Rooted in the Past.
Built for the Future.
Our story begins in the 1940s, when Larry helped pioneer the flash-frozen burger and sandwich—bringing real food to more people with one belief: convenience shouldn’t come at the expense of quality.
By overcoming the technological limits of his era, Larry transformed how schools and supermarkets fed their communities. Later, as Vice President at Don Lee Farms, he continued building on the legacy he started decades earlier—passing his expertise to the next generation.
Rooted in the Past. Built for the Future.
Larry's Food Products
A Family Business Begins
In 1982, Larry’s son, Donald, founded Don Lee Farms in a rented facility in Marina del Rey. What started as a small family business quickly gained traction—fueled by a relentless focus on quality, value, and execution.
Donald recognized early on that equipment alone wouldn’t create great food. He combined newly developed automation with spiral freezing systems and hands-on process control to deliver consistent results at scale. That mindset set the tone for every product we’ve made since.
One of our first major relationships began with Costco (then Price Club) in San Diego—a vendor partnership built on delivering both quality and value for members. As demand grew, we expanded into our first company-owned production facility in Inglewood, California, followed by a dedicated cold storage and warehouse in Downtown Los Angeles.
Over time, our reach grew—and so did our relationships. We expanded our customer base to include school districts from California to New York and national retailers including Walmart, Sam’s Club, Target, and Kroger.
Working closely with these customers has helped us expand our capabilities and stay focused on what matters: making great food, efficiently.
In 2019, Albertsons Companies recognized Don Lee Farms as Private Label New Supplier of the Year, and in 2023, we received the Innovation Award from the Urban School Food Alliance for raising the bar in school foodservice.
The Next Generation
What We Make
In the early 2000s, the third generation joined the business—bringing new energy and expanding our reach even further. We began partnering with global food companies, scaling private label programs, and developing premium proteins across multiple price points.
Throughout the 2010s, we opened our large-scale cold storage and production campus in Dallas, Texas, launched hundreds of new SKUs across major retailers, and earned organic certification. We also helped pioneer plant-based proteins, scaling production of soy-, pea-, and organic vegetable-based burgers that helped define the modern meat alternative category.
Today, Don Lee Farms produces fully cooked, frozen foods designed for real life. Our lineup includes flame-grilled beef and chicken patties, organic veggie burgers, handmade tacos, grilled quesadillas and high-protein bowls. These are meals that go from freezer to plate in minutes—whether you’re using a microwave, air fryer, stovetop, grill or oven.
We use quality ingredients, including USDA Choice beef, antibiotic-free chicken, and organic or non-GMO components. And while the quality stays high, most of our products remain priced under $1 per serving—making them accessible to families everywhere.
Some of our items have become number one sellers in the club store freezer and weekly staples across homes in the U.S. In 2024, People Magazine even named our handmade tacos a favorite of the year.
How We Make It
We combine small-batch techniques with national distribution. That means slow-cooked proteins, open-flame charbroiling, and a commitment to sourcing locally within 200 miles whenever possible. All of this is backed by modern production technology and data systems, allowing us to deliver quality at scale without cutting corners.
The result: craveable, convenient food at everyday prices.
Community Impact
Don Lee Farms has always believed in giving back. Over the years, we’ve donated millions of meals through long-standing partnerships with the City of Inglewood, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, the Los Angeles Rams (as an annual sponsor of Taste of the Rams), and ABC7’s Southern California Food Drive.
The Donald Family Foundation Volunteer Center at the LA Food Bank is a lasting symbol of our commitment to fighting hunger in Los Angeles County. Under Donald’s leadership—recognized as Philanthropist of the Year by the Los Angeles Business Journal—that mission remains central to who we are.
Today
We now produce millions of burgers, tacos, and bowls each year—available at major retailers for in-store pickup or same-day delivery.
From our start in Marina del Rey to our position as one of the largest family-owned frozen food companies in North America, we’ve stayed true to the same values: quality, innovation, and community.
Every quality check on our line is more than a step in the process—it’s preparation for continuing a legacy. A legacy built by three generations, a dedicated team, and the trust of partners who’ve believed in us along the way.
We’re proud of where we came from. And even more proud of where we’re going. Learn more about our food.
