Stouffer's facts for kids
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Stouffer's cooked Swedish Meatballs
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| Owner | Nestlé (1973-) |
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| Country | United States |
| Introduced | 1922 |
| Discontinued | 2023 (Canada only) |
| Related brands | Lean Cuisine |
| Markets |
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| Previous owners | Litton Industries (1967–1973) |
Stouffer's is a well-known brand that makes frozen meals. These are easy-to-prepare dishes you can heat up at home. The company is currently owned by Nestlé, a very large food company.
You can find Stouffer's products in the United States. They used to be sold in Canada too, but Nestlé Canada stopped selling frozen meals there in 2023. Stouffer's is famous for popular meals like lasagna, macaroni and cheese, and meatloaf. They also make a line of meals with less fat called Lean Cuisine.
Contents
The Story of Stouffer's Food
The Stouffer family started their business a long time ago, in 1898. James B. Stouffer and his son Abraham began with a creamery company in Cleveland, Ohio. A creamery is a place that makes dairy products like butter and milk.
By 1914, their creamery business had grown a lot. It became one of the biggest makers of dairy products in Cleveland. They got milk from over 1,500 farmers!
From Dairy to Delicious Meals
In 1922, Abraham Stouffer and his wife, Lena, decided to try something new. They took over one of their milk stands and turned it into a small restaurant. They served simple foods like buttermilk and sandwiches.
Lena Stouffer's homemade Dutch apple pie was a huge hit! Many people say her pie was the main reason the restaurant became popular so quickly.
Growing the Restaurant Business
The first official Stouffer Lunch restaurant opened in 1924. Abraham and Lena's sons, Vernon and Gordon, helped them expand the business. Vernon had studied finance, which helped a lot.
In 1929, the company became the Stouffer Corporation. This meant it was now a public company, and people could buy shares in it. That same year, Stouffer's opened restaurants outside of Ohio, in cities like Detroit and Pittsburgh.
After Abraham Stouffer passed away in 1936, the company kept growing. They opened their first restaurant in New York City.
Stouffer's Enters the Frozen Food World
A big change happened in 1946. Stouffer's decided to start making frozen foods. This was a new way for them to offer their tasty meals to more people. In 1956, the company officially changed its name to Stouffer Foods Corporation.
Stouffer's even owned hotels for a while, starting in 1960. They also operated some restaurants at Walt Disney World, like the Liberty Tree Tavern.
In 1973, a company called Nestlé bought Stouffer's. Nestlé still owns Stouffer's today.
Important Rules and Recalls
Sometimes, food companies have to follow special rules or make changes to their products. This helps keep food safe and fair for everyone.
About Sodium in Meals
In 1991, there was a discussion about how Stouffer's described the salt (sodium) content in their Lean Cuisine meals. Stouffer's said their meals had "controlled sodium." However, rules said that if you say something is "low sodium," it has to be below a certain amount. Stouffer's had to make sure their labels were very clear for customers.
Protecting Brand Names
In 2003, another company called Applebee's sued Stouffer's. Applebee's had a line of meals called "Skillet Sensations." Stouffer's also started selling meals with a similar name. Applebee's said this was confusing for customers. The court decided that Applebee's was right, and Stouffer's had to change the name of their product. This shows how important it is for companies to protect their unique brand names.
Food Safety Recalls
Food companies sometimes have to recall products. A recall means they ask customers to return a product because there might be a problem with it. This is done to keep people safe.
- In 2011, some Lean Cuisine spaghetti and meatballs were recalled. This happened because a few people found small pieces of plastic in their meals.
- In 2016, some Stouffer's products were recalled because there was a chance they might contain tiny pieces of glass.
These recalls show that companies take food safety seriously and act quickly when problems are found.
