Celeste (frozen pizza)

Celeste is a brand of frozen pizza owned by Pinnacle Foods. It is widely referred to by its former name Mama Celeste. The brand's slogan is Abbondanza, which means "Abundance" in Italian.

Background

The product was named after Celeste (née Luise) Lizio (1908-1988) who carried the nickname "Mama Celeste". She 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 1932. In 1962, the Lizios closed the restaurant and began selling pizzas to other restaurants. The Quaker Oats Company acquired the product in 1969. Celeste frozen pizza was one of the top selling brands in the 1970s but subsequently experienced declines. The Celeste brand was later acquired by Aurora Foods, and then Pinnacle Foods.

As of 2012, Pinnacle Foods marketed only frozen, microwavable "Pizza For One" varieties of Celeste pizzas. Distribution is now restricted to more regional markets.

Popular culture

Film

• In numerous 1980s movies, the pizza brand can be seen in background shots, such as Harry and the Hendersons (1987).
• In Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (1991), Sue Ellen uses a Celeste pizza box to decide who gets a job.

Television

• In The Golden Girls episode "The Triangle" (1985), Sophia tells Rose a story of having been childhood friends in Italy with the woman who would go on to become Mama Celeste. Later in the episode, she yells, "Abbondanza" into the freezer and makes an obscene gesture.
• In the Welcome Back Kotter episode "Sweatmobile" (1978; S4 E6), a nurse says to Vinnie's aunt, "You must be Mrs. Barbarino". The aunt replies, "What do you think? I'm Mama Celeste?"

See also

• List of frozen food brands

External links

• New York Times obituary of Celeste Lizio
• Pinnacle Foods' Celeste page