TOP MEALS & ENTREES PROCESSORS

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Rank Company/ Location Top Executive Sales Product Line # of Plants
2002 2001
1 1 Nestlé USA, Glendale, Calif. Joe Weller, Chairman, CEO $2.5 billion* Frozen entrees, French bread pizza, soups, refrigerated pasta 4
2 2 ConAgra Foods Inc., Omaha, Neb. Bruce Rohde, Chairman, CEO $2.0 billion* Frozen meals, entrees, sandwiches, pizza, pot pies, refrigerated lunch kits N.A.
3 3 Kraft Foods Inc., Northfield, Ill. Betsy Holden, Co-CEO $1.7 billion* Frozen pizza, refrigerated pasta, refrigerated meal kits, meat substitutes N.A.
4 4 Schwan’s Sales Entrs, Marshall, Minn. Alfred Schwan, Chairman, $1.1 billion Frozen pizza, entrees, sandwiches N.A.
5 5 Chef America, Englewood, Colo. Paul Merage, CEO $600 million Frozen enrobed sandwiches, waffles 2
7 6 The H.J. Heinz Co., Pittsburgh William Johnson, Chairman, Pres. & CEO $583 million* Frozen entrees, pizza, soups, pasta 3
6 7 Pinnacle Foods Corp., Cherry Hill, N.J. C. Dean Metropoulos, CEO $496 million* Frozen meals, entrees, pot pies 2
9 8 Kellogg Co., Battle Creek, Mich. Carlos Gutierrez, Chairman, CEO $464 million* Frozen waffles, pancakes, meat substitutes N.A.
8 9 Luigino’s Inc., Sanford, Fla. Jeno Paulucci, Owner, Chairman $450 million* Frozen entrees, chili 3
N/A 10 General Mills Inc., Minneapolis Stephen Sanger, Chairman, CEO $432 million* Frozen pizza, pancakes, waffles 1
11 11 Tyson Foods Inc., Springdale, Ark. John Tyson, Chairman $319 million* Refrigerated and frozen entrees N.A.
12 12 Aurora Foods Inc., St. Louis James Smith, President, CEO $240 million* Frozen entrees, pizza, pancakes, waffles 2
13 13 Windsor Frozen Foods, Houston Oreste Boscia, CEO $200 million Frozen ethnic entrees, chili 1
N/A 13 Murry’s Inc., Upper Marlboro, Md. Ira Mendelson, Chairman, Pres., CEO $200 million Frozen chicken entrees, French toast sticks 1
16 15 Mars Inc./Uncle Ben’s Inc., McLean, Va. John F. Mars, President, CEO $191 million* Frozen entrees None
14 16 Ruiz Food Products Inc., Dinuba, Calif. Fred Ruiz, Chairman $168 million Frozen and refrigerated Mexican entrees 1
15 17 Sara Lee Corp., Chicago C. Steven McMillan, Chairman, Pres. & CEO $156 million* Refrigerated and frozen hand-held entrees, breakfast entrees N.A.
21 18 Frozen Specialties Inc., Archbold, Ohio Gene Welka, Chairman, CEO $102 million Frozen pizza, sandwiches 3
17 19 Agrilink Foods Inc., Rochester, N.Y. Dennis M. Mullen, President, CEO $111 million Frozen entrees 2
18 20 Michael Angelo’s Gourmet, Foods Co., Austin Michael Renna, President $100 million* Frozen entrees 1
19 21 Rich Products Corp., Buffalo, N.Y. Robert E. Rich, Chairman $100 million* Frozen Italian entrees, meat entrees 2
20 22 Don Miguel Mexican Foods Inc., Anaheim, Calif. Steve Charton, President $100 million* Frozen and refrigerated Mexican meals N.A.

* RFF estimates