Who Owns the Frozen Food Industry

Frozen food is a category that went from wartime convenience to modern household staple over eight decades, and the brands that populate today's frozen food aisle reflect that history. Nestlé, Conagra Brands, and Kraft Heinz are the three largest players in US frozen food, each assembling their portfolios through decades of acquisitions. Understanding who owns the freezer section also illuminates how the broader packaged food industry consolidates.

This post covers the major ownership groupings in frozen food, from frozen dinners and pizza to vegetables, breakfast, and dessert. For more on how food industry concentration works, see our post on who owns the breakfast cereal industry.

Nestlé: The Frozen Food Portfolio

Nestlé is the world's largest food and beverage company, and its frozen food business in North America is one of its most significant revenue segments. Nestlé entered US frozen food primarily through its acquisition of Stouffer's from the Stouffer family in 1973.

[Stouffer's](/brands/stouffers) was founded by Abraham and Mahala Stouffer in Cleveland, Ohio in 1922 as a restaurant chain. The frozen food business evolved from the restaurant operation in the 1950s. Nestlé acquired Stouffer Corporation in 1973 for approximately $105 million. Stouffer's is best known for its macaroni and cheese products, lasagna, and the Stouffer's Macaroni & Cheese, which is consistently among the best-selling frozen side dishes in the United States.

[Lean Cuisine](/brands/lean-cuisine) was launched by Stouffer's in 1981 as a lower-calorie meal brand, responding to the weight management trend. Under Nestlé, Lean Cuisine became one of the best-selling frozen meal brands in the United States. The brand has faced headwinds as the "diet" positioning became less resonant with younger consumers who prefer naturally healthier ingredients rather than calorie-controlled portions of conventional food.

[DiGiorno](/brands/digiorno) is Nestlé's flagship frozen pizza brand, the best-selling frozen pizza in the United States. DiGiorno launched in 1995 with a rising-crust technology that created a more restaurant-quality product than earlier frozen pizzas. The brand's "It's not delivery, it's DiGiorno" campaign is one of the most recognized frozen food advertising slogans in history.

[Tombstone](/brands/tombstone) is Nestlé's value-tier frozen pizza brand, acquired from the Pabst Brewing Company's food division in 1986. Tombstone competes in the discount pizza segment alongside Red Baron.

Nestlé also owns: Hot Pockets (acquired from Chef America in 2002 for approximately $2.6 billion), Jack's Pizza (primarily Midwest), California Pizza Kitchen frozen pizza (licensed), and the Buitoni fresh and frozen pasta line (in certain markets).

Nestlé's frozen food divestiture: In recent years, Nestlé has signaled a strategic retreat from some of its US frozen food business. The company sold several of its Nestlé USA food brands, including the Nestlé Pure Life water business, and has been exploring options for its US ice cream business and some frozen segments. However, as of early 2026, DiGiorno, Stouffer's, Lean Cuisine, and Hot Pockets remain within the Nestlé portfolio.

Conagra Brands: The Frozen Food Portfolio

Conagra Brands (NYSE: CAG) is headquartered in Chicago and is one of the largest frozen food companies in North America. Conagra assembled its frozen food portfolio through a series of major acquisitions, most recently the Pinnacle Foods acquisition in 2018 for approximately $10.9 billion.

[Healthy Choice](/brands/healthy-choice) was launched by Conagra in 1989 following a heart attack suffered by CEO Charles Harper, who then became invested in creating nutritionally improved frozen meals. Healthy Choice has been one of the consistent leaders in better-for-you frozen meals for more than 35 years.

[Banquet](/brands/banquet) is Conagra's value-tier frozen meal brand, known for low-price dinner trays. Banquet competes at the budget end of the frozen meal spectrum and is widely distributed through dollar stores and mass retailers.

[Marie Callender's](/brands/marie-callenders) is Conagra's premium frozen meal and pie brand, named after the restaurant chain (which Conagra licensed from the original operators). Marie Callender's pot pies and frozen meals target consumers seeking richer, more comfort-food oriented options.

[Birds Eye](/brands/birds-eye) is one of the most recognized frozen vegetable brands in the world, named after Clarence Birdseye, who invented the modern quick-freeze food preservation process in the 1920s. Birds Eye passed through multiple corporate owners, arriving at Conagra through its Pinnacle Foods acquisition in 2018. In the UK, Birds Eye is a separate brand owned by Nomad Foods.

[Vlasic](/brands/vlasic) (pickles, not frozen) and Orville Redenbacher's (popcorn) are other Conagra brands that round out its broader snack and grocery portfolio.

[Slim Jim](/brands/slim-jim) is a Conagra meat snack brand, not frozen food. Conagra's portfolio spans frozen, refrigerated, and shelf-stable categories.

Kraft Heinz: The Frozen Food Portfolio

Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ: KHC) is the third major player in US frozen food. The company was formed in 2015 from the merger of Kraft Foods Group and H.J. Heinz Company, orchestrated by 3G Capital and Berkshire Hathaway.

[Ore-Ida](/brands/ore-ida) is Kraft Heinz's leading frozen potato brand, including tater tots (which Ore-Ida invented in 1954) and french fries. Ore-Ida is among the top-selling frozen side dish brands in the United States.

Devour is Kraft Heinz's premium frozen meal brand, launched in 2017, targeting younger consumers with bold flavor profiles. Devour has been one of the more successful recent launches in frozen meals by a major company.

Delimex is Kraft Heinz's frozen Mexican food brand, covering taquitos, tamales, and quesadillas.

Smart Ones was Kraft Heinz's weight management frozen meal line (originally a Weight Watchers Foods licensed brand). Kraft Heinz announced it would discontinue Smart Ones in 2022 as the brand had suffered significant sales decline in the post-diet positioning era.

Other Significant Players

Nomad Foods (Birds Eye UK, Findus, iglo): Nomad Foods (NYSE: NOMD) is a European frozen food company that owns the Birds Eye brand in the UK and Europe (separate from the US Birds Eye, which is Conagra). Nomad also owns Findus (Scandinavia) and iglo (Germany and Austria). Nomad is focused on European markets.

Kellogg's (now Kellanova/WK Kellogg): The Eggo waffle brand is owned by Kellogg's (now part of WK Kellogg Co.'s legacy portfolio). Eggo is one of the most recognized frozen breakfast brands in the United States.

B&G Foods: B&G Foods (NYSE: BGS) owns Green Giant frozen vegetables, which it acquired from General Mills in 2015 for approximately $765 million.

Schwan's Food Company: Schwan's, a privately held company owned by South Korean food conglomerate CJ CheilJedang, owns Red Baron frozen pizza, Tony's Pizza, and Freschetta pizza, making it a major player in the frozen pizza segment competing with Nestlé's DiGiorno and Totino's (General Mills).

General Mills: General Mills owns Totino's pizza rolls, one of the most popular frozen snack items, along with Pillsbury frozen baked goods.

The Frozen Food Market in Context

The US frozen food market generates approximately $70 billion in annual retail sales. The category has been growing consistently since the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated at-home meal preparation, reversing a pre-pandemic trend of moderate growth. Consumers have embraced frozen meals as convenient, lower-waste, and increasingly higher-quality alternatives to fresh meal preparation.

The premium end of the frozen food market has grown fastest. Brands like Amy's Kitchen (organic frozen meals, privately held), Saffron Road (halal frozen meals), and Trader Joe's private label have captured consumers who want better-quality frozen food but not the calorie-count positioning of earlier "diet" meal brands.

FAQ

Who owns DiGiorno pizza? DiGiorno is owned by Nestlé. The brand launched in 1995 under Nestlé's Stouffer's-adjacent frozen pizza business and has grown into the best-selling frozen pizza brand in the United States by both dollar and unit sales.

Does Kraft Heinz own Ore-Ida? Yes. Ore-Ida is a Kraft Heinz brand. Ore-Ida invented tater tots in 1954 and has been the leading frozen potato brand in the United States for decades. Kraft Heinz acquired the brand through its merger of Kraft Foods and Heinz.

Are Birds Eye UK and Birds Eye US the same company? No. The Birds Eye brand is split between two separate companies in different markets. In the United States, Birds Eye is owned by Conagra Brands (acquired via Pinnacle Foods in 2018). In the UK and Europe, Birds Eye is owned by Nomad Foods.

Explore Related Brands

• Lean Cuisine - Nestlé's lower-calorie frozen meal brand, launched by Stouffer's 1981
• Stouffer's - Nestlé's flagship frozen meal brand, acquired 1973
• Healthy Choice - Conagra's better-for-you frozen meal brand since 1989
• Birds Eye - Conagra's leading US frozen vegetable brand
• DiGiorno - Nestlé's best-selling frozen pizza brand in the US

Browse all food and beverage brands

Sources

1. Nestlé Annual Report 2024 -- https://www.nestle.com/investors 2. Conagra Brands Annual Report FY2025 -- https://ir.conagrabrands.com/ 3. Kraft Heinz Annual Report 2024 -- https://ir.kraftheinzcompany.com/ 4. USDA: Frozen Food Industry Overview -- https://www.usda.gov 5. Bloomberg: Conagra Pinnacle Foods acquisition, 2018 -- https://www.bloomberg.com 6. Statista: US Frozen Food Market Revenue -- https://www.statista.com 7. Progressive Grocer: Frozen Category Report 2024 -- https://www.progressivegrocer.com

All brand ownership data verified through WhoBrands.com research methodology. Last updated: March 2026.