Food
Totino’s becomes 9th billion-dollar brand for General Mills
From a small mom-and-pop shop to a global brand, learn how Totino’s reached its billion-dollar status.
How Totino's got its start
All great things start from humble beginnings. This can be said about Totino’s, which just marked a notable achievement becoming the ninth billion-dollar brand from General Mills, joining the ranks of other iconic brands such as Cheerios™, Nature Valley™ and Blue Buffalo™.
In 1951, Rose and Jim Totino opened their first pizzeria in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with just a $1,500 loan.
The small, take-out pizza shop quickly transformed into a sit-down restaurant due to consumer demand and eventually evolved into Totino’s Finer Foods, which mass produced and sold frozen pizzas consumers could enjoy at home.
It was this development that cemented Totino’s legacy as the pioneers of the frozen pizza industry and a national sensation.
Delivering consumer love
Since then, the beloved Totino’s brand has continued to be a consumer favorite, maintaining its brand relevance and awareness through innovation. In fact, more than 1 out of 4 American households eats Totino’s™ Pizza Rolls™ brand pizza snacks or Party Pizzas™ each year.
With a keen awareness of its target consumer, Totino’s has remained a core part of pop culture today, finding unique ways to capture the attention of its teen audience.
Across all brands at General Mills, Totino’s sees the highest consumer engagement on social media activations. From delectable recipes such as Parmesan and Garlic Pizza Rolls, which received more than 30 million views on TikTok, to product collaborations with partners like FaZe Clan, a lifestyle and media platform rooted in gaming and youth culture, Totino’s is delivering not only product, but engaging content their fans simply can’t get enough of.
Meeting consumer demand
Totino’s notable success and growth as a brand hasn’t come without its challenges. From supply and capacity constraints, the brand has had to remain nimble and meet these challenges head on.
When demand increased for snacks during the pandemic, the brand faced supply constraints at the same time. Totino’s rose to the challenge, implementing quick pivots to address a shortage of starch, a critical ingredient in the brand’s products. More than 25 alternative formulations were created without sacrificing on taste or quality, which led to the brand being able to rebound quickly.
“Totino’s has experienced and overcome many challenges in recent years,” says Emily Thomas, president of U.S. Snacks at General Mills. “To see a multi-year track record of growth during this time is a true testament to the resiliency of the brand and something we’re incredibly proud of at General Mills.”
To meet consumer demand, Totino’s also recently invested in an expansion at its Wellston, Ohio, manufacturing facility. The Wellston location is one of General Mills’ largest facilities and the $100 million expansion will ensure supply remains consistent in the future to meet on-shelf demand and support the bold innovations the brand has in the works.
To learn more about Totino’s and its products, visit www.Totinos.com and follow the brand on Instagram @totinos.