Celeste (frozen pizza)

Celeste
Frozen Celeste Pizza for One
Product typePizza
OwnerConagra
CountryUnited States
Introduced1962
Discontinued2026

Celeste was an American brand of frozen pizza. It was widely referred to by its former name Mama Celeste. The brand's slogan was Abbondanza, which means "Abundance" in Italian. In October 2026, Conagra Brands abruptly discontinued the Celeste brand and ended future production, noting that the brand was no longer a priority for continued investment.

Background

The product was named after Celeste (née Luise) Lizio (1908–1988), who carried the nickname "Mama Celeste". She was born in San Angelo, Italy and came to the United States from Italy with her husband, Anthony, in the 1920s. They settled on Chicago's West Side, where they opened their first restaurant in 1937. In 1962, the Lizios closed the restaurant and began selling pizzas to other restaurants.

The Quaker Oats Company acquired the product in 1969. Celeste frozen pizza was one of the top-selling brands in the 1970s (with Mrs. Lizio, "Mama Celeste," prominently featured in the brand's television advertising) but subsequently experienced declines. Lizio died of a heart condition in 1988 at age 80. The Celeste brand was later acquired by Aurora Foods and then Pinnacle Foods. In 2018, Conagra Brands acquired Pinnacle Foods, which included the Celeste brand. As of 2025, Celeste Pizza was produced and distributed by Conagra. The brand was discontinued in October 2026.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Celeste Pizza – Home". Conagra Brands Inc. 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Freed, David (December 19, 1988). "Celeste Lizio; Italian Cook Was Queen of Frozen Pizza". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 "Mama Celeste dead at 80". UPI. December 18, 1988. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 "Celeste Lizio, Pizza Maker, 80". The New York Times. December 19, 1988. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  5. ↑ Huddleston, Tom Jr. (May 2, 2020). "The history of frozen pizza—how a frozen food staple became a multibillion-dollar business". CNBC. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Company News; Aurora Foods Projects Flat Profit For Fourth Quarter". The New York Times. November 24, 1999. p. C4. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  7. ↑ Trotter, Greg (June 27, 2018). "Conagra's $10.9 billion acquisition of Pinnacle to create frozen food juggernaut". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
  8. ↑ Compton, Sophia (October 7, 2026). "Decades-old frozen pizza brand ends production, leaving fans nostalgic". Fox Business. Retrieved October 7, 2026.