'Blew Chef Boyardee Away' — The '90s Canned Pasta That's Gone But Not Forgotten

For decades, canned pasta has been a childhood staple — a hot, easy meal that gets kids' attention with colorful commercials and promises of delicious, ready-to-eat comfort food. In the 1990s, as kids enjoyed classics like SpaghettiOs and Chef Boyardee ravioli, Franco American Superiore Beef Ravioli also found its way into the hearts — and mouths — of kiddos. While that brand is now a footnote in food history, it's one that people of a certain age haven't forgotten.

Franco American Food company was founded in 1886, as a canned pasta and soup maker, but was acquired by Campbell's Company in 1915. The brand offered favorites like spaghetti and meatballs, RavioliOs, MacaroniOs, CheesOs, and SpaghettiOs, which were first introduced under the Franco American brand in 1965.

Superiore Beef Ravioli was introduced in the mid 1980s as part of the brand's Superiore pasta line and took direct aim at its competitor. During the mid-1990s, Franco American was aggressive in its marketing campaign. With the slogan "It's not what you're used to, it's better," the company presented its ravioli as a higher-end alternative to Chef Boyardee, boasting of plumper ravioli and richer sauce, while mentioning its competitor by name in commercials.

Unfortunately, its campaign to triumph over Chef Boyardee didn't last. In 2004, Campbell's announced it was retiring the brand and rebranding existing Franco's favorites with the Campbell's name in an attempt to boost sales.

SpaghettiOs and Chef Boyardee may be the biggest contenders in rankings of canned pasta today, but for fans of Franco American, the Superiore Beef Ravioli reigned supreme in its day. Redditors claim that its flavor was much better than Chef Boyardee and its combo of well-filled ravioli with thick beef and peppery sauce made for a satisfying meal. Apart from the ravioli, Franco American fans also fondly remember its many varieties of SpaghettiOs and offerings like RavioliOs. The Franco American brand also keeps a devoted nostalgic following for its once classic canned macaroni and cheese.

Like many snacks from the 1990s, Superiore Beef Ravioli lives on in the memories of those who grew up with it — a reminder of childhood when pasta in a can was considered something special. One Redditor reminisces, "It was my favorite growing up: the firm, overstuff[ed] ravioli and spicy sauce was so great." While it's been gone from grocery store shelves for more than 20 years, a generation of Americans who grew up with it and loved it will tell you it beats Chef Boyardee any day.