What Lakeside Foods does

Lakeside Foods is a fourth-generation, family-owned food manufacturer founded in 1887 in Manitowoc, Wisconsin as a small pea cannery. The company produces canned and frozen vegetables, canned beans, breaded appetizers and snacks (including Breaded Pickle Chips), smoked sausages via the Cher-Make brand (acquired 2021), frozen whipped topping, frozen smoothie pops, and a line of Authentic Wisconsin hot dogs and bratwurst. It operates 15 production facilities and 8 distribution centers across Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, and Oregon, with facilities co-located near growing regions in the Great Lakes and Pacific Northwest to preserve freshness and reduce freight costs.

The business model spans four distinct revenue streams: private label manufacturing for grocery retailers, branded retail products, foodservice distribution to restaurants/stadiums/institutions, and industrial/ingredient sales to other food manufacturers, supplemented by co-packing (contract manufacturing) services. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated through B2B sales contracts. The company sells through a sales-led GTM with account management relationships and co-packing partnerships, and reaches end consumers via retail shelf presence. Food safety certifications across all facilities include SQF Level 3, BRC, FDA registration, OU Kosher, Non-GMO Project verification, and USDA Organic for select products.

The company's technology stack centers on food processing and preservation, supported by a seed-to-table traceability system developed through a long-standing University of Wisconsin partnership, electronic product sorters for quality assurance, and compliance with the Food Safety Modernization Act. The company is led by President and CEO Joe Yanda, a fourth-generation family leader who joined the company in 1999 and progressed through quality assurance, sales, operations, and supply chain before his 2021 appointment. Lakeside Foods maintains an active community engagement program, multi-state employment, and a recently announced premium foodservice partnership with the Green Bay Packers (November 2025).

Name

Lakeside Foods

Legal name

Lakeside Foods Inc.

Website

https://lakesidefoods.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1887

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Lakeside Foods is a fourth-generation, family-owned food manufacturer producing canned and frozen vegetables, breaded appetizers, smoked sausages, and frozen toppings across 15 production facilities and 8 distribution centers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, and Oregon, serving retail, foodservice, industrial, and co-packing customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Canned and Frozen Food Manufacturing

NAICS

Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing (3114), Food Manufacturing (311), Other Food Manufacturing (3119)

SIC

Canned, Frozen & Preservd Fruit, Veg & Food Specialties (2030), Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Food And Kindred Products (2000)

akta.pro primary industry

Frozen Meat, Poultry & Seafood Manufacturing (AFAKACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Canned Beans, Legumes & Pulses Manufacturing (AFAKACAC), Refrigerated Meat & Seafood (Processed/Packaged) (CRADACAK)

Keywords

• Frozen vegetables
• Canned vegetables
• Private label foods
• Co-packing services
• Smoked sausages

Headquarters

HQ city

Manitowoc

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Private Label Manufacturing: Lakeside Foods produces private label frozen and canned vegetables, appetizers, and smoked meats for retail partners nationwide.
2. Co-Packing Services: Contract manufacturing services for other food brands through the co-packing channel.
3. Branded Retail Products: Sale of branded products including canned vegetables, frozen vegetables, breaded appetizers, smoked sausages, and frozen whipped topping through retail and foodservice channels.
4. Foodservice Distribution: Direct supply of frozen and canned foods to foodservice operators including restaurants, stadiums, and institutions.
5. Industrial/Ingredient Sales: Supply of vegetable products and ingredients to industrial food manufacturers for use as inputs in their production.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Lakeside Foods manufactures and sells frozen and canned vegetables, canned beans, breaded appetizers, smoked sausages, frozen whipped topping, frozen smoothie pops and kits, and hot dogs and bratwurst through branded retail products, private label manufacturing, foodservice distribution, industrial ingredient supply, and co-packing services. The company operates 15 production facilities and 8 distribution centers across Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, and Oregon, controlling the growing process from seed to table with direct relationships with multi-generation growers in the Great Lakes and Pacific Northwest.

Product overview

Lakeside Foods is a family-owned food manufacturing company offering a diversified portfolio of frozen and canned food products. The company operates as a unified product portfolio organized into core staples (canned vegetables, canned beans, frozen vegetables, frozen whipped topping, frozen smoothie pops & kits) and specialty products (smoked sausage, breaded appetizers & snacks, hot dogs & franks). The company controls the entire growing process from seed to table, with 15 production facilities and 8 distribution centers across Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, and Oregon. Products are distributed through retail, foodservice, industrial, and co-packing channels, with a recent expansion into specialty meat products following the 2021 acquisition of Cher-Make Sausage Co.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Authentic Wisconsin: Line of hot dogs and bratwurst products including Natural Casing, Beef, Stadium, Stadium Jumbo, Big W Dog, Cheddi Links, and Jalapeño Cheddar varieties, as well as bratwurst options including Homegame, Pepper Jack, and Cheddar.
• Cher-Make

Products and services

• Canned Vegetables Canned vegetables including sweet corn, green beans, carrots, beets, and peas, sourced from multi-generation farms in the Great Lakes and Pacific Northwest regions and sold under Lakeside and private label brands to retail and foodservice customers.
• Canned Beans Canned dry beans as part of the company's core vegetable product line, sold to retail and foodservice customers.
• Frozen Vegetables Frozen vegetables processed near crop locations in the Great Lakes and Pacific Northwest and offering full traceability from field to table, sold to retail and foodservice customers.
• Frozen Appetizers & Snacks Breaded appetizers and snacks including signature Breaded Pickle Chips, marketed as ready-to-serve products for retail and foodservice customers. The Breaded Pickle Chips are served at Lambeau Field.
• Smoked Sausage Smoked sausages and meat snacks rooted in authentic tradition, including the Cher-Make brand acquired in 2021, sold to retail and foodservice customers.
• Frozen Whipped Topping Frozen whipped topping products as part of the company's diversified frozen food portfolio, sold to retail and foodservice customers.
• Frozen Smoothie Pops & Kits Frozen smoothie products and kits as part of the company's frozen food offerings, sold to retail customers.
• Authentic Wisconsin Hot Dogs & Bratwurst Hot dogs and bratwurst products under the Authentic Wisconsin sub-brand, including Natural Casing, Beef, Stadium, Stadium Jumbo, Big W Dog, Cheddi Links, Jalapeño Cheddar varieties, and bratwurst options including Homegame, Pepper Jack, and Cheddar, sold to retail and foodservice customers.
• Corn Cob Pinwheels New product addition to the corn on the cob lineup, offering 1-inch pinwheels designed for convenient, no-mess preparation by grilling, roasting, boiling, or microwaving, sold to retail and foodservice customers.
• Private Label Manufacturing Contract manufacturing of frozen and canned vegetables, appetizers, and related products under retailer store brands nationwide, leveraging the company's 15 production facilities and SQF Level 3 / BRC certifications.
• Co-Packing Services Contract manufacturing services for other food brands through Lakeside Foods' production facilities, providing manufacturing capacity, food safety certifications, and quality consistency across multiple product categories.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9,714 books distributed to local children through United Way partnership in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Green Bay PackerscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2025Lakeside Foods partnered with the Green Bay Packers in November 2025, bringing their signature Breaded Pickle Chips to fans at Lambeau Field. This partnership connects two Wisconsin institutions known for heritage, quality, and community connection. The collaboration reinforces Lakeside's Wisconsin roots while showcasing their products to a demanding sports venue audience.
• University of WisconsincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing partnership for food safety research and innovation. The company has maintained this relationship since their early days testing seed varieties, continuing to support agricultural research and development.
• Ice Age Trail 50minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsorship of the Ice Age Trail 50 ultramarathon held annually in Wisconsin's Southern Kettle Moraine State Forest. Lakeside Foods provided trail-running staples at aid stations including boiled potatoes and meat sticks, and contributed to post-race meals.
• Real West GravelminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with the Real West Gravel cycling event held near Lakeside Foods' Weston, Oregon plant. The event winds through the same agricultural land where the company grows crops. Lakeside Foods products fueled participants throughout the day.
• Pendleton Catering CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner at the Real West Gravel event in Oregon, representing local businesses connected to the agricultural community.
• Duesterbeck's Brewing CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner in the Ice Age Trail 50 event, contributing to the post-race atmosphere alongside Lakeside Foods.
• Glen's Market & CateringminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner in the Ice Age Trail 50 event, integral to the total event experience.
• Cher-Make Sausage Co.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcquired by Lakeside Foods in 2021, expanding both product offerings and manufacturing capabilities. This acquisition brought smoked meat products and additional manufacturing capacity to Lakeside Foods' portfolio.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Seneca Foods Corporation: Seneca Foods is the largest US private-label canned vegetable and fruit producer, with operations across the US. Like Lakeside Foods, it produces canned and frozen vegetables for retail private label, foodservice, and industrial customers, making it the closest direct competitor in canned vegetable manufacturing.
• Hanover Foods: Hanover Foods is a family-owned Pennsylvania-based canned vegetable and food manufacturer producing canned vegetables, beans, and prepared foods for retail and foodservice. Its private label and branded product mix, family-ownership structure, and product portfolio closely parallel Lakeside Foods.
• Tree Top: Tree Top is a US grower-owned cooperative producing canned fruits, vegetable-based ingredients, and apple products for retail and industrial customers. Like Lakeside, it operates a co-packing model with strong sourcing relationships and competes in canned and processed produce categories.

Broad incumbents

• McCain Foods: McCain Foods is one of the world's largest frozen food manufacturers, producing frozen potatoes, vegetables, and prepared foods for retail and foodservice globally. Lakeside competes with McCain in frozen vegetables and prepared foods, though McCain operates at much greater scale and broader geographic reach.
• Conagra Brands: Conagra is a major packaged food conglomerate owning Birds Eye, Healthy Choice, and many frozen vegetable and prepared meal brands. While it serves the same retail and foodservice customers as Lakeside, Conagra operates nationally with a much broader branded portfolio.
• Bonduelle Group: Bonduelle is a France-based global leader in canned and frozen vegetables, with significant North American operations. It produces private label and branded vegetable products, competing with Lakeside in both retail private label and foodservice channels.
• Del Monte Foods: Del Monte produces canned fruits, vegetables, and prepared foods for retail and foodservice, with national US distribution. Its canned vegetable and prepared food offerings overlap with Lakeside's portfolio, though Del Monte operates at significantly larger scale with broader product breadth.
• Lamb Weston: Lamb Weston is the leading global supplier of value-added frozen potato products (including frozen vegetables and prepared foods) serving foodservice and retail. While primarily focused on potatoes, it competes with Lakeside in the frozen prepared foods and foodservice categories.
• B&G Foods: B&G Foods owns a portfolio of branded packaged food brands including Green Giant (canned and frozen vegetables). It competes with Lakeside in canned/frozen vegetable retail channels through the Green Giant brand and serves similar retail and foodservice customers.

Emerging players

• Bushel Boy: Bushel Boy is a Minnesota-based greenhouse producer of fresh tomatoes and vegetables for retail and foodservice. While focused on greenhouse-grown fresh produce rather than canned/frozen processing, it overlaps with Lakeside in the broader Great Lakes produce supply ecosystem and Midwest retail customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lakeside-foods

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lakeside Foods