Celeste (frozen pizza)

Celeste is a brand of frozen pizza owned by Conagra Brands.^[1] It is widely referred to by its former name Mama Celeste. The brand's slogan is Abbondanza, which means "Abundance" in Italian.^[2]

Frozen Celeste Pizza for One

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.^[2][3][4] The Quaker Oats Company acquired the product in 1969.^[2][3][4][5] 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.^[2][3][4] The Celeste brand was later acquired by Aurora Foods^[6] and then Pinnacle Foods. In 2018, Conagra Brands acquired Pinnacle Foods, which included the Celeste brand.^[7] As of 2025, Celeste Pizza is produced and distributed by Conagra.^[1]

In 2012, Pinnacle Foods marketed only frozen, microwavable "Pizza for One" varieties of Celeste pizzas and distribution was restricted to more regional markets.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• List of frozen food brands
• List of Conagra brands