Del Monte Foods to buy Meow Mix: WSJ

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Del Monte Foods Co.(NYSELM - news), which sells StarKist tuna and canned fruit, is in the final stages of talks to purchase cat-food maker Meow Mix Co. in a deal worth more than $700 million, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

Citing people familiar with the matter, the Journal said a deal was still under discussion on Wednesday night and could be announced as early as Thursday.

Del Monte officials could not immediately be reached for comment on the report.

New York private-equity firm Cypress Group bought Meow Mix for $425 million in 2003. A Del Monte deal with Meow Mix would further concentrate its business in pet food, which amounted to 26 percent of revenue during the fiscal year ended May 2005, the Journal reported.

Other Del Monte pet brands include Kibbles 'n Bits and 9Lives.