Family Since
the 1940s
A pioneering spirit in American food manufacturing, Don Lee Farms' legacy began in the 1940s with Larry's Food Products. As a visionary in the post-war frozen food industry, Larry revolutionized food manufacturing by developing groundbreaking processes for fully cooked frozen burgers and assembled sandwiches, transforming how America's schools and supermarkets served their communities.
Our Family Story
Our family legacy began in the 1940s with Larry, a visionary trailblazer in the post-war frozen food industry. When America was discovering new ways to bring convenience to the dinner table, Larry saw possibilities others couldn't imagine. His company, Larry's Food Products, pioneered methods that continue to influence food manufacturing today—becoming one of the first to produce and freeze fully cooked burgers for school districts nationwide and to make and freeze assembled sandwiches for retail customers.
By overcoming the technological challenges of his era, Larry transformed how America's schools and supermarkets served their communities, establishing revolutionary processes that would shape an entire industry. Later, as Vice President at Don Lee Farms, he continued to share his expertise, helping to build upon the foundation he had established decades earlier.
The Don Lee Farms story begins not in a boardroom, but on the factory floor—a vibrant space where the sensory and operational heart of our multigenerational family business first came to life. The rhythmic hum of machinery, the precise movements of production lines, and the unmistakable taste of quality ingredients blending together created the foundation of what would become a national leader in American frozen food manufacturing.
For the family, the factory floor has always been the true heart of the business. The seemingly simple rituals of food production—from small batch mixing to precise measurements—taught the most fundamental lesson in food manufacturing: crafting food with care produces food that families can trust and enjoy.
When Donald, Larry's son, founded Don Lee Farms in 1982 following the successful sale of Larry's Food Products, he started in a modest rented Marina Del Rey facility. Donald began by serving local customers, establishing a commitment to the club store format and school food service that remain at the cornerstone of the business today.
Learning about newly automated machines developed in Germany and coupling them with continuous spiral freezers, Donald realized that success would come down to execution, not just state-of-the-art equipment. That insight became the foundation for our first product lines and laid the groundwork for decades of expansion.
Donald's unwavering focus on making exceptional quality food at accessible prices quickly attracted significant accounts. A transformative relationship with Costco (then Price Club) began in the 1980s in San Diego, built on shared values of premium quality and value. This vendor partnership became instrumental in the company's expansion, propelling growth that necessitated establishing headquarters and our first company-owned production facility in Inglewood, California, followed by a cold storage and warehouse facility in Downtown Los Angeles.
The relationships built with partners like Trader Joe's, Costco, Sam's Club, and Walmart aren't just vendor relationships—they're shared commitments to making quality food accessible to more families. Recognition like the Albertsons Companies' Private Label New Supplier of the Year award and the 2023 Urban School Food Alliance award for Innovation in the school food service market underscore the company's dedication to quality and innovation.
As the third generation of the family joined the business in the early 2000s, Don Lee Farms entered a new era of expansion and innovation. The company diversified its product portfolio, forming relationships with multinational food companies and private label brands while maintaining its focus on premium quality proteins at various price points.
The combination of time-honored production expertise with growing markets created a powerful engine for growth. The 2010s marked a period of significant national growth with the opening of a large production and cold storage campus in the Dallas, Texas area, enhancing the company's ability to serve customers nationwide efficiently. During this decade, Don Lee Farms achieved Organic Certification and introduced hundreds of new food products across America's most trusted retailers.Innovation accelerated as the company pioneered plant-based proteins in the early 2000s—including scaling production of plant-based burgers that helped establish the modern meat alternative category. The company advanced the organic frozen foods segment since 2012 and developed America's #1-selling club store cooked burger by 2022. In 2024, People Magazine recognized Don Lee Farms handmade tacos as one of their favorite foods of the year. Throughout this growth, Don Lee Farms has maintained its commitment to delivering quality proteins across all price points, meeting evolving consumer needs.
Community engagement remains central to Don Lee Farms' mission. The company actively supports various philanthropic initiatives, including The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank's annual Taste of the Rams Event with Bank of America, The City of Inglewood's Annual Turkey Giveaway, and ABC's annual Southern California Food Drive. The Donald Goodman Family Foundation Volunteer Center at the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank stands as a testament to the company's commitment to fighting hunger in Los Angeles County.
Under Donald's leadership, recognized as Philanthropist of the Year by Los Angeles Business Journal, the company has maintained its founding commitment to community impact alongside business growth.
Today, as Don Lee Farms continues Shaping The Future of Food™, the company produces billions of flame-grilled burgers, handmade tacos, protein bowls, and other high-quality frozen foods enjoyed across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Our products are available for same-day delivery or pickup at major retailers including Walmart and Target, making premium food accessible to families everywhere.
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From its modest beginnings in Marina Del Rey to its current position as a leading frozen food manufacturer, Don Lee Farms continues to harmonize three generations of expertise to create innovative food solutions. Every quality check represents more than procedure—it's preparation for continuing a legacy of trust. Trust among family members working toward a common goal. Trust from employees who dedicate their careers to our vision. Trust from customers who bring our food to their tables.
The success of Don Lee Farms stems not from any individual's vision but from the collective wisdom of three generations, dedicated employees, and partners who have believed in us along the way. As we look to the future, we remain committed to the values that have guided us since the beginning: quality, innovation, and community impact.
What We Do
Product Development
We develop ideas into commercially successful food products made and delivered on a national scale.
Supply Chain Management
We prioritize local and optimize sourcing, transportation, storage, procurement and delivery of raw materials and finished goods.
Food Safety & Regulatory
Compliance
We operate a data-driven and science-backed food safety system built on decades of industry-leading expertise and continuous on-site third party oversight.
Manufacturing
We make fresh and frozen foods for some of the largest and most successful food brands from our company-owned facilities in Southern California and North Texas.
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🏆 Generations of
Food Safety Excellence
Food safety and the health and safety of our employees is our highest priority. We operate under data-driven food safety programs and processes that are continually monitored. Our food safety system is built on a foundation of technology, decades of experience, and a large team of food safety and quality assurance experts who work tirelessly to uphold the highest standards of safety and quality. They collaborate with our facilities and on-site regulators to implement and maintain food safety programs that exceed USDA and FDA regulations.
