Frozen foods sold $54.6 billion in 2019, while moving 15.2 billion units—an increase of $1 billion and 100 million, respectively—compared to 2018, according to the State of the Industry Report, compiled by the National Frozen and Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) and Nielsen.
These are steady gains and reason for the industry to be optimistic in 2020, especially after slow growth from 2015 to 2017, which saw a combined increase of just $300 million, and a decrease of 300 million in unit sales. According to the NFRA/Nielsen report, prices for frozen products were up slightly in 2019, and there was less promotional support than in the past at retail outlets for frozen foods, which makes the 2019 numbers even more impressive.
That means consumers are seeking frozen foods regardless of promotion because they want to take advantage of its convenience, variety, nutrient retention, and potential reduction in food waste that many other foods can’t match. Millennials in particular tend to buy products that preserve their time, and are easy to handle. These traits fuel the growth of frozen foods since they’re convenient and ready to use, exactly how millennials might prefer, according to a study by research firm IndustryARC.
Ice cream and frozen novelties combined for $11.3 billion in 2019 sales, while prepared entrées combined with frozen pizza accounted for $9.3 billion. For a detailed breakdown of top-sellers in each of our six categories (Meals & Entrées, Bakery, Dairy, Meat, Poultry & Seafood, Fruits & Vegetables, and Snacks, Appetizers & Side Dishes) turn to the corresponding pages listed in the sidebar below.
Last year was also a time for big moves and big surprises: Nestlé, the top company in our Dairy category, sold its entire North American ice cream line to Froneri for $4 billion. Longtime dairy giant Dean Foods filed for bankruptcy, and frozen produce pillar NORPAC also filed for Chapter 11. NORPAC’s fate was settled earlier this year in court, while the future of Dean Foods has yet to be finalized. More details about these impactful events are in their corresponding category notes.
Refrigerated & Frozen Foods’ annual Top 150 Frozen Foods Processors Report is a snapshot of the top 25 frozen foods processors in each of the six categories mentioned above. Processors are ranked by annual net sales and listings. We reached out directly to each of the companies listed in the report (sometimes more than once) to try to obtain the most accurate metrics and up-to-date information.
Response rates in each category include:
- Meals/Entrées—7 out of 25 processors (28%) updated their profiles.
- Meat/Poultry/Seafood—8 out of 25 processors (32%) updated their profiles.
- Dairy—7 out of 25 processors (28%) updated their profiles.
- Snacks/Apps/Sides—5 out of 25 processors (20%) updated their profiles.
- Bakery—5 out of 25 processors (20%) updated their profiles.
- Fruits/Vegetables—6 out of 25 processors (24%) updated their profiles.
Those companies that didn’t respond or declined to release estimated sales numbers are marked with an asterisk (*), and their listings are based on company reports, news releases, market reports, and other resources. This report represents Refrigerated & Frozen Foods’ best efforts to reflect updated sales and company information.
A big thanks to our sister publications—Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery, Dairy Foods, National Provisioner, Independent Processor, and Food Engineering—for their help with compiling our lists using their best-available statistics and most recent company information.
We’re also grateful to all of the companies that made the effort to update their information for our readers, and share their notable achievements in 2019, as well as what they’re planning for 2020, which you can see in each category’s notes section.
Dairy: Ice Cream and Frozen Novelties Combine for $11.3 Billion in 2019
Sales of ice cream in 2019 were $6.7 billion, but saw a 1.7% decrease over the course of the year, according to the NFRA/Nielsen State of the Industry Report. The four-year CAGR still shows growth at 1.6%, and ice cream sales combined with novelties still rank at the top of any single frozen food category.
Significant Events in 2019
- Dean Foods filed for bankruptcy in November, 2019. The company has a tentative asset purchase agreement with Dairy Farmers of America for $425 million that would include 44 Dean Foods fluid and frozen facilities. A hearing in bankruptcy court is scheduled for March 12, 2020, and the deadlines to submit competing bids are scheduled for March 31, and April 13. Dean Foods also named Eric Beringause president and CEO, replacing Ralph Scozzafava.
- Nestlé sold its U.S. ice cream business, which includes Häagen-Dazs, Edy’s, Dreyers, Skinny Cow, and Drumstick, to Froneri for $4 billion in December, 2019. The sale is scheduled to complete in Q1 2020, and would make Froneri the second-largest ice cream manufacturer in the world after Unilever.
- Joseph Carson, the former president of United Dairy, passed away on September 9, 2019.
- Danone North America celebrated its 100th Anniversary as a global company, and appointed Pedro Silveira as president of its U.S. yogurt business. The brand expanded its plant-based portfolio into oatmilk with the So Delicious and Silk Oat Yeah lines, which feature oatmilk frozen desserts, oatmilk beverages, oatmilk yogurt alternatives, and oatmilk creamers.
- Kroger finalized the sale of Turkey Hill Dairy to Peak Rock Capital for $215 million in April, 2019.
- Prairie Farms Dairy launched its Premium Small Batch Ice Cream line, and the Peanut Butter Banana flavor took first place at the World Dairy Expo. The company also launched new 14 oz. single serve UHT milk bottles and 6 oz. yogurt cups.
- Wells Enterprises acquired Fieldbrook Foods and their two manufacturing facilities in the Northeast in April, 2019. Wells also purchased a manufacturing facility in Henderson, NV from Unilever in August, and added Halo Top to their brand portfolio in September.
- Blue Bell Creameries introduced three new flavors: Raspberry Fudge Brownie, Cookie Cake and Salted Caramel Cookie. The company also returned to the Richmond, Virginia, and Kansas City markets.
- Hershey’s Ice Cream had a record year in 2019 for sales of bulk ice cream. They also worked with No Kid Hungry to provide up to 1.25 million meals to combat childhood hunger, and continued record growth in their Smart Snacks in Schools Program sales. The company started construction of a major manufacturing addition to its current distribution center in Middletown, Pennsylvania.
Significant Events to Come in 2020
- Danone North America will launch four new flavors of So Delicious Oatmilk Frozen Desserts, as well as the first zero-gram sugar option on the market with Silk Oat Yeah The 0g Sugar One.
- Prairie Farms Dairy will be expanding its cream cheese and Premium Small Batch Ice Cream offerings.
- Blue Bell Creameries will introduce a number of new flavors, and oversee the return of a popular take-home snack.
- Hershey’s Ice Cream will launch five new bulk ice cream flavors, introduce new products for their Smart Snacks in Schools line, launch a new company website, and continue its involvement with No Kid Hungry.
Fruits & Vegetables: Frozen Vegetables Show Solid Four-Year Compound Annual Growth
Frozen vegetables accounted for $3.1 billion in 2019 sales according to the NFRA/Nielsen State of the Industry Report, with a 2.2% CAGR over four years, and 3.9% YAG in 2019. The top-two selling categories were mixed vegetables ($905 million) and broccoli ($522 million), while squash is the fastest-growing vegetable category with 106% YAG. Frozen fruit sales were $1.1 billion in 2019, while frozen cherries were the fastest growing fruit category, with 10.6% YAG.
Significant Events in 2019
- Oregon-based NORPAC Foods filed for bankruptcy in August, 2019, and $156 million in assets were sold to Oregon Potato Company ($107 million) and Lineage Logistics ($49 million) finalized in January, 2020. NORPAC was listed at #11 on last year’s Top 150 Frozen Foods Processors Report, and has been removed from this year’s list.
- Bonduelle Americas finalized the acquisition of a Lebanon, Pennsylvania, frozen foods packaging plant. Bonduelle also launched Arctic Gardens One Pot products in Canada, and Arctic Gardens diced onions, fajita and pizza, which was the winner of a CTAQ Innovation Award from the Food Processing Council of Quebec for new or improved product in the long life category. Finally, Ted Lawson was appointed chief commercial officer (CCO) at Bonduelle, effective Dec 2 2019.
- Lakeside Foods launched a new frozen flavored whipped topping in piping bag with a key retail partner in April, 2019. The company also completed a $40 million expansion of its frozen packaging facility in September, including ten automated production lines for retail and foodservice packaging; reconfigured workflow to meet the highest food safety standards; added a robotics palletizer with a modern frozen storage racking system, and created five additional shipping docks. In October, Lakeside acquired Blendtopia through a joint venture with Interstate Foods, and also launched two new frozen vegetable offerings: Elote Mexican Street Corn and Garlic Parmesan Cauliflower.
Significant Events to Come in 2020
- Lakeside Foods plans to expand the production capacity at Riverside Foods, Lakeside’s subsidiary that manufactures frozen breaded appetizers and seafood.
Entrées Remain Strong in Frozen Foods Sales
Bakery: Niche Bakery Items are on a Roll
Frozen bakery items (breads, cakes, pies, dough, tortillas, breadsticks, pizza crusts, rolls, biscuits, pastries, and more) continued to branch into specialized and niche product areas due to changing customer tastes and new flavor trends. According to 2019 NFRA/Nielsen data, frozen doughs accounted for $347 million; dinner rolls $118 million; specialty rolls $37.5 million; artisan breads $13 million; and sweet rolls $6.6 million.
Significant Events in 2019
- Flowers Foods elected Ryals McMullian as president and CEO in May, replacing Allen Shiver as Flowers Foods’ president and CEO.
Significant Events to Come in 2020
- Give and Go Prepared Foods will open a new centralized frozen warehouse.
-
Weston Foods will launch Wonder NonGMO in Canada.
Meat, Poultry & Seafood: Continued Focus on Sustainable Initiatives for Meat, Poultry & Seafood Processors
Total combined frozen meat/poultry/seafood sales in 2019 accounted for $10.7 billion according to the NFRA/Nielsen State of the Industry Report, with seafood making up $4.8 billion. Meat processors also continued to expand their sustainable initiatives in 2019.
Significant Events in 2019
- Jensen Meat added solar carports to harvest sun power for their facilities. They also added two more IQF patty lines and a new fresh production room creating 40 million pounds of additional annual capacity and 50 new jobs.
- High Liner Foods launched High Liner Haddock Bites and High Liner Fish Wings, products that are on-trend, shareable and appropriate for multiple eating occasions, including snacking.
- Rastelli Foods gained partial ownership in a plant-based chicken company. They also launched a plant-based protein category; four product lines in ACME Markets; Bubba’s Q Boneless Ribs in 300 Walmart locations; and awarded QVC’s Most Recommended Brand (Rastellis.com), Best Burger (Angus Beef), Best Seafood Item (Faroe Islands Salmon) and Best Holiday Item (Prime Rib Roast).
- In June 2019, Golden State Foods (GSF) opened its 10th office space and innovation center in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood. The 4,300-square-foot space consists of food manufacturing facilities servicing customers worldwide. The innovation center also features product development workstations and was designed to be a food innovation hub to replicate full-scale plant production systems for efficient commercialization. GSF announced several changes to its global food and logistics operations and executive teams to further align its global business growth strategy. Among the changes, Dr. Wayne Morgan was promoted to corporate vice president and president, protein and sustainability. Bob Wolpert moved into the role of corporate senior vice president and chief strategy and innovation officer, spearheading GSF’s efforts on Blockchain, IoT and other digital innovations. Brian Dick was promoted to corporate executive VP and CEO, leading all global manufacturing of liquid products, dairy, protein and produce, as well as the company’s logistics group.
Significant Events to Come in 2020
- In August 2019, GSF’s KanPak New York facility broke ground on the 195,000-square-foot expansion to its existing space, expected to be completed in summer of 2020. The addition will enable KanPak to store a larger array of finished and raw goods. A KanPak wastewater treatment plant is slated to be fully operational in March 2020, helping KanPak manage dairy waste and costs, while supporting the community in surrounding Penn Yan, New York.
Snacks, Appetizers & Sides: Frozen Snacks, Appetizers & Sides Focus on Innovation, Portability, Global Flavors and On-Trend Ingredients
According to the NFRA/Nielsen State of the Industry Report, frozen appetizers made up $2.1 billion in sales in 2019, while frozen potato products generated $1.8 billion, frozen sandwiches $1.7 billion, and frozen breakfast sandwiches $1.3 billion. Frozen sides generated $159 million with 49 million units sold.
Significant Events in 2019
- Ajinomoto Foods North America recorded an increase in frozen food sales primarily due to expansion of sales of Asian food products and appetizers in North America, according to the company’s 2019 annual report.
- Mrs. T’s Pierogies debuted a new integrated creative campaign, “Stuffed with the Stuff You Love.” The campaign was inspired by the boldly-flavored and widely-loved filling of Mrs. T’s Pierogies.
Significant Events to Come in 2020
- Cuisine Innovations plans to launch a line of new, innovative and trendy hors d’ oeuvres in 2020.
- Mrs. T’s will continue with the “Stuffed with the Stuff You Love” campaign and celebrate its 12th annual National Pierogi Day on October 8th.
The Reports
| Rank | Company Name | HQs | Top Executive | 2019-20 Sales | FY Ended | Product | No. of Plants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nestlé USA(1)* | Rosslyn, VA | John Carmichael, president, Nestlé Foods Division | $33.7B** | 12/31/2019 | Ice cream, frozen yogurt, frozen novelties | 10 |
| 2 | General Mills Inc.* | Minneapolis, MN | Jeff Harmening, chairman, CEO | $16.9B** | 5/26/2019 | Ice cream, frozen novelties, frozen yogurt | 9 |
| 3 | Dean Foods Co.* | Dallas, TX | Eric Beringause, president, CEO | $7.7B** | 12/31/2019 | Ice cream, frozen yogurt, frozen novelties | 58 |
| 4 | Danone North America(2) | White Plains, NY; Broomfield, CO | Mariano Lozano, CEO, North America | $6B** | 12/31/2019 | Frozen yogurt, frozen desserts | 13 |
| 5 | Rich Products Corp. | Buffalo, NY | Richard Ferranti, CEO | $4B** | 12/31/2019 | Frozen desserts and novelties | 41 |
| 6 | The Kroger Co.* | Cincinnati, OH | Rodney McMullen, chairman, CEO | $3.2B | 2/3/2019 | Ice cream, frozen novelties | 19 |
| 7 | Prairie Farms Dairy Inc. | Edwardsville, IL | Edward Mullins, CEO, Exec. V-P. | $3.1B** | 9/30/2019 | Ice cream, frozen yogurt, frozen novelties | 10 |
| 8 | HP Hood LLC | Lynnfield, MA | John Kaneb, president, CEO | $2B** | 12/31/2019 | Frozen yogurt, ice cream, frozen desserts, frozen novelties | 1 |
| 9 | Publix Super Markets Inc.* | Lakeland, FL | Todd Jones, president, CEO | $1.8B | 12/29/2019 | Ice cream, frozen yogurt | 3 |
| 10 | Unilever USA(3)* | Englewood Cliffs, NJ | Amanda Sourry, president, North America | $1.5B | 12/31/2019 | Frozen desserts, frozen novelties | 5 |
| 11 | Wells Enterprises | Le Mars, IA | Mike Wells, president, CEO | $1.38B** | 12/31/2019 | Ice cream, frozen desserts, frozen novelties, frozen yogurt | 5 |
| 12 | HEB Grocery Co.* | San Antonio, TX | Ken Jorgensen, director of dairy operations | $1.3B | 12/31/2019 | Ice cream, frozen novelties | 2 |
| 13 | Albertsons Cos.* | Boise, ID | Bob Miller, chairman, CEO | $1.1B | 2/23/2019 | Ice cream, frozen novelties | 2 |
| 14 | Crystal Creamery* | Modesto, CA | Martin Devine, CEO | $587M** | 12/31/2019 | Ice cream | 2 |
| 15 | Blue Bell Creameries | Brenham, TX | Ricky Dickson, president, CEO | $486M* | 12/31/2019 | Ice cream, frozen desserts, frozen novelties | 3 |
| 16 | Byrne Dairy* | Lafayette, NY | Carl Byrne, president, CEO | $370M** | 12/31/2019 | Ice cream | 1 |
| 17 | SmithFoods Inc.* | Orrville, OH | Nathan Schmid, CEO | $370M** | 9/30/2019 | Ice cream, frozen yogurt, frozen novelties | 1 |
| 18 | Shamrock Farms* | Phoenix, AZ | Kent McClelland, CEO | $313M** | 12/31/2019 | Ice cream, frozen novelties | 2 |
| 19 | J&J Snack Foods Corp.* | Pennsauken, NJ | Gerald Shreiber, president, CEO | $284.5M | 9/29/2019 | Fruit bars, frozen beverages | 2 |
| 20 | Producers Dairy Foods Inc.* | Fresno, CA | Scott Shehadey, president | $250M** | 9/30/2019 | Ice cream | 1 |
| 21 | Mars Ice Cream(4)* | Burr Ridge, IL | Hank Izzo, GM | $206M | 12/31/2019 | Ice cream, frozen novelties | 1 |
| 22 | United Dairy Inc.* | Martins Ferry, OH | James Carson, vice president | $185M** | 12/31/2019 | Ice cream, frozen novelties | 3 |
| 23 | Braum's* | Oklahoma City, OK | Drew Braum, president, CEO | $181M** | 12/31/2019 | Ice cream, frozen novelties | 1 |
| 24 | Schwan's Co.* | Marshall, MN | Dimitrios Smyrnios, CEO | $174M | 12/31/2019 | Frozen yogurt, ice cream, frozen novelties | 3 |
| 25 | Hershey's Ice Cream | Harrisburg, PA | George Holder, president | $161M** | 12/31/2019 | Ice cream, frozen yogurt, frozen desserts, frozen novelties | 1 |
* Company declined to confirm. ** Company-wide. (1)Unit of Nestlé S.A. (2)Unit of Groupe Danone S.A. (3)Unit of Unilever NV (4)Unit of Mars, Inc. (5) Unit of CJ CheilJedang (CJCJ)
| Rank | Company Name | HQs | Top Executive | 2019-20 Sales | FY Ended | Product | No. of Plants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General Mills Inc.* | Minneapolis, MN | Jeff Harmening, chairman, CEO | $16.9B** | 5/26/2019 | Fruits, vegetables | 9 |
| 2 | Conagra Brands* | Chicago, IL | Sean Connolly, president, CEO | $9.538B** | 5/31/2019 | Vegetables | 32 |
| 3 | McCain Foods Ltd.* | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | Max Koeune, president, CEO | $7.5B** | 6/30/2019 | Fruits, vegetables | 53 |
| 4 | J. R. Simplot Co.* | Boise, ID | Garrett Lofto, president, CEO | $6B** | 9/30/2019 | Fruits, vegetables | 20 |
| 5 | Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc.* | Eagle, ID | Tom Werner, president, CEO | $3.7M** | 6/30/2019 | Vegetables | 25 |
| 6 | Schwan's Co.(1)* | Marshall, MN | Dimitrios Smyrnios, CEO | $3.2B** | 12/31/2019 | Vegetables | 16 |
| 7 | B&G Foods Inc. | Parsippany, NJ | Kenneth Romanzi, president, CEO & director | $1.67B(*)** | 12/31/2019 | Vegetables | 1 |
| 8 | Goya Foods Inc. | Jersey City, NJ | Robert Unanue, president | $1.5B** | 12/31/2019 | Fruits, vegetables | 1 |
| 9 | Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc. (2)* | Ontario, CA | Sumio Maeda, CEO | $4.3B** | 3/31/2019 | Fruits, vegetables | 8 |
| 10 | Bonduelle Americas Long Life(3) | Quebec, Canada | Mark McNeil, CEO | $675M** | 6/30/2019 | Vegetables | 13 |
| 11 | Lakeside Foods Inc. | Manitowoc, WI | Glen Tellock, CEO | $500M** | 4/28/2019 | Vegetables | 7 |
| 12 | Cavendish Farms Corp.(4)* | Dieppe, NB, Canada | Robert Irving, president, co-CEO | $475M | 12/31/2019 | Vegetables | 5 |
| 13 | Sunrise Growers(5)* | Placentia, CA | Joseph Ennen, CEO | $350M | 12/29/2019 | Fruits | 5 |
| 14 | Hanover Foods Corp.* | Hanover, PA | John Warehime, CEO | $333M | 6/2/2019 | Vegetables | 14 |
| 15 | The Pictsweet Co.* | Bells, TN | Wesley Eubanks, CEO | $325M | 2/28/2019 | Vegetables | 4 |
| 16 | Superior Foods* | Watsonville, CA | R. Neil Happee, president, CEO | $225M | 12/31/2019 | Fruits, vegetables | 90 |
| 17 | Inn Foods Inc.(6) | Watsonville, CA | Byron Johnson, president, CEO | $112.7M** | 12/31/2019 | Fruits, vegetables | 1 |
| 18 | Twin City Foods, Inc.* | Stanwood, WA | Roger Lervick, chairman, CEO | $190M | 6/30/2019 | Vegetables | 4 |
| 19 | Seabrook Brothers & Sons Inc. | Seabrook, NJ | James M. Seabrook, Jr., CEO | $120M** | 6/1/2019 | Vegetables, side dishes | 1 |
| 20 | Bellisio Foods Inc.(7)* | Minneapolis, MN | Tom Smith, CEO | $99M** | 12/31/2019 | Vegetables | 4 |
| 21 | Jasper Wyman & Son, Inc.* | Milbridge, ME | Anthony Schurman, president, CEO | $70M | 5/31/2019 | Fruits | 2 |
| 22 | Smith Frozen Foods, Inc.* | Weston, OR | Gary Crowder, president, CFO | $55M | 12/31/2019 | Vegetables | 1 |
| 23 | Grimmway Farms* | Bakersfield, CA | Jeff Huckaby, president, CEO | $40M | N.A. | Vegetables | 19 |
| 24 | Healthy Pac Corp.* | Morris Plains, NJ | Mary Armenakis, founder and CEO | $28M | 6/1/2019 | Fruits, vegetables | 4 |
| 25 | Oregon Potato Co.* | Pasco, WA | Frank Tiegs, president | $14.1M | N.A. | Fruits, vegetables | 1 |
* Company declined to confirm. ** Company-wide. (1)Unit of CJ CheilJedang (CJCJ) (2)Unit of Ajinomoto Inc. (3)Unit of Bonduelle Group (4)Unit of J.D. Irving Group (5)Unit of SunOpta Inc. (6)Unit of VPS Cos. (7)Unit of Charoen Pokphand Foods
| Rank | Company Name | HQs | Top Executive | 2019-20 Sales | FY Ended | Product | No. of Plants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyson Foods Inc.* | Springdale, AR | Noel White, president, CEO | $42.4B** | 9/28/2019 | Meals, entrées, dinners, pizza, breakfast items, handheld sandwiches | 110 |
| 2 | Nestlé USA(1)* | Rosslyn, VA | John Carmichael, president, Nestlé Foods Division | $33.7B** | 12/31/2019 | Meals, pizza, meal kits, pasta dishes, handheld sandwiches, breakfast items | 10 |
| 3 | The Kraft Heinz Co.* | Chicago, IL & Pittsburgh, PA | Miguel Patricio, CEO | $24.9B** | 12/28/2019 | Meals, entrées, pizza, breakfast items, pasta dinners | 3 |
| 4 | General Mills Inc.* | Minneapolis, MN | Jeff Harmening, chairman, CEO | $16.9B** | 5/26/2019 | Pizza, entrées, sandwiches, pasta meals, breakfast items | 9 |
| 5 | Kellogg Co.* | Battle Creek, MI | Steve Cahillane, chairman, CEO | $13.5B** | 12/31/2019 | Entrées, breakfast items, sandwiches | 5 |
| 6 | Conagra Brands* | Chicago, IL | Sean Connolly, president, CEO | $9.538B** | 5/31/2019 | Meals, entrées, pot pies, pasta dishes, meal kits, breakfast items, handheld sandwiches | 32 |
| 7 | Hormel Foods Corp. | Austin, MN | Jim Snee, chairman, president, CEO | $9.5B** | 10/27/2019 | Meals, sandwiches, handheld items, breakfast items | 30 |
| 8 | J. R. Simplot Co.* | Boise, ID | Garrett Lofto, president, CEO | $6B** | 9/30/2019 | Meals, entrées | 20 |
| 9 | Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc.(2)* | Ontario, CA | Sumio Maeda, CEO | $4.3B** | 3/31/2019 | Global entrées, pasta meals, meal kits, handheld sandwiches, breakfast items | 8 |
| 10 | Rich Products Corp. | Buffalo, NY | Richard Ferranti, CEO | $4B** | 12/31/2019 | Meals, entreés, pizza, sandwiches, breakfast items | 41 |
| 11 | Koch Foods* | Park Ridge, IL | Joseph Grendys, president, CEO | $3.6B** | 12/31/2019 | Chicken meals | 18 |
| 12 | Schwan's Co.(3)* | Marshall, MN | Dimitrios Smyrnios, CEO | $3.2B** | 12/31/2019 | Meals, pizza | 16 |
| 13 | The Hain Celestial Group* | Lake Success, NY | Mark Schiller, president, CEO | $2.3B** | 6/30/2019 | Meals, entreés | N.A. |
| 14 | ARYZTA North America(4)* | Los Angeles, CA | Dave Johnson, CEO North America | $1.39B | 7/31/2019 | Pizza, breakfast items | 19 |
| 15 | High Liner Foods | Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada | Rod Hepponstall, president, CEO | $1.04B** | 12/31/2019 | Seafood entreés | 3 |
| 16 | Simmons Prepared Foods, Inc.* | Siloam Springs, AR | David Jackson, president, COO | $940M** | 12/31/2019 | Entrées, breakfast items | 6 |
| 17 | Bob Evans Farms, Inc.(5)* | New Albany, OH | J. Michael Townsley, president, CEO | $907M** | 9/30/2019 | Sandwiches, breakfast items | 2 |
| 18 | Ruiz Food Products Inc. | Dinuba, CA | Kimberly Ruiz Beck, chairman | $785M* | 10/31/2019 | Mexican entrées, meals, dinners | 3 |
| 19 | Nation Pizza and Foods* | Schaumburg, IL | Richard Auskalnis, president | $500M** | N.A. | Pizza, sandwiches | 2 |
| 20 | Amy's Kitchen Inc.* | Santa Rosa, CA | Andy Berliner, CEO and co- Founder | $480M** | N.A. | Entrées, pizza, burritos, wraps, global meals | 4 |
| 21 | Monogram Foods* | Memphis, TN | Karl Schledwitz, chairman, CEO | $414.3M | 12/31/2019 | Entrées, sandwiches, breakfast items | 8 |
| 22 | Request Foods Inc.(a) | Holland, MI | Steve DeWitt, president | $350M** | 9/30/2019 | Meals, entrées, breakfast items, pasta dishes, side dishes | 2 |
| 23 | Palermo Villa Inc. | Milwaukee, WI | Giacomo Fallucca, chairman, CEO | $305M* | 12/31/2019 | Pizza, sandwiches, handheld items | 1 |
| 24 | On-Cor Frozen Foods, LLC(6)* | Aurora, IL | Kevin Scott, senior EVP, OSI Group North America | $200M | 12/31/2019 | Entrées, pasta meals, breakfast items | 2 |
| 25 | Inn Foods Inc.(7) | Watsonville, CA | Byron Johnson, president, CEO | $112.7M** | 12/31/2019 | Entrées, meal kits, pasta meals, breakfast items | 1 |
* Company declined to confirm. ** Company-wide. (1)Unit of Nestlé S.A. (2)Unit of Ajinomoto Inc. (3) Unit of CJ CheilJedang (CJCJ) (4)Unit of Aryzta AG (5)Unit of Post Holdings, Inc. (6)Unit of OSI Group, LLC (7)Unit of VPS Companies
| Rank | Company Name | HQs | Top Executive | 2019-20 Sales | FY Ended | Product | No. of Plants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyson Foods Inc.* | Springdale, AR | Noel White, president, CEO | $42.4B** | 9/28/2019 | Tortillas, breadsticks | 110 |
| 2 | General Mills, Inc.* | Minneapolis, MN | Jeff Harmening, CEO | $16.9B** | 5/26/2019 | Bread, dough | 9 |
| 3 | Conagra Brands* | Chicago, IL | Sean Connolly, president, CEO | $9.538B** | 5/31/2019 | Dough, bread, cakes, pies | 32 |
| 4 | Flowers Foods Inc. | Thomasville, GA | Ryals McMullian, president, CEO | $4.1B** | 12/31/2019 | Bread, cookies, dough | 46 |
| 5 | Rich Products Corp. | Buffalo, NY | Richard Ferranti, CEO | $4B** | 12/31/2019 | Bread, rolls, bagels, biscuits, cookies, cakes, dough, pizza crust | 41 |
| 6 | Campbell Soup Company* | Norwalk, CT | Mark Clouse, president, CEO | $3.7B(a) | 7/28/2019 | Bread, cakes, dough | 2 |
| 7 | The Kroger Co.* | Cincinnati, OH | Rodney McMullen, chairman, CEO | $3.5B | 2/1/2020 | Bread, cookies, dough | 10 |
| 8 | Schwan's Co.(1)* | Marshall, MN | Dimitrios Smyrnios, CEO | $3.2B** | 12/31/2019 | Dough, pies | 16 |
| 9 | Brill, Inc.(2)* | Tucker, GA | Marianne Kirkegaard, president, CEO | $2.4B** | 12/31/2019 | Dough, bread, cookies | 27 |
| 10 | ARYZTA North America(3)* | Los Angeles, CA | Dave Johnson, CEO North America | $1.39B | 7/31/2019 | Cookie dough, ready-to-bake bread | 19 |
| 11 | Weston Foods(4) | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | Luc Mongeau, president | $1.6B** | 12/31/2019 | Bread, cakes, pies, desserts, cookies, rolls, bagels, biscuits | 48 |
| 12 | Dawn Food Products Inc.* | Jackson, MI | Carrie Jones-Barber, CEO | $1.5B* | 12/31/2019 | Cakes, cookies, dough, breakfast items | 4 |
| 13 | Lancaster Colony Corp.* | Westerville, OH | Dave Ciesinski, president, CEO | $1.3B** | 6/30/2019 | Garlic bread, rolls | 17 |
| 14 | J&J Snack Foods Corp.* | Pennsauken, NJ | Gerald Shreiber, president, CEO | $1.186B** | 9/28/2019 | Pretzel rolls, cookies, bread, biscuits, pastries | 18 |
| 15 | EUROPASTRY USA(5)* | Ronkonkoma, NY | Oriol Tey, president | $850M | 12/31/2019 | Bread, cookies, dough | 3 |
| 16 | Hostess Brands, LLC* | Kansas City, MO | Andrew Callahan, president, CEO | $850.4M** | 12/31/2019 | Baked goods | 6 |
| 17 | Give and Go Prepared Foods Corp.(6) | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | Joel Flatt, president, CEO | $470M** | 6/30/2019 | Bread, rolls, bagels, biscuits, dough, cookies, cakes, desserts | 6 |
| 18 | The Bama Cos., Inc.* | Tulsa, OK | Paula Marshall, CEO | $350M | N.A. | Pizza crust, pies, bread | 4 |
| 19 | Palermo Villa | Milwaukee, WI | Giacomo Fallucca, chairman, CEO | $305M*(**) | 12/31/2019 | Pizza crust | 1 |
| 20 | Harlan Bakeries, LLC* | Avon, IN | Hugh Harlan, president | $300M | 12/31/2019 | Bread, cookies, dough | 7 |
| 21 | Gonnella Baking Co.* | Schaumburg, IL | Tom Marcucci, director | $230M | 12/31/2019 | Bread, dough | 3 |
| 22 | Turano Baking Co.* | Berwyn, IL | Joseph Turano, president | $200M | 12/31/2019 | Bread | 4 |
| 23 | Bridgford Foods Corp.* | Anaheim, CA | John Simmons, president | $188M** | 11/1/2019 | Dough, bread, rolls, biscuits | 6 |
| 24 | Dianne's Fine Desserts(7) | Newburyport, MA | Mike Knowles, CEO | $100M | 12/31/2019 | Frozen desserts, cakes, cookies, novelties | 2 |
| 25 | Rhodes International* | Salt Lake City, UT | Ken Farnsworth, Jr., CEO | $65M | 6/30/2019 | Bread, rolls, cinnamon roll dough | 2 |
* Company declined to confirm. ** Company-wide. (a)Bakery part of Campbell’s snack segment. (1)Unit of CJ CheilJedang (CJCJ) (2)Unit of CSM Bakery Solutions (3)Unit of Aryzta AG (4)Unit of George Weston Ltd. (5)Unit of EUROPASTRY S.A. (6)Unit of Thomas H. Lee Partners (7)Unit of Geneva Glen Capital
| Rank | Company Name | HQs | Top Executive | 2019-20 Sales | FY Ended | Product | No. of Plants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyson Foods Inc.* | Springdale, AR | Noel White, president, CEO | $42.4B** | 9/28/2019 | Chicken, beef, pork, seafood | 110 |
| 2 | JBS USA(1)* | Greeley, CO | Andre Nogueira, CEO | $35.8B** | 12/31/2019 | Beef, pork, chicken, lamb | 60 |
| 3 | Cargill Protein(2)* | Wichita, KS | Jon Nash, president | $20B** | 5/31/2019 | Beef, poultry | 36 |
| 4 | Hormel Foods Corp. | Austin, MN | Jim Snee, chairman, president, CEO | $9.5B** | 10/27/2019 | Poultry | 30 |
| 5 | Perdue Farms LLC* | Salisbury, MD | Randy Day, CEO | $7.3B** | 3/31/2019 | Poultry, pork | 14 |
| 6 | OSI Group LLC* | Aurora, IL | Sheldon Lavin, chairman, CEO | $6.3B** | 12/31/2019 | Beef, pork, poultry, seafood | 58 |
| 7 | Rich Products Corp. | Buffalo, NY | Richard Ferranti, CEO | $4B** | 12/31/2019 | Beef, pork, poultry, seafood | 41 |
| 8 | Koch Foods* | Park Ridge, IL | Joseph Grendys, president, CEO | $3.6B** | 12/31/2019 | Chicken | 18 |
| 9 | Sanderson Farms Inc. | Laurel, MS | Joe F. Sanderson, Jr., chairman, CEO | $3.4B** | 10/31/2019 | Chicken | 13 |
| 10 | American Foods Group, LLC* | Green Bay, WI | Steve Van Lannen, president, COO | $3.1B** | 9/30/2019 | Beef | 18 |
| 11 | Wayne Farms LLC* | Oakwood, GA | J. Clinton Rivers, CEO | $2.2B** | 3/31/2019 | Chicken | 11 |
| 12 | Mountaire Farms Inc. (3)* | Millsboro, DE | Phillip Plylar, president | $2.1B** | 12/31/2019 | Chicken | 3 |
| 13 | Greater Omaha Packing Co. Inc.* | Omaha, NE | Henry Davis, president, CEO | $1.9B** | 11/1/2019 | Beef | 1 |
| 14 | Seaboard Foods, LLC* | Merriam, KS | Duke Sand, president, CEO | $1.609B** | 12/31/2019 | Pork | 5 |
| 15 | Butterball LLC(4)* | Garner, NC | Jay Jandrain, president, CEO | $1.5B** | 12/31/2019 | Turkey, pork | 6 |
| 16 | High Liner Foods | Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada | Rod Hepponstall, CEO | $1.04B** | 12/31/2019 | Seafood | 3 |
| 17 | West Liberty Foods, LLC* | West Liberty, IA | Ed Garrett, CEO | $1.02B** | 4/30/2019 | Poultry, pork, beef | 4 |
| 18 | Simmons Prepared Foods, Inc.* | Siloam Springs, AR | David Jackson, president, COO | $940M** | 12/31/2019 | Chicken | 6 |
| 19 | Fieldale Farms Corp.* | Baldwin, GA | Tom Hensley, president | $900M** | 9/30/2019 | Chicken | 3 |
| 20 | John Soules Foods, Inc. | Tyler, TX | John Soules, Jr. & Mark Soules, co-CEOs | $500M** | 12/28/19 | Beef, poultry, pork | 2 |
| 21 | Colorado Premium* | Greeley, CO | Kevin LaFleur, president | $405M** | N.A. | Beef, poultry | 4 |
| 22 | Rastelli Foods Group | Swedesboro, NJ | Raymond Rastelli, Jr., owner, CEO | $400M** | 12/31/2019 | Beef, poultry, seafood | 1 |
| 23 | Empirical Foods Inc.* | Dakota Dunes, SD | Craig Letch, president | $400M** | 12/31/2019 | Beef | 4 |
| 24 | Golden State Foods | Irvine, CA | Mark Wetterau, chairman, CEO | $350M** | 12/31/2019 | Beef patties | 1 |
| 25 | Jensen Meat Co., Inc. | San Diego, CA | Abel Olivera, CEO | $200M** | 12/31/2019 | Beef patties | 1 |
* Company declined to confirm. ** Company-wide. (1)Unit of JBS S.A. (2)Unit of Cargill Inc. (3)Unit of Mountaire Corp. (4)Unit of Seaboard Corp. and Maxwell Farms, LLC
| Rank | Company Name | HQs | Top Executive | 2019-20 Sales | FY Ended | Product | No. of Plants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyson Foods Inc.* | Springdale, AR | Noel White, president, CEO | $42.4B** | 9/28/2019 | Meals, entrées, dinners, pizza, breakfast items, handheld sandwiches | 110 |
| 2 | Nestlé USA(1)* | Rosslyn, VA | John Carmichael, president, Nestlé Foods Division | $33.7B** | 12/31/2019 | Meals, pizza, meal kits, pasta dishes, handheld sandwiches, breakfast items | 10 |
| 3 | The Kraft Heinz Co.* | Chicago, IL & Pittsburgh, PA | Miguel Patricio, CEO | $24.9B** | 12/28/2019 | Meals, entrées, pizza, breakfast items, pasta dinners | 3 |
| 4 | General Mills Inc.* | Minneapolis, MN | Jeff Harmening, chairman, CEO | $16.9B** | 5/26/2019 | Pizza, entrées, sandwiches, pasta meals, breakfast items | 9 |
| 5 | Conagra Brands* | Chicago, IL | Sean Connolly, president, CEO | $9.538B** | 5/31/2019 | Meals, entrées, pot pies, pasta dishes, meal kits, breakfast items, handheld sandwiches | 32 |
| 6 | McCain Foods Ltd.* | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | Max Koeune, president, CEO | $7.5B** | 6/30/2019 | Potato specialties, snacks | 53 |
| 7 | J. R. Simplot Co.* | Boise, ID | Garrett Lofto, president, CEO | $6B** | 9/30/2019 | Meals, entrées | 20 |
| 8 | Ajinomoto Foods North America, Inc.(2)* | Ontario, CA | Sumio Maeda, CEO | $4.3B** | 3/31/2019 | Global snacks | 8 |
| 9 | Rich Products Corp. | Buffalo, NY | Richard Ferranti, CEO | $4B** | 12/31/2019 | Snacks, appetizers, potato specialties, side dishes | 41 |
| 10 | Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc.* | Eagle, ID | Tom Werner, president, CEO | $3.7M** | 6/30/2019 | Potato specialties | 25 |
| 11 | Koch Foods* | Park Ridge, IL | Joseph Grendys, president, CEO | $3.6B** | 12/31/2019 | Chicken meals | 18 |
| 12 | Schwan's Co.(3)* | Marshall, MN | Dimitrios Smyrnios, CEO | $3.2B** | 12/31/2019 | Meals, pizza | 16 |
| 13 | J&J Snack Foods Corp.* | Pennsauken, NJ | Gerald Shreiber, president, CEO | $1.186B** | 9/28/2019 | Soft pretzels, pretzel rolls, pocket sandwiches, handheld fruit pies | 18 |
| 14 | Simmons Prepared Foods, Inc.* | Siloam Springs, AR | David Jackson, president, COO | $940M** | 12/31/2019 | Snacks, appetizers | 6 |
| 15 | Bob Evans Farms, Inc.(4)* | New Albany, OH | J. Michael Townsley, president, CEO | $907M** | 9/30/2019 | Breakfast items | 2 |
| 16 | Ruiz Food Products Inc. | Dinuba, CA | Kimberly Ruiz Beck, chairman | $785M* | 10/31/2019 | Mexican appetizers, breakfast sandwiches and handheld items | 3 |
| 17 | Cavendish Farms(5)* | Dieppe, NB, Canada | Robert Irving, president, co-CEO | $475M | 12/31/2019 | Potato specialties, breakfast items | 5 |
| 18 | Monogram Foods* | Memphis, TN | Karl Schledwitz, chairman, CEO | $414.3M | 12/31/2019 | Snacks, potato specialties | 8 |
| 19 | P.F. Chang's Home Menu(6)* | Scottsdale, AZ | Ernesto Morales, CEO | $133M | 5/26/2019 | Global side dishes | N.A. |
| 20 | Inn Foods Inc.(7) | Watsonville, CA | Byron Johnson, president, CEO | $112.7M** | 12/31/2019 | Potato specialties | 1 |
| 21 | Bellisio Foods Inc.(8)* | Minneapolis, MN | Tom Smith, CEO | $99M** | 12/31/2019 | Snacks, potato specialties | 4 |
| 22 | Morrison Lamothe Inc.* | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | David Pigott, president | $75M | N.A. | Hors d'oeuvres, snacks, hand-held/ convenience foods, meat pies | 3 |
| 23 | Reser's Fine Foods* | Beaverton, OR | Mark Reser, president, CEO | $65M | 12/31/2019 | Mexican snacks, appetizers | 2 |
| 24 | Cuisine Innovations Unlimited LLC(9) | Lakewood, NJ | Ron Rexroth, CEO, owner | $50M* | 12/31/2019 | Hors d'oeuvres, appetizers, dough | 2 |
| 25 | Mrs. T's Pierogies(10) | Shenandoah, PA | Tom Twardzik, president | $43.5M* | N.A. | Potato specialties | 1 |
* Company declined to confirm. ** Company-wide. (a)2018 sales. 2019 not public at press time. (1)Unit of Nestlé S.A. (2)Unit of Ajinomoto Inc. (3)Unit of CJ CheilJedang (CJCJ) (4)Unit of Post Holdings, Inc. (5)Unit of J.D. Irving Group of Companies (6)Unit of Conagra (7)Unit of VPS Companies (8)Unit of Charoen Pokphand Foods (9)Unit of The Fillo Factory (9) Unit of Ateeco Inc.
