CHICAGO, Sept. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG) is celebrating its 100-year anniversary in the food industry this month, a milestone enabled by the company's unwavering commitment to embrace change. Throughout September, Conagra will recognize its 100th year by celebrating its portfolio of iconic and emerging food brands and encouraging employees to give back to the communities where they live and work.
"Our journey started 100 years ago in Nebraska and continues today as we strive to deliver exceptional value for all of our stakeholders – our investors, employees, consumers, customers and communities," said Sean Connolly, president and chief executive officer, Conagra Brands. "The Conagra Brands of today is much different than the past. But as we've embraced change over the last century, we've never forgotten our entrepreneurial roots, and the people who helped build Conagra into the business it is now."
To honor its rich heritage of community investment, Conagra is launching a "100 Years, 100 Actions" campaign for the month of September. The campaign, which focuses on taking actions of any size that make a positive impact, encourages employees to give back to others in large and small ways, creating a ripple effect of kindness. Conagra's employees will be posting their experiences to social media using #Conagra100.
Conagra is also celebrating its portfolio of iconic and emerging food brands. The company's brands were founded by forward-thinking entrepreneurs, and today, Conagra's employees embrace a similar passion for creativity and results. Brand founders' highlights include:
- Angie's® BOOMCHICKAPOP®: Husband and wife entrepreneurs Dan and Angie Bastian popped kettle corn in their Mankato, Minn. garage to teach their kids the value of hard work and have a little fun along the way. They also wanted a snack they felt good about feeding their family. Today the brand features hugely flavorful snacks made with real, simple ingredients.
- Birds Eye®: Inspired by fishers flash-freezing their catches under arctic temperatures, Clarence Birdseye received a U.S. patent for his quick freeze machine in 1927, ushering in the era of frozen food. Now, the brand combines "delicious" and "healthy" with vegetable meals and sides that offer convenience and variety.
- Duncan Hines®: Travelling salesman Duncan Hines crafted "Adventures In Good Eating" guides which became staples of mid-20th century road trips. In 1952, Hines and business partner Roy Park brought over 250 food products to market under the Duncan Hines label. The current line of cake and brownie mixes and Perfect Size for 1 sweet treats carry on Hines' appetite for baking.
- Frontera®: Chef Rick Bayless opened Frontera Grill, his first restaurant, in 1987. He launched Frontera Foods almost a decade later. Rick continues to inspire and guide the brand's mission: To bring the culinary richness of Mexico to kitchens everywhere, so all of us can create authentic flavorful food that brings people together and connects them with the bold taste and spirit of Mexico.
- Healthy Choice®: When former Conagra CEO Mike Harper suffered a heart attack in 1985, he began seeking healthier diet alternatives. This led to his idea for a line of delicious and healthy frozen foods that would make it easier for people to live a healthier lifestyle.
- Hunt's®: Joseph and William Hunt's mother taught them how to preserve the quality and taste of fruits and vegetables through canning, and in 1888, they started the Hunt Brothers Fruit Packing Company in California. Today, Hunt's tomatoes are picked at the peak of ripeness and canned within hours in Oakdale, Calif.
About Conagra Brands
Conagra Brands, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), headquartered in Chicago, is one of North America's leading branded food companies. Guided by an entrepreneurial spirit, Conagra Brands combines a rich heritage of making great food with a sharpened focus on innovation. The company's portfolio is evolving to satisfy people's changing food preferences. Conagra's iconic brands, such as Birds Eye®, Marie Callender's®, Banquet®, Healthy Choice®, Slim Jim®, Reddi-wip®, and Vlasic®, as well as emerging brands, including Angie's® BOOMCHICKAPOP®, Duke's®, Earth Balance®, Gardein®, and Frontera®, offer choices for every occasion. For more information, visit www.conagrabrands.com.
