<p>Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. reported better-than-expected Q1 earnings, with a <b>43% increase</b> compared with last quarter, according to the Wall Street Journal.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The company attributed its increased earnings to <b>broad sales growth</b>.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Fresh Del Monte has reportedly <b>faced higher costs</b> recently, while also dealing with a <b>global banana glut</b>. The company is also facing <b>increased competition</b> from the <b>$1.07 billion Chiquita/Fyffes merger</b>, which will create <b>the world's largest banana company</b>.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">In the most recent earnings report, Del Monte <b>banana sales rose 7.6%</b> to <b>$436.9 million</b> due to stronger volumes and prices. North American sales rose 5.8% and European sales rose 1.3%.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Fresh Del Monte is <b>not to be confused with Del Monte Foods Co.</b>, a separate privately held producer of pet food and canned vegetables. Fresh Del Monte has a perpetual royalty-free license to use the Del Monte trademark for certain products world-wide.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Congratulations to Fresh Del Monte on its increased earnings.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.freshdelmonte.com/" target="_new"> Fresh Del Monte </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
