segment. It is no doubt a similar motivation that is driving Del Monte’s plans.

Single-product operators are finding it harder to keep their head above water, especially with the low prices that come with the commoditising of fruit and veg supply. Most people do not have the luxurious position of, say, Marmite, and can’t ensure a stable price is maintained for a product that has no competitors.

So we can expect to see much more of this kind of development, where operators whose reputation has been built in one specific sector try their hand at another. Supermarkets are always re-examining their supply chains, so those that offer the most options are in a strong position.