Document:

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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.43

                     FIRST AMENDMENT TO RETENTION AGREEMENT

        This First Amendment to Retention Agreement (the "First Amendment") is
entered into as of March 28, 2002, by and between DEL MONTE FOODS COMPANY, a
Delaware corporation, with its principal place of business in San Francisco,
California (the "Company"), and David L. Meyers, an individual residing in the
State of California ("Executive"), to amend the Retention Agreement, dated
November 1, 1991, among Del Monte Corporation, a New York corporation, and
Executive (the "Agreement"), as follows:

        1. In the first paragraph on page 1, "Del Monte Foods Company" is
substituted for "Del Monte Corporation".

        2. In the first paragraph on page 1, "a Delaware corporation" is
substituted for "a New York corporation".

        3. A new Section 1(a) is added to the Agreement in the following form:

               (a) Executive shall receive for his services rendered hereunder
an annual base salary of Three Hundred Eighty Thousand Dollars ($380,000), as
adjusted from time to time, payable in equal installments on the Company's
regular pay schedule, subject to standard withholdings for taxes and social
security and the like. Executive's base salary shall be reviewed annually by the
Compensation Committee of the Board.

        4. A new Section 1(b) is added to the Agreement in the following form:

               (b) While a full-time employee of the Company, Executive shall be
entitled to participate in the Company's Annual Incentive Award Plan ("AIAP")
pursuant to the terms of which Executive shall be eligible to receive an annual
bonus targeted at sixty percent (60%) of Executive's base salary, as adjusted
from time to time in accordance with the AIAP or applicable successor plan.
Actual payment of the bonus is based on Company performance and Executive's
individual achievements.

        5. A new Section 1(c) is added to the Agreement in the following form:

               (c) In the event of a Change of Control (as defined in the
Retention Plan referred to herein), if Executive has been designated a "Key
Employee" by the Nomination and Compensation Committee of the Board of
Directors, Executive shall be eligible to participate in, and entitled to a
percentage of, the Company's incentive compensation pool pursuant to the terms
of the Retention Plan adopted by the Nominating and Compensation Committee on
October 24, 2000.

        6. A new Section 1(d) is added to the Agreement in the following form:

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               (d) Executive shall serve in an executive capacity and shall
perform such duties as are consistent with his position as Executive Vice
President, Administration and Chief Financial Officer. Pursuant to policies,
goals and objectives established by the Chief Executive Officer and the Board of
Directors, the Executive shall: (i) plan, direct and control the organization's
overall financial plans and policies, accounting practices, and relationships
with leading institutions, shareholders and the financial community; (ii) direct
treasury, budgeting, tax accounting, information systems, real estate and
insurance activities; (iii) provide direction and decisions relating to
strategic planning of the company; (iv) direct legal activities; (v) plan,
direct and control various administration functions as it relates to Human
Resources, labor relations and corporate affairs.

        7. Section 2(c) is amended to add a new subsection (iv) in the following
form:

               ; or (iv) the failure of the Company to obtain a satisfactory
agreement from any successor to assume and agree to perform this Agreement."

        8. In Section 2(c), the phrase "described in clauses (i) through (iii)"
is replaced by "described in clauses (i) through (iv)".

        9. A new Section 3(h) is added to the Agreement in the following form:

               (h) Termination Upon Change of Control. In the event of
Executive's Termination Upon Change of Control (as defined below), Executive
shall receive the benefits detailed in Section 3(a) through Section 3(g) on the
terms and conditions set forth therein, provided, however, that the payment of
the Severance Amount set forth in Section 3(a) shall be made in a lump sum, to
be paid within thirty (30) days of Executive's termination date, and not in
installments over a three (3) year period, as provided in Section 3(a). No other
compensation of any kind or severance or other payment of any kind shall be
payable by the Company to Executive after the termination date except as
provided in Section 3(a) through Section 3(g). Any amounts due Executive under
this Section 3(h) are in the nature of severance payments, or liquidated damages
which contemplate both direct damages and consequential damages that may be
suffered as a result of Executive's termination, and are not in the nature of a
penalty. For purposes of this Section 3(h) "Termination Upon Change of Control"
means (i) the termination of Executive's employment by the Company without cause
during the period commencing on the date the "Change of Control" (as defined in
the Company's 1998 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended through November 15, 2000)
occurs and ending on the date which is eighteen (18) months after the Change of
Control; or (ii) termination by Executive for Good Reason within eighteen (18)
months after the occurrence of a Change of Control; but (iii) "Termination Upon
Change of Control" shall not include any termination of Executive's employment
by the Company for cause, as a result of the death or disability of Executive,
or as a result of the voluntary termination of Executive's employment for
reasons other than Good Reason.

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        10. Revise Section 6(a)(i) and 6(a)(ii) so that "Del Monte Foods
Company" is substituted for "Del Monte Corporation".

        11. Revise Section 6(a)(i) to delete:

                               Henry C. Blackiston, III
                               Shearman & Sterling
                               599 Lexington Avenue
                               New York, NY  10022

                               and to insert:
                               Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
                               One Montgomery Street, 31st Floor
                               San Francisco, CA 94104
                               Attn: Douglas D. Smith

        12. Revise Section 6(g) so that "laws of the State of New York" is
replaced by "laws of the State of Delaware".

        13. A new Section 7 is added to the Agreement in the following form:

               7.  Indemnification.

               In the event Executive is made, or threatened to be made, a party
to any legal action or proceeding, whether civil or criminal, by reason of the
fact that Executive is or was a director or officer of the Company or serves or
served any other corporation fifty percent (50%) or more owned or controlled by
the Company in any capacity at the Company's request, Executive shall be
indemnified by the Company, and the Company shall pay Executive's related
expenses when and as incurred, all to the fullest extent permitted by the laws
of the State of Delaware, and the Company's Certificate of Incorporation and
Bylaws.

        Except as expressly provided in this First Amendment, all other
provisions of the Agreement are hereby assumed by the Company and remain in full
force and effect.

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this First Amendment as of
the date first written above.

                                 DEL MONTE FOODS COMPANY

                                 By:    /s/ Richard G. Wolford
                                     ------------------------------------------

                                 Name:  Richard G. Wolford
                                        ---------------------------------------
                                 Title: President and Chief Executive Officer,
                                        ---------------------------------------
                                        Director and Chairman of the Board
                                        ---------------------------------------

                                       3

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                                            /s/ David L. Meyers
                                   ---------------------------------------------
                                              David L. Meyers

                                       4<PAGE>
                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.45

                     First Amendment to Employment Agreement

        First Amendment, dated as of July 1, 1999, to the Employment Agreement,
dated March 16, 1998, among Del Monte Foods Company and Richard G. Wolford (the
"Agreement"). The Agreement is hereby amended as follows:

        1.      The amount "$700,000" is substituted for the amount "$500,000"
                in the first sentence of Section 2(a).

        2.      The percentage "100%" is substituted for the percentage "50%" in
                Section 2(b).

All other provisions of the Agreement remain in full force and effect.

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this First Amendment as of
the date first written above.

                                   DEL MONTE FOODS COMPANY

                                   By: /s/ MARK J. BUXTON
                                      ---------------------------------
                                   Name:   Mark J. Buxton
                                   Title:  Vice President, Corporate HR

                                   /s/ RICHARD G. WOLFORD
                                   ------------------------------------
                                   Richard G. Wolford<PAGE>

                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.46

                    SECOND AMENDMENT TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

        This Second Amendment to Employment Agreement (the "Second Amendment")
is entered into as of March 26, 2002, by and between DEL MONTE FOODS COMPANY, a
Delaware corporation, with its principal place of business in San Francisco,
California (the "Company"), and Richard G. Wolford, an individual residing in
the State of California ("Employee"), to amend the Employment Agreement, dated
March 16, 1998, among the Company and Employee (the "Agreement"), as follows:

        1. In the first paragraph on page 1, "a Delaware corporation" is
substituted for "a Maryland corporation."

        2. In the first sentence of Section 2(a), the amount "$738,500" is
substituted for the amount "$500,000".

        3. In Section 2(b), the percentage "100%" is substituted for the
percentage "50%".

        4. A new Section 2(d) is added to the Agreement in the following form:

               (d) In the event of a Change of Control (as defined in the
Retention Plan referred to herein), if Employee has been designated a "Key
Employee" by the Nomination and Compensation Committee of the Board of
Directors, Employee shall be eligible to participate in, and entitled to a
percentage of, the Company's incentive compensation pool pursuant to the terms
of the Retention Plan adopted by the Nominating and Compensation Committee on
October 24, 2000 (the "Retention Bonus").

        5. Section 3(a)(ii), Section 3(b)(y), Section 3(c)(ii), and Section
3(d)((i)(2) are amended as follows: the phrase "any earned but unpaid Bonus to
which the Employee is entitled pursuant to the AIAP as of the Termination Date"
is replaced with the phrase "a pro rata portion of Employee's target Bonus for
the year in which Employee's termination occurs, prorated for Employee's actual
employment period during such year."

        6. A new Section 3(g) is added to the Agreement in the following form:

               (g) Termination Upon Change of Control. In the event of
Employee's Termination Upon Change of Control (as defined below), Employee shall
receive the benefits detailed in Section 3(d) on the terms and conditions set
forth therein, provided, however, that the payment set forth in Section 3(d)(ii)
shall be made in a lump sum, to be paid within thirty (30) days of Employee's
termination date, and not in installments until the earlier of (x) the second
anniversary of the Termination Date or (y) the Employee's engagement in any
aspect of the Company's Business, as provided in Section 3(d)(ii). No other
compensation of any kind or severance or other payment of any kind shall be
payable by the Company to Employee after the termination date

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except as provided in Section 3(d). Any amounts due Employee under this Section
3(g) are in the nature of severance payments, or liquidated damages which
contemplate both direct damages and consequential damages that may be suffered
as a result of Employee's termination, and are not in the nature of a penalty.
For purposes of this Section 3(g) "Termination Upon Change of Control" means (i)
the termination of Employee's employment by the Company without cause during the
period commencing on the date the "Change of Control" (as defined in the
Company's 1998 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended through November 15, 2000)
occurs and ending on the date which is eighteen (18) months after the Change of
Control; or (ii) termination by Employee of the Employment Period within
eighteen (18) months after the occurrence of a Change of Control; but (iii)
"Termination Upon Change of Control" shall not include any termination of
Employee's employment by the Company for cause, or as a result of the death or
disability of Employee.

        7. Revise Section 6(a) to delete:

                               Arthur H. Kohn, Esq.
                               Cleary, Gottlieb, Stern & Hamilton
                               One Liberty Plaza
                               New York, NY  10006

                               and to insert:

                               Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
                               One Montgomery Street, 31st Floor
                               San Francisco, CA 94104
                               Attn: Douglas D. Smith

        8. A new Section 7 is added to the Agreement in the following form:

               7.  Indemnification.

               In the event Employee is made, or threatened to be made, a party
to any legal action or proceeding, whether civil or criminal, by reason of the
fact that Employee is or was a director or officer of the Company or serves or
served any other corporation fifty percent (50%) or more owned or controlled by
the Company in any capacity at the Company's request, Employee shall be
indemnified by the Company, and the Company shall pay Employee's related
expenses when and as incurred, all to the fullest extent permitted by the laws
of the State of Delaware, and the Company's Certificate of Incorporation and
Bylaws.

        This Second Amendment supersedes and replaces the First Amendment to
Employment Agreement, dated July 1, 1999, which is hereby null and void.

                                       2

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        Except as expressly provided in this Second Amendment, all other
provisions of the Agreement remain in full force and effect.

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Second Amendment as
of the date first written above.

                                 DEL MONTE FOODS COMPANY

                                 By:   /s/ David L. Meyers
                                     -----------------------------
                                 Name:  David L. Meyers
                                       ------------------------------
                                 Title: Executive Vice President, Administration
                                        and Chief Financial Officer
                                        ----------------------------------------

                                          /s/ Richard G. Wolford
                                  ----------------------------------------------
                                             Richard G. Wolford

                                       3

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