DiGiorno
Product brand
UnclaimedAn American frozen-pizza brand built around rising-crust pizzas marketed as an alternative to delivery, also sold in Canada as Delissio until 2023.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
DiGiorno is a frozen-pizza brand sold primarily in the United States and owned by Nestlé. Its central proposition is that a frozen pizza can provide an oven-baked, pizzeria-like experience at home. The brand is especially associated with its rising-crust format, which is designed to expand during baking and produce a thicker crust than many conventional frozen pizzas. Its advertising has long used the line “It’s not delivery. It’s DiGiorno,” positioning the product as a convenient substitute for ordering pizza rather than simply as another frozen meal. The DiGiorno product line began with pastas and sauces in 1991, while pizzas entered the United States market in 1995. The brand was also sold in Canada, where it was rebranded as Delissio in 1999. Kraft had previously used the Delissio name for other pizza products during the 1980s. In 2010, Kraft sold its frozen-pizza business, including DiGiorno and Delissio, to Nestlé. The transaction formed part of Kraft’s broader financing and strategic positioning during its pursuit of Cadbury. After the acquisition, Nestlé expanded the franchise beyond core pizzas into complementary frozen items, including breadsticks, boneless chicken products marketed as Wyngz, and Toll House cookie products sold in pizza-related offerings. DiGiorno’s principal business is the manufacture and national distribution of frozen pizzas in the contiguous United States. Reference material associated with the brand states that its facilities produced more than 250,000 pizzas per day for national consumers. Reported pizza revenue exceeded $1 billion in 2017, although the figure refers to a historical period and is not a current valuation or sales estimate. The portfolio has included rising-crust, cheese, meat, specialty-topping, and customizable formats, with products offered in multiple sizes and configurations. The brand has also used digital and social-media activity to maintain consumer engagement. In 2018, it participated in the “1st Annual Best Friend Tournament,” a Twitter-based competition organized by Kinda Funny. DiGiorno advanced through several rounds before losing in the semifinal to Barbara Dunkelman. In 2013, the brand announced a Design A Pizza Kit, allowing consumers to customize a cheese pizza with separately packaged meats, vegetables, shredded cheese, and seasoning. DiGiorno’s supply chain attracted scrutiny in 2013 after Mercy for Animals released undercover footage concerning animal treatment at Wiese Brothers Farm, a dairy supplier connected to DiGiorno’s dairy supplier, Foremost Farms USA. The footage showed alleged mistreatment of cows. Nestlé and Foremost Farms USA said they had not known about the conduct. The incident placed animal-welfare oversight and supplier controls at the center of discussion about the brand. In Canada, Nestlé announced in February 2023 that it would wind down and leave its frozen-meals and pizza business there within six months, ending the Canadian Delissio business. DiGiorno remains an active United States frozen-pizza brand under Nestlé.
History
DiGiorno developed within the North American packaged-food market as a brand intended to narrow the perceived gap between frozen pizza and restaurant pizza. The line began in 1991 with pastas and sauces. Pizza became available in the United States in 1995, and the brand’s rising-crust format became its most recognizable product platform. Rising crust is designed to expand in the oven, producing a thicker, softer crust and supporting the brand’s promise of a more freshly baked eating experience. The brand’s principal advertising idea was expressed through the slogan “It’s not delivery. It’s DiGiorno,” which framed the product as a substitute for ordering pizza rather than merely a convenient frozen food. DiGiorno was also sold in Canada, where it adopted the Delissio name in 1999. The Delissio identity had historical links to earlier Kraft pizza products, but the later Canadian business operated as part of the same broader frozen-pizza portfolio. A major ownership change occurred in 2010, when Kraft sold its frozen-pizza business to Nestlé. The assets included the DiGiorno and Delissio brands. Kraft’s divestiture supported its financial and strategic efforts during the Cadbury takeover period, while the transaction gave Nestlé a substantial position in the North American frozen-pizza category. Under Nestlé, DiGiorno’s range broadened beyond pizza into associated frozen meal and appetizer products, including breadsticks, boneless chicken products sold under the Wyngz name, and Toll House cookie offerings associated with the wider product line. By 2013, reference material described DiGiorno as experiencing a four-year low in sales growth, prompting portfolio-revitalization efforts. The company introduced the Design A Pizza Kit during that period. The kit gave consumers a cheese pizza base and separate toppings and seasoning, reflecting an attempt to add participation and customization to a category usually centered on standardized products. The brand also faced reputational pressure that year when Mercy for Animals released footage alleging severe mistreatment of cows at Wiese Brothers Farm. Wiese Brothers was connected to Foremost Farms USA, a dairy supplier associated with DiGiorno. Nestlé and Foremost Farms USA denied prior knowledge of the alleged abuse. The episode highlighted the importance of supplier monitoring and animal-welfare standards in branded food production. DiGiorno continued to use social media and entertainment partnerships to engage consumers. In May 2018, it joined Kinda Funny’s “1st Annual Best Friend Tournament,” a Twitter poll competition involving consumer brands and online personalities. DiGiorno progressed to the semifinal stage but was defeated by Barbara Dunkelman. In Canada, Nestlé announced in February 2023 that it would exit frozen meals and pizza within approximately six months. This decision ended the Canadian Delissio business, while DiGiorno continued as an active United States brand. Its current identity remains centered on frozen pizzas, especially rising-crust products, sold through national retail distribution in the mainland United States.
- 2023
Canadian frozen-pizza business discontinued
[1]Nestlé Canada announced an exit from frozen meals and pizza, ending the Delissio operation in Canada.
- 2018
Best Friend Tournament social campaign
[1]DiGiorno reached the semifinal stage of Kinda Funny’s online Best Friend Tournament.
- 2013
Design A Pizza Kit announced
[1]DiGiorno announced a customizable pizza kit with separately packaged toppings and seasoning.
- 2010
Nestlé acquires Kraft’s frozen-pizza business
[1]Nestlé purchased Kraft’s frozen-pizza business, including DiGiorno and Delissio.
- 1999
Canadian business adopts the Delissio name
[1]The brand was rebranded as Delissio in Canada.
- 1995
DiGiorno pizzas launch in the United States
[1]DiGiorno began selling pizzas in the United States, establishing the category that became central to the brand.
- 1991
Initial pasta and sauce product line
[1]The DiGiorno product line originally entered the market with pastas and sauces.
Products and positioning
A convenient, relatively premium frozen-pizza alternative to delivery, emphasizing rising crust, oven-baked texture, generous toppings, and family meal occasions.
Frozen pizza · 1995
DiGiorno Rising Crust Pizza
The brand’s signature platform uses a crust designed to rise during baking. It is intended to deliver a thicker, softer, oven-baked texture and serves as the main expression of DiGiorno’s promise that a frozen pizza can provide an experience comparable to delivery. The range has included cheese, meat, and specialty-topping varieties in different sizes and configurations.
Customizable frozen pizza · 2013
Design A Pizza Kit
Announced in 2013, this format combined a cheese pizza with separately wrapped meats, vegetables, shredded cheese, and a seasoning packet. Its purpose was to let consumers personalize the pizza before baking, adding an interactive element to a standardized frozen-food product.
Frozen appetizer
DiGiorno Breadsticks
Breadsticks were added to the wider DiGiorno frozen-food portfolio after Nestlé acquired Kraft’s frozen-pizza business. They complement the core pizza range and extend the brand into side dishes and appetizer occasions.
Frozen chicken product
DiGiorno Wyngz
Wyngz are boneless chicken pieces included among the complementary products associated with the DiGiorno portfolio under Nestlé ownership. They represent an expansion from pizza into convenient frozen meal accompaniments.
Controversies
2013
Alleged abuse at a connected dairy farm
Mercy for Animals released undercover footage showing alleged abuse of dairy cows at Wiese Brothers Farm. The farm was connected to Foremost Farms USA, a dairy supplier associated with DiGiorno. Nestlé and Foremost Farms USA said they were unaware of the alleged conduct. The episode raised questions about animal-welfare monitoring within the brand’s supply chain.
Marketing campaigns
- 20181st Annual Best Friend Tournament
United States
DiGiorno participated in Kinda Funny’s Twitter poll-based tournament involving brands, entertainers, and online personalities. It advanced to the semifinals before losing to Barbara Dunkelman, gaining social-media exposure for the brand.
Outcome. The brand received social-media exposure and reached the semifinal round.
- It’s not delivery. It’s DiGiorno.
United States · Canada
DiGiorno’s best-known positioning campaign uses a contrast between home-baked frozen pizza and delivered restaurant pizza. The message presents the brand as sufficiently close to delivery in taste and experience that ordering delivery is unnecessary. It established the brand’s core advertising identity across the United States and Canada.
Outcome. Established the brand’s core advertising identity.
Brand decisions
2023
Nestlé Canada exits frozen meals and pizzaStrategyBackground
Nestlé Canada reviewed its frozen-meals and pizza operations.
Action taken
The company announced that it would wind down and leave the business within approximately six months.
Aftermath
The Canadian Delissio operation was discontinued, while DiGiorno continued in the United States.
2013
Launch planning for Design A Pizza KitProduct launchBackground
The brand was seeking to refresh its portfolio after a period of weaker sales growth.
Action taken
DiGiorno announced a kit that allowed consumers to add individually packaged toppings and seasoning to a cheese pizza.
Aftermath
The initiative represented a move toward customization and consumer participation within frozen pizza.
2010
Nestlé acquires DiGiorno through Kraft’s frozen-pizza divestitureM&ABackground
Kraft sold its frozen-pizza business as part of the financial and strategic repositioning surrounding its pursuit of Cadbury.
Action taken
Nestlé purchased the frozen-pizza assets, including DiGiorno and the Canadian Delissio brand.
Aftermath
Nestlé expanded the portfolio with additional frozen appetizers and meal-related products, while DiGiorno remained a major United States frozen-pizza brand.
Recent events
Sources3 sources
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