The Food Chain - Who Owns Organic and Natural
Many of us have the perception that the organic and natural food industry is made up of many small and local farmers helping the local economy. This is increasingly becoming the "myth" of organic and natural food.
Over the last fifteen years large retailers have been acquiring and launching organic and natural brands at an amazing rate. Is your favorite "local" brand actually local? Can you count on a "healthy" brand to remain so once it's been acquired by a large food chain? These are only a few of the many questions and concerns that arise when an industry with many small players turns into an industry with only a few large behemoths.
This table is an attempt to strip away the veil and show who actually owns which brands in the organic and natural industry. While far from complete, this list shows many of the significant acquisitions and brand launches.
| Brand/Company | Owned By | Year |
| Alba Botanica | Hain Celestial | |
| Alexia Foods | ConAgra | 2007 |
| Alta Dena | Dean | 1999 |
| Arrowhead Mills | Hain Celestial | 1998 |
| Avalon Organics | Hain Celestial | |
| Back To Nature | Kraft | 2003 |
| Bear Naked | Kellogg | 2007 |
| Bearitos | Hain Celestial | 1997 |
| Ben & Jerry's Organic | Unilever | 2003 |
| Boca Foods | Kraft | 2000 |
| Breadshop | Hain Celestial | 1999 |
| Breyer's Organic | Unilever | 2006 |
| Campbell's Organic | Campbell's | 2003 |
| Casbah | Hain Celestial | 1999 |
| Cascadian Farm | General Mills | 1999 |
| Celestial Seasonings | Hain Celestial | 2000 |
| Dagoba | Hershey Foods | 2006 |
| DeBole's | Hain Celestial | 1998 |
| DiGiorno Organic | Kraft | 2006 |
| Dole Organic | Dole | 2001 |
| Dove Organic | M&M Mars | 2006 |
| Earth's Best | Hain Celestial | 1999 |
| Ethnic Gourmet | Hain Celestial | |
| FreeBird | Hain Celestial | |
| French Meadow | Rich Products Corp. | 2007 |
| Fruitti de Bosco | Walnut Acres | 2001 |
| Garden of Eatin' | Hain Celestial | 1998 |
| Grains Noirs | Hain Celestial | |
| Gold Medal Organic | General Mills | 2005 |
| Green & Black's | Cadbury Schweppes | 2005 |
| Hain Pure Foods | Hain Celestial | |
| Health Valley | Hain Celestial | 1999 |
| Heinz Organic | Heinz | 2002 |
| Hershey Organic | Hershey Foods | 2007 |
| Hollywood | Hain Celestial | |
| Honest Tea | Coca Cola (40% stake) | 2008 |
| Horizon Organic | Dean | 2004 |
| Hunt's Organic | ConAgra | 2005 |
| Imagine Foods | Hain Celestial | 2002 |
| JASON | Hain Celestial | |
| Kashi | Kellogg | 2000 |
| Keebler Organic | Kellogg | 2006 |
| Kellogg's Organic | Kellogg | 2006 |
| Kraft Organic | Kraft | 2008 |
| Larabar | General Mills | 2008 |
| Lightlife | ConAgra | 2000 |
| Lima | Hain Celestial | |
| Linda McCartney | Hain Celestial | |
| Little Bear | Hain Celestial | 1997 |
| MaraNatha | Hain Celestial | 2008 |
| Millina's Finest | Walnut Acres | 2001 |
| Morningstar Farms | Kellogg | 1999 |
| Mott's Organic | Cadbury Schweppes | 2004 |
| Mountain Sun | Walnut Acres | 2001 |
| Muir Glen | Cascadian Farm | 2005 |
| Nantucket Nectars Organic | Cadbury Schweppes | 2004 |
| Natumi | Hain Celestial | |
| Natural Skincare | Hain Celestial | |
| Natural Touch | Kellogg | 1999 |
| Nabisco Organic | Kraft | 2007 |
| Naked Juice | Pepsi | 2008 |
| Nature's Farm | Tyson | 2001 |
| Nile Spice | Hain Celestial | 1998 |
| Odwalla | Coca Cola | 2001 |
| Organic Cow of Vermont | Horizon | 1999 |
| Orville Redenbacher's Organic | ConAgra | 2005 |
| Pace Organic | Campbell's | 2005 |
| PAM Organic | ConAgra | 2006 |
| Planters Organic | Kraft | 2007 |
| PowerBar | Nestle | 2006 |
| Prego Organic | Campbell's | 2005 |
| Pria Grain Essentials | Nestle | 2006 |
| Queen Helene | Hain Celestial | |
| Ragu Organic | Unilever | 2005 |
| Real Eat | Hain Celestial | |
| Rice Dream | Hain Celestial | 2002 |
| Rosetto | Hain Celestial | |
| Seeds of Change | M&M Mars | 1997 |
| ShariAnn's | Walnut Acres | 2001 |
| Silk | Dean | 2002 |
| Soy Dream | Hain Celestial | 2002 |
| Spectrum Essentials | Hain Celestial | 2005 |
| Spectrum Naturals | Hain Celestial | 2005 |
| Spectrum Organics | Hain Celestial | 2005 |
| Stone Mill | Anhueser-Busch | 2006 |
| SunSpire | Hain Celestial | 2008 |
| Swansons Organic | Campbell's | 2005 |
| Terra | Hain Celestial | |
| TofuTown | Hain Celestial | 2007 |
| Tostito's Organic | Pepsi | 2003 |
| Tropicana Organic | Pepsi | 2007 |
| V8 Organic | Campbell's | 2005 |
| Walnut Acres Organic | Hain Celestial | 2003 |
| Westbrae | Hain Celestial | 1997 |
| Westsoy | Hain Celestial | 1997 |
| White Wave | Dean | 2002 |
| Wholesome & Hearty | Kellogg | 2007 |
| Wild Hop | Anhueser-Busch | 2006 |
| Yves Veggie Cuisine | Hain Celestial | |
| Zia | Hain Celestial | |
To see a visual representation of most of this information broken down by Organic Product Introductions, Acquisitions, Investments, and private labels, including an animation of the acquistions history, visit Phil Howard's excellent site at https://www.msu.edu/~howardp/organicindustry.html.
This list does not include private labels such as Walmart's Great Value or Target's Archer Farms brands.
Please be aware that the information listed here is derived from a range of resources. Simplify My Food Choices does not endorse these sources and does not endorse the information carried herein. As with any medical situation, do not make medical decisions based on this information without a physician's approval. Simplify My Food Choices assumes no responsibility for actions taken based on any information contained on this website, and is not responsible for the accuracy and clarity of this information. This page is NOT a complete listing.
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