Celeste Frozen Pizza Production Halted by Conagra, Igniting Consumer Nostalgia

Conagra Brands has halted production of the Celeste frozen pizza line, prompting longtime consumers to recall the budget-friendly freezer staple that defined a generation.

During its fiscal first-quarter 2027 earnings call on September 30, Conagra disclosed that discontinuing Celeste reduced first-quarter net sales by approximately 15 basis points, though the company expects the move to “be accretive to margins going forward.”

CEO John Brase described Celeste as a smaller brand where the company no longer perceives a viable future.

“There are certain brands and categories where we simply do not see a future,” Brase stated. “It just makes sense to exit those small, unprofitable brands or low-profit brands as soon as possible.”

Conagra Brands has stopped producing Celeste frozen pizzas. (Timon Schneider/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

A Conagra spokesperson confirmed to FOX Business that Celeste production has ended, though remaining inventory will continue to appear on store shelves until sold out.

“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 noted that Conagra intends to seek comparable opportunities while simplifying its portfolio.

“I think the larger opportunity, though, is what I am really calling the simplification of our core platforms,” he explained. “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.”

News of Celeste’s exit has sparked nostalgia on social media, with users sharing memories of the pizzas. (iStock)

Social media users have flooded comments with nostalgic recollections of Celeste pizzas.

“RIP Mama Celeste. You were a good one. Those 10 for $10 deals were the pinnacle of the 90s,” one user wrote on a food blogger’s Instagram post.

“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 user shared.

“My eyes welled up reading this. This pizza reminds me of my grandma,” another commenter said.

News of Celeste’s exit has sparked nostalgia on social media, with users sharing memories of the pizzas. (iStock)

“This was my childhood pizza,” another added.

Celeste traces its origins to Celeste “Mama” Lizio, who established a food business in the Chicago area before selling it to Quaker Oats in 1969, according to a 1988 Los Angeles Times obituary.

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