• by Nina Lentini  @Nina_Lentini, December 13, 2006

StarKist, home of Charlie the Tuna, is going more upscale and introducing Gourmet Choice, a canned line of premium cuts of tuna in restaurant-inspired varieties Lemon Dill, Roasted Garlic and Premium Albacore.

The new products will feature gold labels rather than the brand's familiar blue to communicate premium status on the store shelf, according to Lisa Henriksen, vice president of marketing at StarKist Seafood, a division of Del Monte Foods.

Also yesterday, Del Monte announced the launch of five new organic products--Del Monte corn, green beans and peas as well as College Inn beef and chicken broths. The products are available in select retail markets, with national distribution set for January.

With net sales of approximately $3 billion in fiscal 2006, Del Monte is working with local farmers "to create a superior organic product," said Allen Mize, field superintendent for Del Monte. The products are grown under strict U.S. Department of Agriculture organic standards, without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers.

Last year, the company launched organic tomato products.

The organic category has grown 89 percent from 2001 to 2005, and industry experts expect organic products to continue growing at a rate of 18 percent annually through 2009.