Dolly Parton is expanding her food empire

Dolly is an icon and a smart investor – now she's broken into the food and beverage industry in a big way.

Dolly Parton is a beloved icon, respected and very popular in the music industry. And despite her “aw shucks” personality, she is a very savvy business mogul. She has been an entertainment star for over 50 years, from music to film. The income she earned from talent enabled her to build Dollywood in 1986, which expanded to include Dollywood's Splash Country, Dream More Resort and dinner theater. They generate nearly $2 billion in sales. She has also expanded into the pet industry (Doggy Parton) and makeup (Dolly Beauty). Last year she expanded into food and this year she moved into wine. Yes, Dolly believes in rosé all day long.

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Dolly Parton had her first success with Duncan Hines' baking products. Now she has released her first wine, Dolly Wines California Chardonnay 2023, in the summer of 2024. Parton was involved in every aspect of the winemaking process, including the taste, look and feel. First served was a Californian Chardonnay. It is described as “a blend of white peach, sweet cream and toasted oak for a perfectly balanced sweetness.” The wine is being released worldwide and it seems the US will have to wait for rosé and prosecco. However, given the popularity of her other brands, she appears to be achieving further success.

At the beginning of last year, she ventured into the industry on a much larger scale. She announced her exclusive partnership with Conagra Brands, parent company of Duncan Hines, to launch a new grocery line that will include frozen, refrigerated, grocery and snack items inspired by traditional Southern cuisine.

The grocery product line will include a variety of items aimed at capturing the essence of home cooking. Among the first offerings is Buttermilk Pancake Mix, which marks Parton's first foray into breakfast foods. This product is expected to hit shelves nationwide this winter, along with an expanded line of baking mixes such as chocolate cake mix and blueberry muffin mix. The collaboration aims to inspire “special moments in the kitchen” by incorporating some of Parton's favorite family recipes into these new products

This partnership is viewed as a strategic move for Conagra Brands, allowing them to strengthen their presence in established categories while expanding into new markets related to Southern cuisine and home cooking. Tom McGough, COO of Conagra Brands, emphasized that this collaboration represents an incredible growth opportunity and aligns with the company's goal of offering authentic and popular food products. Lucy Brady, president of food and snacks at Conagra, expressed excitement about bringing Parton's vision to life, saying her name and recipes will resonate with consumers across America. The increasing sales confirm the partnership.

Of course, she is also a philanthropist. Your fantasy library lLaunched in 1995, this program provides free books to children from birth through school entry and distributes hundreds of millions of books worldwide. She has also made major contributions to disaster relief and medical research.