The Best-Selling Canned Pumpkin In America Isn't Great Value Or Kroger Brand

If you've made pumpkin pie in the last 100 years, there's a good chance you've used a can of Libby's. (If you were somehow making pumpkin pies before that, you may have bought pumpkin puree under the Dickinson & Co. label, Libby's predecessor.) The Nestlé-owned brand is so popular that it accounts for nearly 90% of the North American pumpkin market, according to the Ag Marketing Resource Center. The other 10% consists mostly of store-brand canned pumpkin, such as 365, Good & Gather, Kroger, and Great Value. It's surprising these companies combine for such a small share considering how popular the product lines are!

Libby's uses its own variety of pumpkin, the Libby's Select Dickinson. This is a version of the original Dickinson, cultivated by Elijah Dickinson in Kentucky in the early 1800s. It doesn't look like your typical pumpkin with its beige skin, making it less than ideal for the typical Halloween doorstep decoration. Inside its flesh is orange, dry, sweet, and dense — though we recommend simmering your canned pumpkin to make it even drier and more flavorful. When Dickinson moved his farm to central Illinois, his crop took off and caught the eye of the Chicago-based Libby's. The state still accounts for about half of the U.S.'s production of processed pumpkin. In fact, at the Libby's plant in Morton, IL, which accounts for 80% to 90% of the U.S.'s canned pumpkin, they produce enough cans to make 90 million pumpkin pies a year. 

Canned pumpkin often has a better, more consistent texture and a stronger pumpkin flavor than home-roasted and pureed. Plus, it's a lot more convenient. That isn't to say it's perfect – check out our tips for using canned pumpkin puree. Most canned pumpkin is sold between October and January, but that doesn't mean that's the only time to use it. Here are some ways to use it year-round.

Pumpkin mixed with ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg makes a delicious filling for a homemade ravioli. Fry some fresh sage on top with a brown butter sauce, and you have a gourmet dinner. It's also a great ingredient for a creamy mac and cheese. Simply stir in some puree with the cheese sauce for an extra depth of flavor and a healthy amount of fiber that the dish often can be low on.

It's great in soups and stews. A can of pumpkin, curry spices, onion, garlic, and broth are all you really need to make a delicious curried pumpkin soup. It's also a delicious way to thicken chili and add some natural sweetness.