Decades-old frozen pizza brand ends manufacturing,…
Conagra Brands has stopped producing Celeste frozen pizzas, prompting longtime followers to reminisce about the budget-friendly freezer staple.
The company disclosed the transfer during its fiscal first-quarter 2027 earnings remarks Sept. 30, saying the exit diminished first-quarter web gross sales by about 15 foundation factors but is predicted to “be accretive to margins going forward.”
Conagra CEO John Brase said Celeste is an instance of a smaller brand with which the company no longer sees enough of a “future” to justify continued investment.
“There are certain brands and categories where we simply just don’t see a future,” Brase said. “It just makes sense to exit those small, really unprofitable brands or low-profit brands as soon as possible.”
A Conagra spokesperson confirmed to FOX Business that manufacturing of Celeste pizzas has ended, although customers might continue to discover the merchandise on store cabinets until the remaining stock sells out.
Conagra Brands has stopped producing Celeste frozen pizzas, prompting longtime followers to reminisce about the budget-friendly freezer staple. Getty Images
“We will continue to sell inventory, but we stopped producing it. As of now, there will not be Celeste products once we sell what has been made,” the spokesperson said.
Brase said Conagra plans to look for related alternatives as it really works to cut complexity across its portfolio.
“I think the larger opportunity, though, is what I am really calling the simplification of our core platforms,” he said. “We have over 400 single-serve meal [stock-keeping units], and I believe there is a future where we can have a much simpler, more productive assortment.”
The news of Celeste’s exit has sparked nostalgia on social media, with customers sharing reminiscences of the pizzas. Getty Images
News of Celeste’s exit has sparked nostalgia on social media, with customers sharing reminiscences of the pizzas.
“RIP Mama Celeste. You were a good one. Those 10 for $10 deals were the pinnacle of the 90s,” one person commented on a food blogger’s Instagram post about the news.
“Omg my grandma always had one of these on hand so will forever remind me of her. I haven’t had one in years but the nostalgia!” another person wrote.
Conagra CEO John Brase said Celeste is an instance of a smaller brand with which the company no longer sees enough of a “future” to justify continued investment. Conagra Brands
“My eyes welled up reading this. This pizza [reminds] me of my grandma,” another said.
“This was my childhood pizza,” another commented.
Celeste traces its roots to Celeste “Mama” Lizio, who constructed a food business in the Chicago space before promoting it to Quaker Oats in 1969, according to a 1988 Los Angeles Times obituary.
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