Bellisio Foods Incorporated (formerly Michelina's) is an American

frozen food Freezing food Food preservation, preserves it from the time it is prepared to the time it is eaten. Since early times, farmers, fishermen, and trappers have preserved grains and produce in unheated buildings during the winter season. Freezing foo ...

manufacturer based in

Minneapolis Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...

, Minnesota. The company was founded by

Jeno Paulucci Luigino "Jeno" Francesco Paulucci (July 5, 1918 – November 24, 2011) was an American food industry magnate, investor, and philanthropist. Paulucci started over 70 companies; his most well-known ventures included the frozen food company Bel ...

Duluth, Minnesota Duluth ( ) is a Port, port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of St. Louis County, Minnesota, St. Louis County. Located on Lake Superior in Minnesota's Arrowhead Region, the city is a hub for cargo shipping. The population ...

, and is now owned by Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited of Thailand. Its products are primarily sold in the United States and are also distributed in more than 12 countries, including Canada, Australia, Russia and China. As the third-largest producer of frozen entrees in the United States the company has a daily production capacity of over two million meals. The company produces over 400 products in multiple categories, including single-serve and multi-serve entrees, snacks, side dishes and specialty sauces. Bellisio brands include Michelina's, Michelina's Lean Gourmet, Michelina's Budget Gourmet, Fusion Culinary, Arden Kitchens, Chariton and Howlin’ Coyote. The company also offers contract manufacturing via

private label A private label, also called a private brand or private-label brand, is a brand owned by a company, offered by that company alongside and competing with brands from other businesses. A private-label brand is almost always offered exclusively by th ...

and co-pack partnerships for retail products. Co-pack brands include

Chili's Chili's Grill & Bar (stylized as chili's) is an American casual dining restaurant chain founded by Larry Lavine in Texas in 1975 and is currently owned and operated by Brinker International. History Chili's first location, a converted postal ...

Boston Market Boston Market Corporation, known as Boston Chicken until 1995, is an American fast casual restaurant chain headquartered in Newtown Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Newtown Township, Pennsylvania. Since 2020, it has been owned by Engage Bra ...

and

Zatarain's Zatarain's is an American food and spice company based in New Orleans, Louisiana, in the United States that makes a large family of products with seasonings and spices that are part of the cultural cuisine and heritage of Louisiana and New Orlean ...

. Bellisio operates Fusion Culinary Center, a wholly owned subsidiary based in

Lakeville, Minnesota Lakeville is an exurb of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, and the largest city in Dakota County, Minnesota, United States. It is about south of both downtown Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul along Interstate 35 in Minnesota, Interstate 35. Lakeville w ...

. Fusion conducts research and development for many national restaurant chains. Originally produced in Duluth, Bellisio's products now ship from its facility in

Jackson, Ohio Jackson is a city in and the county seat of Jackson County, Ohio, United States about southeast of Chillicothe. Its population was 6,252 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Jackson, Ohio micropolitan area, which consists of ...

. Duluth still handles portions of the packaging and financial departments. The executive offices of Bellisio are in Minneapolis.

Acquisitions

On June 16, 2013, Bellisio purchased APC Foods, located in

Austin, Minnesota Austin is a city in and the county seat of Mower County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 26,174 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The town was originally settled along the Cedar River (Iowa River), Cedar River and has ...

, for $6.1 million. APC was for sale after its owners filed for receivership to avoid bankruptcy. Also in 2013, Overhill Farms Inc., a frozen foods manufacturer based in

Vernon, California Vernon is a city south of downtown Los Angeles, California, the nearest separate city to downtown Los Angeles. The population was 112 at the 2010 United States census, the least of any incorporated city in the state. Its population nearly doub ...

, was acquired by the company for approximately $80 million. Bellisio was purchased by Thai food conglomerate

Charoen Pokphand Foods Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited, () a company of the Charoen Pokphand Group, is an agro-industrial and food conglomerate headquartered in Thailand. It is one of the world's largest producers of feed and shrimp, and is also a global ...

in 2016 for $1.08 billion.

References

External links

Bellisio Foods Corporate Website
Companies based in Minneapolis Food manufacturers of the United States Frozen food brands Food and drink companies established in 1990 1990 establishments in Minnesota American subsidiaries of foreign companies {{US-manufacturing-company-stub