Hi my healthy tribe~
This month I wish to shine light on a topic that is oh-so dear to my heart. It goes back to my Mama’s roots of being a cool hippy in the 60s and 70s. Know what you are eating and where it comes from. Let’s dive in together, shall we?
I am proud to continue on in my mother’s footsteps and carry her passion for all things honest, good, and transparent. This is why I make all of my own food, rarely do I buy packaged foods, and never-ever do I buy processed foods. I shop mostly at farmer’s markets and one or two like-minded health food stores doing their best to provide us with safe, and actually real food. This doesn’t have to be an unfortunate eye-opening conversation. Instead it can be a life-affirming one that supports us in homesteading more; making our own foods, growing our own foods, being kinder to our planet, using less energy, and being kinder to each other in the process.
I also pride myself on cultivating and nurturing deep relationships with store owners, managers, employees, companies whose products I purchase, and the farms they are getting their food from. This way I know who I am giving my money to—and I do so happily once I find my people.
There are only 10 companies that control almost every large food and beverage brand in the world; yup that’s right! Nestlé, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Danone, General Mills, Kellogg’s, Mars, Associated British Foods, and Mondelez.
Below is a bit of a deep-dive into the world of profit basically. It stops being about the food; the quality, the small mom ‘n pop companies we loved to support back in the 70s, 80s, and onward. It is simply about buying up all the little ones to make one big super giant company that does not have our well-being in mind at all—they do want our money though. And they hope you don’t pay attention and notice what has been happening.
Hopefully this will empower you to do your own research, get to know more of where the food you purchase comes from, who owns it, how is it made, and if it still can even be called food. Or is it now simply a bio-engineered product masquerading as food?
Now more than ever, consumers are seeking products that are healthy, organic, all-natural, local and ethically sound. This positive shift is largely tied to the spread of knowledge. People are now willing to pay a little more for trusted brands with high-quality ingredients.
Big businesses are looking to make their cut of the profits, leading to a huge industry secret. Many of the wholesome niche companies we trust and enjoy have been quietly bought out by huge corporations that may not carry the same standards we rely on. Once small-scale independent brands are now owned and operated by parent companies like General Mills, Perdue or Coco-Cola.
A dwindling number of organic brands are still independent—most are owned by large conglomerates. Once acquired by a major food processing company, organic brands tend to become diluted. They may begin to offer non-organic food or source their raw materials from industrialized farms. Sometimes the brand disappears altogether once it has been bought out by Big Food. This project is informed by the important work of Dr. Phil Howard, Michigan State University professor and member of International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems.
Organic food companies are being bought out by large corporations at an alarming rate. In just the past few years, we have seen some of the most trusted names in organic food and products being sold to the very companies that we are consciously trying to avoid. This trend is only increasing, as these large corporations see the value in the organic market and are hoping to cash in on it.
The problem with this is that these companies do not have the same standards as true organic companies. They are allowed to cut corners and use cheaper, non-organic ingredients, as long as they are still technically considered “organic”. This means that the quality of our food is decreasing, even as the price continues to increase.
When it comes to the foods, cosmetics, and household products you purchase it is always recommended to do your own research and find out which brands you can trust. Remember, labels can be misleading and things can change quickly, so dig deep and stay consistent with your research. They may look the same but read the fine print and you will be amazed. I continue to learn every time I go down this rabbit hole for more info. Feel free to reach out and schedule a health coaching session if you would like to dig deep together.
Cornucopia offers a list of nationally available, organic brands that are currently independently owned. These brands are committed to selling only certified organic products. It is a great website providing list of brands that are still independent.
What can we do to stop this trend?
The best thing that we can do is to support true organic companies, and to avoid buying from the companies that have been bought out by larger corporations. Support your local Farmer’s Markets and request organic foods of companies you know have not sold themselves out. We can also grow our own fruits, vegetables and herbs on a window seal, patio or in our backyards. We can also spread the word about this issue, and help to educate others on what is really happening in the food industry.
The organic food industry is under threat, but it is not too late to save it. With our support, we can ensure that organic food remains accessible and of high quality.
Attached below is a chart from Dr. Phil Howard with February 2014 updates of the Big Food industry brands that are buying up the organic brand “little guys”, and likely, implementing and imposing their very own manufacturing practices that cut back costs, make products cheaper and ultimately hit their bottom line for stock holders. When it comes specifically to the health of the human body, “cutting corners” to boost profit margins usually doesn’t mean having your best health interests in mind.
What does this chart mean for you?
It will simply give you an idea of the companies you’re buying from and supporting. Your money is energy and you have a right to vote every time you spend it. Personally, I try to opt for equivalent products that are independently owned or from a local source. Full transparency, I don’t purchase any of the name brands on this list.
For example, Vital Proteins, recently sold 41% of its business to Nestle in 2020 and now Nestle owns all of it. This illustrates why it is so important to recheck periodically to ensure you are choosing the best brands for your health and safety.
Here is a friend’s comment on Vital Proteins company sell out:
I’ve chosen to discontinue Vital Proteins, as I have done with many brands. The reason is simple: they no longer meet the strict Supplement Quality Standards. Their products will probably continue to be manufactured properly, but Nestle’s ethics fall short of our expectations. I imagine that people are frustrated that this could happen, again, to a brand they trust. It stinks all around. We want things to remain the same and use the products we’ve grown to trust. In the natural products industry, it is too dynamic a picture in a weak regulatory landscape. We must be vigilant in the brands we select. Utilize the rigorous Supplement Quality Standard to help you hold accountable the brands you choose.
Here is another, Muir Glen (products like tomato sauces, canned tomatoes, etc.) and Cascadian Farms (frozen fruits and vegetables), both organic brands, are owned by General Mills – one of the largest processed food companies in the world, not to mention, contributors of the millions of dollars spent to defeat GMO labeling in California and Washington. Rather, I prefer to buy an equivalent product from a local source or from another brand that is independently owned.
I’ll be the first to admit, this can take some practice with learning which organic brands are owned my major food conglomerates and which by small, independent companies, but this chart is a start to help you.
Some of the foundation principles I always teach are to eat and support local farms in your area. This, when you think about it, has been how we’ve always eaten as a species since the beginning of human history – local within our ecosystem and organic (that’s all there was.. everything technically was organic before commercial farming practices became prominent in our food supply in past century or so). Not only is the food more fresh (less transit time “farm to table”) and nutritious, it’s indeed what the human body is designed to function on as “fuel” for optimal health, vitality and performance.
So what are some steps you can take and implement next time you go grocery shopping?
o Opt for local foods from your farmers market, CSA, or Co-op.
o Try Local Harvest and Farm Plate to find local-organic-sustainable food sources. Both are like Google for food – farmers markets, farms, grocery, CSA, restaurants, etc. Great sources to use when traveling, I’ll add.
o Notice some of the organic brands on this chart and opt for the equivalent foods by a small independent brand
I would like to say that I have a personal love affair with Hu Kitchen dark chocolate so when I heard they sold to Mondelez, who owns Oreo, you can imagine my disappointment. I decided to have an open mind and give the company a chance to enlighten me. I had an hour conversation with Zach who works closely with Jordan, Jessica and Jason, the co-founders of Hu Kitchen. And boy am I glad I did! I was deeply enlightened and formed a very researched decision to continue supporting this company, even though it has a larger parent company now.
This taught me that there are some exceptions, like Bragg below as well. I can honestly say that this is most likely a rare exception and definitely not the norm with these big buy-outs. But it does go to show that these companies do deserve a chance to explain themselves and be transparent to their customers.
Happy learning.
The wonderful thing about food is you get three votes a day. Every one of them has the potential to change the world.
-Michael Pollan
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Bragg
To begin I will start with a family favorite of mine since I was a child, Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar.
In 2019, an investor group led by Swander Pace Capital, a private equity firm, purchased Bragg Live Food Products, the world’s top producer of apple cider vinegar. Other investors in the group included: Dragoneer Investment Group, Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom and Hayden Slater, founder of Pressed Juicery
The transaction closed on March 11, 2019. Perry was motivated to invest because of her long-standing friendship with the Bragg family, including Patricia Bragg, who served as CEO of the company for 65 years.
Bragg Live Food Products, founded in 1912 by health advocate Paul Bragg, also produces other health and wellness products, such as amino acids, nutritional yeast, dressings, seasonings, and ready-to-drink products.
There has been a lot of talk about this purchase and even of Bill Gates’ involvement and a mass concern for Apeel to become a concern. Supposedly, and this is a big supposedly as I honestly do not know who to trust on this one, Apeel will not be a concern for us as the company will not be using apples with Apeel and the Bragg family is still involved in the company maintaining it’s long standing history of all things healthy since 1912. Fingers crossed! There are many who say this is not true and the product has already become degraded since the purchase. Sometimes it is up to us to determine for ourselves.
Kellogg’s
Forget Froot Loops and Frosted Flakes — Kellogg’s also owns non-cereal brands including Eggo, Pringles, and Cheez-It.
Associated British Foods
This British company owns brands such as Dorset Cereals and Twinings tea, as well as the retailer Primark.
General Mills
General Mills is best known for cereals like Cheerios and Chex, but it also owns brands like Yoplait, Hamburger Helper, Haagen-Dazs, and Betty Crocker.
Danone
Best known for yogurts like Activa, Yocrunch, and Oikos, Danone also sells medical nutrition products and bottled water.
Mondelez
This snack-centric company’s brands include Oreo, Trident gum, and Sour Patch Kids, and now Hu Kitchen.
Mars
Mars is best known for its chocolate brands, such as M&M, but it also owns Uncle Ben’s rice, Starburst, and Orbit gum.
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is moving beyond soda, with beverage brands including Dasani, Fuze, and Honest Tea.
Unilever
Unilever’s diverse list of brands includes Axe body spray, Lipton tea, Magnum ice cream, and Hellmann’s mayonnaise.
PepsiCo
In addition to Pepsi and other sodas, PepsiCo also owns brands such as Quaker Oatmeal, Cheetos, and Tropicana.
Nestlé
Brands you may not have known that Nestlé owns include Gerber baby food, Perrier, DiGiorno, and Hot Pockets — plus, of course, candy brands including Butterfinger and KitKat.
Annie’s Homegrown – General Mills
Families have come to trust Annie’s Homegrown as an organic, GMO-free source of mac and cheese and bunny-sharped crackers. They might be surprised to learn the company was sold to General Mills in 2014.
Honest Tea – Coca-Cola
Just like the name, Honest Tea boasts a tasty organic beverage with a commitment to honesty and integrity. But did you know that in 2008 40% of the company was bought by Coca-Cola? Yup. And now Coca-Cola owns all of it!
Applegate Farms – Hormel
Since its debut, organic consumers have reached for Applegate as a healthier, more trusted option. These preservative and antibiotic-free hotdogs, sausages, and deli meat are actually produced by parent company Hormel—maker of Spam.
Burt’s-Bees – Clorox
Burt’s Bees products are perceived as earth-friendly and natural. Clorox, maker of bleach and chemical-packed cleaners, likely banked on that trust when purchasing the brand in 2007.
Naked Juice – Pepsi
When you reach for Naked Juice, you probably imagine you are making a healthy, wholesome choice. The packaging boasts generous servings of fresh fruits and vegetables in every serving. However, since its sale to PepsiCo in 2006, the brand has gained negative attention for its misleading “all-natural” labeling.
Hu Kitchen– Mondelez formerly Kraft Foods
Owns Oreo, Ritz, Chips Ahoy!, Triscuit, Nabisco,Sour Patch Kids, Wheat Thins, Honey-Maid, Swedish Fish, Cadbury, Green & Black’s…and for those who dive deep Vanguard Group Inc., Black Rock Inc., and a few others are the largest owners of Mondelez. If this doesn’t give you pause I don’t know what will.
Bear Naked – Kellogg’s
You likely know Bear Naked as the minimalist granola company founded by two high-school friends. Yet, this small-batch cereal has been mass-produced since its sale to Kellogg’s 2007.
Coleman Natural – Perdue
The country’s most trusted brand of organic chicken, Coleman Natural, is actually owned by Perdue. You may have seen Perdue in the news associated with animal welfare concerns and excessive antibiotic use.
Alexia Foods – ConAgra
Alexia Foods is well known for producing frozen potato products like sweet potato fries that are all-natural and free of GMO’s or Trans Fat. What the label doesn’t tell you is that this brand was purchased by ConAgra in 2007.
Green & Blacks – Kraft
Green & Black’s, the brand known for gourmet, ethically sourced, organic chocolate, was first sold to Cadbury in 2005. It has since changed hands to a subsidiary of Kraft called Mondelez.
Bolthouse Farms – Campbell’s
Much like Odwalla, Bolthouse Farms has a reputation for providing nutrition-packed beverages. They are quickly recognized in health food stores across the country. Similarly, these juices have become more sugar-packed since the company was sold to Campbell’s (the soup company) in 2012.
Horizon Organics – WhiteWave Foods
One of the biggest names in organic dairy, Horizon Organics is a common go-to. The company is now owned by WhiteWave Foods—a subsidiary of Danone (producer of Dannon yogurt). The company also owns Stonyfield Organic and Earthbound Farm.
Here are a few more companies you may recognize, listed with their surprising parent company:
· Cascadian Farm – General Mills
· Dagoba Chocolate – Hershey’s
· Goose Island Brewery – Anheuser-Bush
· Lara Bar- General Mills
· Kashi- Kellogg’s
· Silk – Dean Foods
· Odwalla – Coca-Cola Company
· Epic Provisions- General Mills
· RxBar- General Mills
· Snack Factory- Campbell’s
· Skinny Pop- Hershey Co.
· Earth Balance – Boulder Brands
· Earthbound Farm- Danone North America
· Justin’s – Hormel Foods
· Wholly Guacamole- Hormel
· Sabra Hummus- PepsiCo
· Kevita kombucha – PepsiCo
· Zico – Coca-Cola
· SmartWater- Coca Cola
· Van’s – Hillshire
· Horizon Organics – WhiteWave Foods
· Stonyfield Organics – Danone
· Udi’s- Pinnacle
· Santa Cruz Organic – J.M. Smucker
· Fox Barrel – Miller/Coors
· Peet’s Coffee & Tea – D.E. Blend Masters (Formerly Sara Lee)
· Sweet Earth – Nestle
· Bai and Core Nutrition – Dr. Pepper
· Tazo Tea – Unilever
· Late July – Snyder’s Lance
· Plum Organics and Pacific Foods – Campbell Soup