COMPANY HISTORY
The Schwan Food Company, headquartered in Marshall, Minn., is the largest, branded frozen food company in the United States and the second-largest privately held company in Minnesota.
To many, The Schwan Food Company is the pale yellow truck that has delivered ice cream and other fine frozen foods to their neighborhoods for years. In addition, consumer brands and food service divisions have been added to make Schwan's products available to more consumers. The company has expanded from its original route system to serve a wide range of institutions and has a large presence in the frozen food aisle of your grocery store.
Since 1952, Schwan's well-known home delivery service has been joined by respected retail-grocery brands like Tony's®, Red Baron® and Freschetta®. While the company has expanded into new markets, Schwan's Home Service route managers offer the convenience of home delivery to millions of customers in the 48 contiguous states of the U.S. Today, The Schwan Food Company is purpose-driven and dedicated to fulfilling its values.
Marvin Schwan began Schwan’s Home Service on March 18, 1952, with one 1946 Dodge panel van and 14 gallons of ice cream. He and his parents, Paul and Alma, ran a small dairy that was struggling due to a government price freeze on milk. In an effort to keep the dairy going, Marvin took his ice cream to homes north of Marshall. The idea worked, the route delivery system was born, and The Schwan Food Company began its dramatic history of fast growth.
Frozen pizza was added to the delivery trucks in 1965, and in 1969, founder Marvin Schwan placed a tiny ad in the Wall Street Journal: "Wanted – One Pizza Plant." He acquired a small factory in Salina, Kansas, and Tony’s Pizza® became a part of Schwan’s. Red Baron® and Freschetta® pizzas have since joined Tony's as popular choices in grocery-store freezers.
With the purchase of the Salina plant, Schwan’s soon began selling pizza directly to retailers and brought pizza to schools in 1970. The company's products are now available in hospitals, universities, at Disney World, and even aboard Air Force One.
Acquisitions and start-up divisions play key roles within a company dedicated to continuing Marvin Schwan’s vision for growth. The company operates food manufacturing facilities in seven states and four countries. The Schwan Food Company today includes a wide range of food production and marketing divisions and a technology integration unit.
The company's corporate office building occupies the site of the original Schwan’s Dairy in Marshall. Home delivery, which started with Schwan's™ signature ice cream in 1952, is available in 48 states. The company also conducts international business through Schwan’s Global Consumer Brands.
