A Chicago-based food manufacturer has discontinued a popular frozen pizza brand sold at Walmart, Tops Friendly Markets and other retailers across the country.
Conagra Brands, the maker of Celeste frozen pizzas, has stopped producing the pies, company President and CEO John Brase announced Sept. 30 during the company's fiscal 2027 first-quarter earnings call.
Brase said the company is simplifying its product portfolio and shifting resources toward brands with greater growth potential.
“One early example is our decision to exit the Celeste frozen pizza business,” Brase said. “It allows us to redirect our resources toward brands and categories where we have greater scale and stronger growth potential.”
Walmart, Dollar Tree, Tops Friendly Markets and
Price Rite are among the retailers that have sold Celeste frozen pizzas in New York, according to their websites.
Conagra has already stopped producing the pizzas but will continue distributing its remaining inventory. Some stores may still have Celeste pizzas in stock, but supplies will dwindle as retailers sell their remaining inventory. Other stores may have already sold out.
How did Celeste pizza begin?
Celeste frozen pizza is named after “Mama” Celeste Lizzio, who created the pies at a restaurant she opened in Chicago with her husband, Anthony, in 1937, according to Reference.org.
The couple closed the restaurant in 1962 but continued selling their pizzas to other eateries.
The Quaker Oats Co. acquired the Celeste pizza business in 1969, and the brand became one of the top-selling frozen pizza lines in the 1970s. Lizzio also became a familiar face in the brand's television advertising.
Conagra Brands acquired the pizza brand in 2018 amid declining sales.
Lizzio died of a heart condition in 1988 at age 80, according to Reference.org.
Why is Celeste pizza being discontinued?
Conagra's decision to discontinue Celeste frozen pizzas is part of a broader effort to simplify its operations and focus on brands with stronger growth prospects, Brase said during the earnings call.
The company is also working to establish clearer ownership and accelerate decision-making.
Discontinuing Celeste is expected to help improve Conagra's profit margins over time, Brase said.
“The benefits will build over time, with a majority expected to be realized over the next 12 to 18 months,” he said.
Contributing: USA TODAY Network
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Popular frozen pizza sold at Walmart, Tops discontinued nationwide
