Green Giant
An American vegetable brand best known for canned and frozen vegetables and its Jolly Green Giant mascot.
Last updated October 13, 2026
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Overview
Green Giant is an American packaged-vegetable brand whose identity is built around canned and frozen vegetables, especially peas, corn, and green beans. Its roots reach back to the Minnesota Valley Canning Company, founded in 1903 in Le Sueur, Minnesota. The company initially canned vegetables under labels including Le Sueur Z and later developed its own Green Giant identity to market an unusually large, tender variety of peas. The Green Giant name was first applied to the company's large peas in 1925. The product was created after the company found that the established labels it produced for other businesses were unwilling to market the new pea variety. Rather than treat the peas' unusual size as a drawback, Minnesota Valley Canning emphasized it in the name Green Giant. A giant character was introduced in 1928. The early version was a darker, scowling figure in a bearskin, but the character was substantially redesigned in 1935 by the Leo Burnett advertising agency. The revised figure wore a leafy suit, smiled, and was presented as the Jolly Green Giant. The mascot became central to the brand's advertising. The Giant appeared on television beginning in 1954, and the resonant “Ho, ho, ho” became a signature element in 1961. The Little Green Sprout was added in 1972 as a youthful companion and a symbolic stand-in for the consumer. The character became one of the most recognizable advertising icons in the United States; Advertising Age ranked the Green Giant third among its advertising icons of the twentieth century in 1999. The business adopted the Green Giant Company name in 1950. It later became part of the Pillsbury Company in 1979 and was acquired by General Mills when General Mills purchased Pillsbury in 2001. General Mills sold the Green Giant and related Le Sueur brands to B&G Foods in 2015 for $765 million in cash. Green Giant is therefore a consumer brand rather than a separately listed company; B&G Foods is the publicly traded owner. The brand's core portfolio remains centered on shelf-stable canned vegetables and frozen vegetables. Its products have included peas, sweet corn, green beans, mixed vegetables, and other vegetable formats. In Canada, the related Le Sueur brand is generally known as Le Sieur. Green Giant also has a strong place-based identity associated with Minnesota's river valley and the town of Blue Earth, where a 55-foot fiberglass Jolly Green Giant statue was installed in 1978. The statue and the town's annual Giant Days festival continue to connect the brand with roadside tourism and regional agricultural history. Green Giant's positioning combines convenience, recognizable vegetable staples, family-oriented communication, and an approachable health-and-nutrition message. Its enduring competitive asset is the Jolly Green Giant, which gives an otherwise functional grocery category a distinctive character and long-running visual identity. The brand remains active under B&G Foods, although the available reference material does not establish a single corporate headquarters specifically for Green Giant or a complete current list of international markets.
History
Green Giant developed from the Minnesota Valley Canning Company, established in 1903 in Le Sueur, Minnesota. The company initially produced canned vegetables under labels such as Le Sueur Z and later used Le Sueur as a standalone brand. Its decisive branding change came in the 1920s, when the company began marketing an unusually large and tender pea variety under the name Green Giant. The name turned a potentially awkward product characteristic—large peas—into a promise of abundance and distinction. A giant character was introduced in 1928. The first figure was a stern, primitive-looking character wearing a bearskin, unlike the friendly mascot recognized today. In 1935, advertising writer Leo Burnett and his agency reshaped the character into the smiling Jolly Green Giant, dressed in foliage. This redesign made the mascot more suitable for family advertising and established the visual language that would define the brand for decades. The company changed its name to the Green Giant Company in 1950. The mascot moved into television in 1954, and the “Ho, ho, ho” vocal signature became associated with the character in 1961. The Little Green Sprout joined the advertising world in 1972. These developments helped Green Giant turn a commodity vegetable business into a widely recognized consumer brand. Green Giant became part of Pillsbury in 1979. When General Mills acquired Pillsbury in 2001, Green Giant entered the General Mills portfolio. In 2015, General Mills sold Green Giant and Le Sueur to B&G Foods for $765 million in cash. The sale made B&G Foods the current owner and placed Green Giant within a portfolio of branded food products. The brand's history is also tied to Minnesota public culture. The Minnesota River valley around Le Sueur became known as the Valley of the Jolly Green Giant. In nearby Blue Earth, Minnesota, a 55-foot fiberglass statue of the mascot was unveiled in 1978 and placed on its permanent base in 1979. The statue was developed through local civic fundraising and became a roadside attraction. Blue Earth continues to associate the mascot with its summer Giant Days celebration, while a former Green Giant canning facility in the area has continued seasonal production of peas and corn according to the reference material. Green Giant has also been used in popular culture and promotional media. A 1963 recording featuring Tennessee Ernie Ford and the Green Valley Singers presented a branded story about the character, while a 1964 novelty song titled “The Jolly Green Giant” reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100. These appearances extended the mascot beyond grocery packaging and conventional advertising. Today, Green Giant remains an active brand focused on canned and frozen vegetables, with the Jolly Green Giant serving as its principal long-term brand asset.
- 2015
B&G Foods acquires the brand
[1]B&G Foods purchased Green Giant and Le Sueur from General Mills for $765 million in cash.
- 2001
General Mills acquires Pillsbury
[1]Green Giant entered General Mills' brand portfolio through General Mills' acquisition of Pillsbury.
- 1979
Green Giant joins Pillsbury
[1]The Green Giant business merged with the Pillsbury Company.
- 1978
Blue Earth statue unveiled
[1]A 55-foot fiberglass Jolly Green Giant statue was unveiled in Blue Earth, Minnesota.
- 1972
Little Green Sprout introduced
[1]The Little Green Sprout joined the mascot universe as a younger companion and consumer-oriented character.
- 1961
“Ho, ho, ho” becomes signature line
[1]The Giant's booming vocal catchphrase became a defining part of the brand's advertising.
- 1954
Television advertising begins
[1]The Jolly Green Giant made his first television appearances.
- 1950
Company renamed Green Giant Company
[1]The operating company adopted the Green Giant name.
- 1935
Mascot redesigned as the Jolly Green Giant
[1]Leo Burnett's advertising work transformed the character into a smiling figure in a leafy suit and established the Jolly Green Giant identity.
- 1928
First Green Giant character introduced
[1]A giant figure was added to the brand's marketing, initially appearing as a stern character in a bearskin.
Products and positioning
Convenient, familiar vegetable staples presented as dependable family food, with the Jolly Green Giant providing a friendly and memorable brand identity.
Shelf-stable packaged vegetables · 1903
Canned vegetables
Green Giant's canned range is the brand's historic core. It has included everyday vegetable staples such as sweet corn, peas, green beans, and mixed vegetables. Canning gives these products long shelf life and makes them convenient pantry ingredients for household meals.
Frozen packaged vegetables
Frozen vegetables
The frozen portfolio extends Green Giant's vegetable offering beyond shelf-stable products. It has included frozen peas, corn, green beans, and assorted vegetable combinations designed for preparation as side dishes or cooking ingredients.
Peas · 1925
Green Giant peas
Large, tender peas were the product that gave the Green Giant name its original commercial purpose. The brand's early marketing emphasized the peas' unusual size while promising tenderness and distinctive flavor.
Corn
Green Giant corn
Corn, including the Niblets line, is one of Green Giant's best-known vegetable offerings. It is sold primarily in canned and frozen formats and functions as both a standalone side dish and a cooking ingredient.
Green beans
Green Giant green beans
Cut green beans are a longstanding Green Giant offering in the canned-vegetable category. They represent the brand's focus on familiar, convenient vegetables for routine home meals.
Marketing campaigns
- 2005MasterCard Icons
United States
The Jolly Green Giant appeared with other famous advertising mascots in MasterCard's Icons commercial during Super Bowl XXXIX.
Outcome. The appearance reinforced the mascot's status as a widely recognized advertising icon.
- 1978Blue Earth roadside attraction
United States
Local civic organizers raised funds for a large Jolly Green Giant statue in Blue Earth, Minnesota, with approval from the Green Giant company.
Outcome. The statue became a continuing tourist attraction and helped anchor the town's Giant Days celebration.
- 1935Jolly Green Giant mascot relaunch
United States
The brand replaced its early scowling giant concept with a smiling, leafy-suited character and added “Jolly” to the name. The redesign made the mascot more approachable and suitable for family-focused advertising.
Outcome. The Jolly Green Giant became the brand's enduring central advertising character.
Brand decisions
2015
Sale from General Mills to B&G FoodsM&ABackground
General Mills decided to divest Green Giant and Le Sueur as part of its portfolio management, while B&G Foods sought to expand its branded food business.
Action taken
B&G Foods acquired the brands from General Mills in a cash transaction valued at $765 million.
Aftermath
Green Giant became part of B&G Foods and remained an active branded vegetable business rather than a separately listed company.
Purchase price. $765 million (2015 transaction)
Sources2 sources
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