
Mrs. Butterworth's is an American brand of table syrups and pancake mixes introduced in 1961 and famous for its matronly figure-shaped bottle. It has been owned by Conagra Brands since the company's $8.1 billion acquisition of Pinnacle Foods in 2018. Conagra, headquartered in Chicago and listed on the NYSE under CAG, markets Mrs. Butterworth's as a core breakfast brand in its grocery portfolio.
Parent Company
Acquired
2018
Status
Publicly Traded
Headquarters
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| Mrs. Butterworth's | Conagra Brands, Inc. | Product line |
Mrs. Butterworth's syrup launched in 1961 with television ads in which the bottle-shaped character, an apron-clad matronly figure, came to life to talk with children. The "thick'n rich" positioning and the distinctive amber glass bottle made it one of the most recognizable packages in the grocery store.
Ownership migrated through the food industry's consolidation: the brand was part of Van den Bergh Foods in the 1990s, then Aurora Foods, and finally Pinnacle Foods Group, which assembled a portfolio of orphan grocery brands including Log Cabin, Vlasic, and Duncan Hines. In 2009 Pinnacle ran a consumer contest that gave the character a first name: Joy.
Conagra Brands bought Pinnacle Foods in 2018 for $8.1 billion, bringing Mrs. Butterworth's into a portfolio built around center-store staples.
In June 2020, amid national protests over systemic racism and alongside PepsiCo's retirement of Aunt Jemima, Conagra announced a complete brand and packaging review of Mrs. Butterworth's, acknowledging the bottle shape could be read as a "mammy" stereotype despite the company intending a "loving grandmother" image. As of 2026 the bottle shape and brand name remain unchanged, distinguishing Mrs. Butterworth's as the last major character-shaped syrup brand still on shelf.
Original glass bottles began giving way to plastic in 1999, and the brand today sells Original, Lite, and Sugar Free syrups plus pancake and baking mixes.
What does Conagra Brands own?
Conagra Brands owns approximately 25 packaged food brands across frozen meals, frozen vegetables, shelf-stable grocery, meat snacks, and dairy. Its most recognized brands include Healthy Choice, Birds Eye, Slim Jim, Duncan Hines, Hunt's, Orville Redenbacher's, Marie Callender's, Banquet, Vlasic, and Reddi-Wip. The company acquired many of these brands through acquisitions, most notably the $10.9 billion Pinnacle Foods deal in 2018.
Is Conagra Brands publicly traded?
Yes, Conagra Brands trades on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker CAG. The company has been publicly traded for decades and has approximately 478 million shares outstanding. Major institutional shareholders include Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street. No single shareholder holds a controlling stake.
Who founded Conagra Brands?
Conagra was founded in 1919 as Nebraska Consolidated Mills in Grand Island, Nebraska by Frank Little, Lahman H. Baldridge, and Alva Kinney. The company was originally a flour milling operation. It was renamed ConAgra, Inc. in 1971 and later rebranded as Conagra Brands in 2018 following the Pinnacle Foods acquisition.
Where is Conagra Brands headquartered?
Conagra Brands is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The company's corporate offices house its executive team, marketing, finance, and administrative functions. Conagra moved its headquarters to Chicago from Omaha, Nebraska in 2016 as part of its transformation under then-CEO Sean Connolly.
How many brands does Conagra Brands own?
Conagra Brands owns approximately 25 brands across its four business segments. The exact count fluctuates as the company acquires and divests brands. Its largest brands by revenue are Birds Eye, Healthy Choice, Slim Jim, and Hunt's. The company does not publicly disclose individual brand revenue figures.
Who owns Conagra Brands?
Conagra Brands is a publicly traded corporation owned by its shareholders. Ownership is broadly distributed among institutional investors, mutual funds, and individual shareholders. No single shareholder or family holds a controlling stake. The company is governed by a board of directors elected by shareholders, with John Brase serving as president and CEO as of July 2026.
What is Conagra Brands' revenue?
Conagra Brands reported net sales of approximately $11.3 billion for fiscal year 2026 (ended May 31, 2026), a decrease of 2.9% from the prior year. The company generated adjusted EPS of $1.72 and free cash flow of $979 million. For FY2027, Conagra projects organic net sales to decline 1% to 3%.
The brand's defining controversy is the June 2020 reckoning over racial imagery in food packaging. After PepsiCo announced it would retire Aunt Jemima, Conagra initiated a "complete brand and packaging review" of Mrs. Butterworth's, saying its packaging "may be interpreted in a way that is wholly inconsistent with our values."
Critics view the figure-shaped bottle as an example of the "mammy" stereotype, and reports have linked the character's design to Butterfly McQueen, the Black actress who played a maid in Gone with the Wind. The company has countered that the packaging was intended to evoke a loving grandmother and that the character's voice actresses were white.
As of 2026, Conagra has not changed the bottle shape or retired the name, a contrast with Aunt Jemima's rebrand to Pearl Milling Company and Uncle Ben's becoming Ben's Original.
These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.
| Brand | Parent Company | Country | Founded | Market Position | Primary Market | Gender Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J M Smucker | USA | 1967 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Pepsico | USA | 1888 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| General Mills | USA | 1931 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| Kodiak Cakes | USA | 1995 | Mass market | United states | All Genders | |
| The Krusteaz Company | USA | 1932 | Mass market | United states | All Genders |
Food BeverageOwned by The J.M. Smucker Company
Value-priced pancake mix and syrup brand owned by The J.M. Smucker Company since its 2004 acquisition of International Multifoods.
Food BeverageOwned by PepsiCo, Inc.
American pancake mix and syrup brand owned by PepsiCo through its Quaker Oats subsidiary. Rebranded from Aunt Jemima in June 2021. The original Pearl Milling Company was founded in 1888 in St. Joseph, Missouri.
Food BeverageOwned by General Mills, Inc.
Iconic all-purpose baking mix introduced by General Mills in 1931, used for pancakes, biscuits, waffles, and quick breads sold across North America.
Food BeverageOwned by Kodiak Cakes, LLC
Park City, Utah whole-grain protein breakfast brand majority-owned by private equity firm L Catterton, generating more than $580 million in retail sales.
Food BeverageOwned by The Krusteaz Company
Pacific Northwest baking mix brand founded in 1932, flagship of the family-owned Krusteaz Company (formerly Continental Mills) in Tukwila, Washington.
Market Positioning: Mrs. Butterworth's competes with 5 brands in the same categories, ranging from mass market to luxury positioning.
Geographic Distribution: Competitors are headquartered across multiple regions, indicating global competition in this market segment.
Brand Heritage: Competitor brands range from established heritage brands to newer market entrants, with founding years spanning several decades.
Looking for brands with different ownership structures? These similar brands are not owned by Conagra Brands, Inc., giving you alternative choices that support different corporate structures.
Food BeverageOwned by Kodiak Cakes, LLC
Park City, Utah whole-grain protein breakfast brand majority-owned by private equity firm L Catterton, generating more than $580 million in retail sales.
Kodiak Cakes is privately owned, unlike Mrs. Butterworth's which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Food BeverageOwned by The Krusteaz Company
Pacific Northwest baking mix brand founded in 1932, flagship of the family-owned Krusteaz Company (formerly Continental Mills) in Tukwila, Washington.
Krusteaz is privately owned, unlike Mrs. Butterworth's which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Food BeverageOwned by Mars, Incorporated
American frozen waffle brand created in 1953, owned by Mars, Incorporated through its Kellanova subsidiary since December 2025.
Eggo is privately owned, unlike Mrs. Butterworth's which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Food BeverageOwned by Mars, Incorporated
Kellogg-created breakfast bar and cereal brand dating to 1976, owned by Mars, Incorporated through Kellanova since December 2025.
Nutri-Grain is privately owned, unlike Mrs. Butterworth's which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Food BeverageOwned by Mars, Incorporated
American brand of toaster pastries filled with various flavors, now owned by Mars, Incorporated through the Kellanova acquisition.
Pop-Tarts is privately owned, unlike Mrs. Butterworth's which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Food BeverageOwned by Ferrero
Better-for-you breakfast brand founded in 2009 in Boulder, Colorado, known for granola, oatmeal, and cereal with premium ingredients. Acquired by Ferrero Group in August 2026 for approximately $850 million.
Purely Elizabeth is privately owned, unlike Mrs. Butterworth's which is under a publicly traded parent company.
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