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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.
Totinos pizza rolls being taken off a baking sheet and dipped in marinara sauce

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.