Conagra Brands, the food‑industry giant behind names like Slim Jim and Orville Redenbacher’s, confirmed that its Celeste frozen pizza will be removed from grocery store freezers. The decision was disclosed during the company’s first‑quarter fiscal 2027 earnings remarks on September 30, when CEO John Brase explained that the brand no longer fit the corporation’s profitability goals.
Why Celeste is being phased out
“We stopped producing Celeste as part of our SKU rationalization process,” a Conagra spokesperson told Today.com. “We mentioned it during our earnings call last week.” Brase added that the company must “exit those small, really unprofitable brands — or low‑profit brands — as soon as possible,” describing the move as a “bold decision” aimed at focusing resources on higher‑margin products.
History of a family‑owned favorite
Celeste pizza traces its roots to Celeste Lizio, who was born in Sant’Angelo all’Esca, Italy, in 1908. After emigrating to the United States with her husband Anthony in the 1930s, the couple opened a modest grocery store where Celeste cooked in the back kitchen. The store’s reputation grew around her homemade recipes, prompting the family to open a restaurant on Chicago’s West Side. By the 1950s, the Lizio children were selling the family’s homemade pizza to other restaurants and grocery outlets.
In 1962 the family closed the restaurant to concentrate on wholesale distribution. The brand was acquired by Quaker Oats in 1969, and Celeste pizza became a staple of the frozen‑aisle market for the next six decades.
Community reaction
Fans expressed nostalgia on social media. One Reddit user wrote, “I lived on these for months when I was broke. They kept me alive at a rough time in my life. I haven’t had one in years, but I will miss them all the same.” Another commenter noted the collective mourning, saying, “We know when to give credit when it’s due— we know pizza.”
Legacy continues
Celeste’s daughter, Clara, and her husband Rudy Sr. opened a restaurant called Clara’s in Woodridge, Illinois, in 1987. The eatery remains open, preserving the family’s culinary heritage even as the frozen‑pizza line ends.
Conagra’s move reflects a broader industry trend of streamlining product portfolios to improve profitability. While longtime fans will miss the familiar cheese‑filled slices, the company expects the decision to strengthen its overall brand performance and allow greater investment in growth areas.
Original reporting: Richardson, TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
