Who Owns the Frozen Food Industry

The next time you pull a frozen pizza out of the oven, there is a good chance you are eating a Nestlé product. Pick up a bag of frozen vegetables instead, and you are likely in Conagra Brands territory. Grab a bag of tater tots, and that is Kraft Heinz. Three companies have quietly assembled control over most of the branded frozen food aisle in the United States, and most shoppers have no idea.

The US frozen food market generates approximately $70 billion in annual retail sales, according to Statista. Yet despite the hundreds of brand names across the freezer section, our research across the WhoBrands database shows that Nestlé, Conagra Brands, and Kraft Heinz own the majority of the recognizable consumer brands. A handful of regional and private-label players fill in the rest.

This post maps the complete ownership structure of the US frozen food industry, from frozen dinners and pizza to vegetables, breakfast items, and desserts. If you want to understand how the broader packaged food industry consolidates, 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 by revenue, and its North American frozen food business is one of its most significant operating segments. Nestlé's entry into US frozen food began with a single transaction: the 1973 acquisition of Stouffer Corporation for approximately $105 million.

[Stouffer's](/brands/stouffers) was founded by Abraham and Mahala Stouffer in Cleveland, Ohio in 1922 as a restaurant chain. The frozen food business grew out of the restaurant operation in the 1950s, when the company began selling its restaurant recipes in packaged form. Stouffer's macaroni and cheese and lasagna products are consistently among the best-selling frozen side dishes in the United States. That $105 million purchase gave Nestlé the foundation for a frozen food business that now spans several billion dollars annually.

[Lean Cuisine](/brands/lean-cuisine) was launched by Stouffer's in 1981 as a lower-calorie meal brand, aimed at the growing weight management market. It became one of the best-selling frozen meal brands in the United States. The brand has struggled more recently as the "diet" positioning fell out of favor with younger consumers who prefer whole-ingredient or functional foods over calorie-controlled portions of conventional recipes.

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

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.

On divestitures: Nestlé has been strategically narrowing its portfolio in recent years. According to Nestlé's 2024 Annual Report, the company has prioritized higher-growth segments and has explored options for select US food assets. As of early 2026, DiGiorno, Stouffer's, Lean Cuisine, and Hot Pockets remain within the 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 built its frozen food portfolio through a series of acquisitions over several decades. The most significant recent move was the Pinnacle Foods acquisition in 2018 for approximately $10.9 billion, which added Birds Eye vegetables and several other brands to its existing portfolio. According to Conagra's FY2025 Annual Report, frozen foods represent its largest single revenue segment.

[Healthy Choice](/brands/healthy-choice) was launched by Conagra in 1989 following a heart attack suffered by CEO Charles Harper. Harper pushed internally to develop nutritionally better frozen meals. The brand has been a consistent leader in better-for-you frozen meals for more than 35 years, though competition from refrigerated meal kits has put pressure on the segment.

[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 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. Marie Callender's pot pies and frozen meals target consumers seeking comfort-food options at a step above the value tier.

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

Orville Redenbacher's (microwave popcorn) rounds out Conagra's broader snack portfolio. Conagra's brands span 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, a deal orchestrated by 3G Capital and Berkshire Hathaway. That merger created one of the largest food companies in the world, though Kraft Heinz has since divested several brands and written down significant goodwill on its portfolio.

[Ore-Ida](/brands/ore-ida) is Kraft Heinz's leading frozen potato brand. Ore-Ida invented the tater tot in 1954. The product is still one of the most popular frozen side dishes in the United States by unit volume, with the brand holding a position in nearly every major grocery chain.

Devour is Kraft Heinz's premium frozen meal brand, launched in 2017. The brand targets younger consumers with bold flavor profiles and indulgent positioning, a deliberate departure from the calorie-count messaging that defined the previous generation of frozen meals.

Delimex is Kraft Heinz's frozen Mexican food brand, covering taquitos, tamales, and quesadillas. It competes in a segment that has grown as frozen ethnic food has expanded its mainstream retailer footprint.

Smart Ones was Kraft Heinz's weight management frozen meal line, originally a Weight Watchers Foods licensed brand. Kraft Heinz discontinued Smart Ones in 2022 after sustained sales declines as the "diet meal" category contracted sharply.

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, according to Statista. The category grew sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic as home cooking increased and consumers stockpiled. That growth has moderated post-pandemic, but the category has not reverted to its pre-pandemic levels. According to the American Frozen Food Institute, frozen food retail sales have remained above pre-2020 baselines as consumers have retained some of the home-eating habits formed during lockdowns.

The premium end of the market has grown the fastest. Brands like Amy's Kitchen (organic frozen meals, privately held), Saffron Road (halal frozen meals), and Trader Joe's private label have taken share from traditional "diet meal" brands by offering better ingredients and more transparent sourcing. The shift reflects a broader consumer move away from calorie counting toward ingredient quality as the primary evaluation criterion.

FAQ

Who owns DiGiorno pizza? DiGiorno is owned by Nestlé. The brand launched in 1995 and has grown into the best-selling frozen pizza brand in the United States by both dollar and unit sales. Nestlé acquired the foundation for its pizza portfolio when it bought Stouffer Corporation in 1973 for $105 million, with DiGiorno itself launching as a Nestlé product two decades later.

Does Kraft Heinz own Ore-Ida? Yes. Ore-Ida is a Kraft Heinz brand. Ore-Ida invented the tater tot in 1954 and has been the leading frozen potato brand in the United States for decades. The brand came into the Kraft Heinz portfolio through the 2015 merger of Kraft Foods Group and H.J. Heinz, which Heinz had acquired previously.

Are Birds Eye UK and Birds Eye US the same company? No. The Birds Eye brand operates under two separate, unrelated corporate owners depending on the market. 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 (NYSE: NOMD). The brand split is a result of separate regional acquisition histories.

Who is the biggest player in the frozen pizza market? Nestlé leads the US frozen pizza market with DiGiorno and Tombstone. Schwan's Food Company (owned by CJ CheilJedang) is the second-largest player with Red Baron and Freschetta. General Mills holds a significant position in the pizza rolls segment through Totino's.

Conclusion

Three companies own most of what you see in the frozen food aisle: Nestlé, Conagra Brands, and Kraft Heinz. Together they cover every segment from budget meal trays to premium rising-crust pizza to value frozen potatoes. The category is worth approximately $70 billion annually in the United States, and it grew meaningfully during the pandemic and has held most of that ground.

If you want to see exactly which brands trace back to which corporate parent, our WhoBrands database has full ownership profiles for every brand listed in this post. Use it to make more informed purchasing decisions and to understand where your grocery spending actually goes.

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.