Operations

Katie's Pizza & Pasta to sell frozen pizzas in Walmart stores

Jake Sanderson, culinary director, and Katie Lee, owner of Katie's Pizza & Pasta, won the right to sell their frozen pizzas in Walmart stores. Photo: Katie's Pizza & Pasta

September 27, 2024

Katie's Pizza & Pasta, based out of St. Louis, scored big on Walmart's Open Call product pitch day. The brand, which has three locations, earned a Golden Ticket offer for its handmade frozen pizzas -- the pizzas will be available in Walmart's grocery stores starting in mid-to-late 2025, according to a press release.

Katie Lee, who owns the brand, and Culinary Director Jake Sanderson, were on-site at Walmart headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas, to pitch Katie's to the retail giant.

"We did it! We got a Golden Ticket," Lee said in the press release. "It's the American dream come true, and we're so proud to expand into Walmart. We're so grateful to our St. Louis fans who have supported us as we started offering frozen pizzas through our restaurant business during the pandemic. We dreamed big and expanded into local grocery outlets, nationwide shipping, then moved into wider retail distribution, and now Walmart."

Katie's Pizza & Pasta has a line of frozen pizzas sold in retailers. The brand has 100% growth year over year for the past three years.

Following the 2021 renovation of its frozen production facility, Katie's frozen pizzas and pasta bakes became available at local St. Louis grocers Dierbergs Markets and Straubs. Growth continued with additional expansions into retailers including Fresh Market, Fresh Thyme, Kings-Balduccis, Mothers, Whole Foods Markets and more.

Katie's Pizza & Pasta opened its first location in Rock Hill in St. Louis in 2013, followed by the Town & Country location in 2017. A third unit opened in 2023 in downtown St. Louis' Ballpark VIllage.