Top Frozen Turkey Brands You Need to Try This Holiday Season

As the holiday season approaches, finding the perfect frozen turkey becomes essential for many families looking to celebrate with a delicious feast. With numerous brands to choose from, it can be overwhelming to determine which frozen turkeys offer the best quality and flavor. Some brands stand out for their commitment to ethical farming practices, while others are known for their superior taste and succulent texture. To help you make an informed choice, we've compiled a list of the best brands for frozen turkey below.

Illustration of frozen turkey

Best brands of frozen turkey in 2025

Butterball

Butterball is a renowned brand in the poultry industry, particularly known for its high-quality frozen turkeys. As one of the leading producers, Butterball sells over one billion pounds of turkey annually and has been a trusted name since 1940. The company's frozen turkeys, such as the 16-20lb USDA Grade A whole young turkey, contain up to 8% of a solution of water, salt, spices, and natural flavor, ensuring tender and juicy meat. Butterball’s market share, although down from 36% to 30% in some years, still reflects its dominance in the turkey market. The brand is also notable for its gluten-free, MSG-free, and zero trans fat products.

Jennie-O

Jennie-O Turkey Store is a leading producer of frozen turkey products, processing over 1.2 billion pounds of turkey annually and offering more than 1,500 items, including whole birds, ground turkey, and value-added products. The company, a subsidiary of Hormel Foods Corporation, has a strong presence in both domestic and international markets, distributing its products in over 26 countries. In 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Jennie-O saw a 54% increase in profit and a 19% increase in volumes, highlighting its resilience and market strength. The company's focus on quality and health has made turkey a year-round staple, with per capita consumption in the U.S. being around 18 pounds per year. Jennie-O's commitment to innovation and customer needs has positioned it as a top choice for frozen turkey products. For more detailed information on Jennie-O Turkey Store, you can visit their profile on Encyclopedia.com.

Norbest

Norbest is a leading producer of high-quality turkey products, including frozen turkeys, with a history spanning over 75 years. Known for their innovative approaches, Norbest was the first to market fully eviscerated, ready-to-cook turkeys and has since expanded to offer a wide range of products, including whole turkeys, turkey breasts, and ground turkey. Their products are renowned for their taste and convenience, with options like fully cooked and hickory-smoked whole turkeys. Norbest's ground turkey is 93% lean and gluten-free, making it a healthy alternative. The company has seen significant growth, with turkey consumption increasing by 600% since 1960, and they process up to 600,000 pounds of turkey per day at their Moroni plant.

Shady Brook Farms

Shady Brook Farms is a renowned brand for high-quality frozen turkeys, raised by independent farmers without growth-promoting antibiotics, added hormones, or steroids. Their turkeys are pre-basted to lock in flavor and offer 24g of protein per serving. According to consumer research, 62% of consumers prefer turkey raised without growth stimulants, aligning with Shady Brook Farms' production methods. The brand ensures safety and quality, with frozen turkeys safe to eat indefinitely and maintaining good quality for up to 1-2 years in home freezers. Shady Brook Farms also participates in the USDA Process Verified Program, ensuring third-party audits and compliance with federal standards.

Foster Farms

Foster Farms is a leading producer of high-quality turkey products, including frozen turkey, with a significant increase in sales and production. In 2023, Foster Farms slaughtered 155 million pounds of live turkey, a rise from 150 million in 2022, and achieved $329 million in sales. The company's product mix includes 24.8% frozen turkey, and 72.7% of its sales are in the retail sector. Foster Farms also offers USDA Organic certified and antibiotic-free options, with 5% of its flock being USDA Organic certified and 4% raised antibiotic-free. The company produces 310 products under the Foster Farms and Valchris brands.

Perdue

Perdue Foods, a leading poultry producer in the United States, is renowned for its high-quality frozen turkey products. As part of Perdue Farms, the company generates significant revenue, with overall poultry sales reaching $5.287 billion in 2023, and its chicken sales alone totaling $4.83 billion that year. Perdue's product mix includes 24% frozen products, catering to a wide range of consumers through retail, wholesale, foodservice, and export channels. The company emphasizes all-vegetarian-fed and no antibiotics ever practices, ensuring a healthier and more sustainable product. With a strong presence in over 30 countries, Perdue's frozen turkeys are a preferred choice for many consumers.

Honeysuckle White

Honeysuckle White, a prominent brand under Cargill, is renowned for its high-quality frozen turkeys, raised by independent farmers without growth-promoting antibiotics, added hormones, or steroids. In 2018, the brand significantly expanded its traceable turkey program, making one-third of its fresh turkeys traceable, a substantial increase from 5% the previous year. This transparency initiative, which includes over 70 farms and 3,500 retail stores, has been well-received by consumers who value transparency in food production. The brand's frozen whole turkeys are pre-basted and offer 24g of protein per serving, making them a nutritious and flavorful choice. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Honeysuckle White benefited from increased consumer demand, with fresh turkey purchases rising by 26% in 2020 compared to the previous year.

Plainville Farms

Plainville Farms is a leading producer of high-quality, antibiotic-free turkey products, having slaughtered an estimated 132 million pounds of live turkey in 2023, a significant increase from 130 million pounds in 2022. The company, now owned by Plainville Brands LLC since its sale from Hain Celestial in February 2019, focuses on producing 90% fresh and 10% frozen turkey products, with 95% of its sales through retail channels. Notably, 75% of its flock is raised antibiotic-free, and 25% of the birds are certified by the Global Animal Partnership (GAP) welfare program. Plainville Farms' commitment to humane and antibiotic-free practices has driven its growth, even during economic downturns. The company's products are widely recognized for their quality and are available nationwide. For more details on their antibiotic-free turkey offerings, visit Plainville Farms' product page.

Diestel Family Ranch

Diestel Family Ranch is a renowned producer of high-quality, sustainably raised turkeys, having operated since 1949 with a commitment to raising the leanest, cleanest, and most delicious birds. The ranch has achieved Regenified(tm) certification, a global leader in regenerative agriculture verification, and sources over 650 tons of Certified Regenified(tm) corn. Diestel turkeys, raised using regenerative farming practices, have been found to have improved omega-3 and phytochemical profiles compared to conventionally-raised birds, as confirmed by Utah State University analysis. Despite challenges such as a 15.6% increase in turkey prices in 2021 due to rising feed costs, Diestel has maintained its high standards. The ranch offers a variety of products, including fresh ground turkey and turkey burgers, available at major retailers like Whole Foods Markets and Sprouts Farmers Market.

Mary’s Free-Range Turkey

Mary's Free-Range Turkeys, a brand renowned for its high-quality and humanely raised poultry, stands out as a top producer, even though their turkeys are never frozen. Since 1954, Mary's has adhered to strict standards, including no antibiotics, Non-GMO Project Verified, free-range, and non-GMO vegetarian fed, ensuring superior taste and animal welfare. Their heritage turkeys, which can fly and grow at a slower rate of 27 weeks, offer a richer flavor and more even meat distribution. Mary's turkeys are raised on ranches four times the size of average commercial farms, promoting healthy growth and flavor. With various options like organic, brined, and oven-roasted turkeys, Mary's caters to diverse consumer preferences.