Family Since
the 1940's
Don Lee Farms is a family business with a rich history rooted in California. Our journey started in the 1940's with Larry’s Food Products, a pioneering family company founded by Larry Goodman. Larry’s made significant contributions to the frozen food industry, becoming one of the first to introduce fully cooked, frozen burgers and assembled sandwiches to supermarkets and school districts nationwide. These innovations set the stage for what would later become Don Lee Farms.
Our Family Story
The story of Don Lee Farms began in the 1940's with Larry’s Food Products, a pioneering family business founded by Larry. Renowned for its production and distribution of frozen sandwiches post-World War II, Larry’s made significant contributions to the frozen food industry, becoming one of the first companies to introduce fully cooked burgers and assembled sandwiches that could be frozen and distributed to national supermarkets and school districts.
In the 1970's, Donald, one of Larry's sons, stepped up as production manager at their Gardena, California facility. When Larry decided to sell the company, Donald seized the opportunity to carry forward the family legacy by founding Don Lee Farms in 1982. Starting in a small rented building in Marina Del Rey, California, Donald's early successes with local customers led to steady growth.
A pivotal moment in this growth was the relationship with Costco, then known as Price Club, which began in the 1980's when Donald introduced their products in San Diego, California. This supplier partnership marked the beginning of a multi-decade journey, with Costco becoming one of the first customers of Don Lee Farms. Costco's dedication to providing a curated selection of premium products, each representing the highest standards of quality and exceptional value, has guided Don Lee Farms' focus on making and delivering great food at great prices.
By the mid-1980's, the success with Costco, school districts, and other California-based customers enabled Don Lee Farms to establish its headquarters and first company-owned production facility in Inglewood, California. To meet the growing demands of school districts and the rise of the club store format, the company expanded its infrastructure with a company-owned cold storage and warehouse facility in Downtown Los Angeles.
The early 2000's marked a new chapter as the third generation joined the business, leading to diversification into new product lines and partnerships with multinational food companies and private label brands. Don Lee Farms celebrated its 20th anniversary with a commitment to innovation, introducing premium burgers and bowls that introduced innovative plant-based proteins, pioneering vegetarian and plant-based food options.
Throughout the 2010's, Don Lee Farms continued its expansion, opening a new production and cold storage campus in the Dallas, Texas area and achieving Organic Certification. The company launched private label and branded burgers and bowls in numerous markets, playing a pivotal role in popularizing plant-based burgers across America. During this decade, Don Lee Farms introduced hundreds of new food products into top retailers, including Costco, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Sam’s Club, Walmart, Kroger, and Albertsons Companies. They were honored with Albertsons Companies' Private Label New Supplier of the Year award.
In the 2020's, Don Lee Farms’ school division received the Urban School Food Alliance Innovation Award for Healthier Products, highlighting their partnerships with various school districts, including NYC Department of Education, Baltimore City Public Schools, and Los Angeles Unified School District. These partnerships contribute to sustainability efforts, food waste reduction, and enhanced access to locally sourced food. Since the 1980's, Don Lee Farms has made billions of their flagship flame-grilled burgers, handmade tacos, protein bowls, and other meat and plant-based products enjoyed by customers across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Beyond making great food, Don Lee Farms is deeply invested in their community. They actively contribute to philanthropic initiatives and engage in partnerships aimed at making a positive impact. In collaboration with Bank of America, they sponsor The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank's annual Taste of the Rams Event, raising funds for families in need. They also participate in community-driven events, such as The City of Inglewood's Annual Turkey Giveaway and ABC's annual Southern California Food Drive, raising awareness and funds to combat food insecurity. Additionally, Don Lee Farms supports education through annual Inglewood High School Scholarships, providing opportunities for deserving students and earning a Congressional Certificate of Special Recognition. The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank commemorated Donald and his sons during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for The Donald Goodman Family Foundation Volunteer Center. This event marked a significant milestone in the ongoing mission to combat hunger throughout Los Angeles County.
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In the 2020's, Donald, Founder and President of Don Lee Farms, was awarded Philanthropist of the Year by Los Angeles Business Journal. Today, Don Lee Farms continues to invest in community-based projects, with a steadfast focus on making delicious, easy-to-enjoy food. Guided by their family values and a commitment to positive change in the food industry, Don Lee Farms is shaping the future of food™.
Since the 1980's, the Company's footprint has grown fourfold with billions of its flagship flame grilled burgers, handmade tacos, protein bowls, and other meat and plant-based products made and enjoyed by customers in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
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.
