Supplier Ownership

Multinationals

Food and beverage companies – ranking based on 2014 revenue: Nestle (1), PepsiCo, Inc. (2), JBS (3), Anheuser-Busch InBev (4), Coca-Cola Co. (5), Archer Daniels Midland Co (6), Tyson (7), Mondelez International (8), Cargill (9), Mars (10), Unilever (11), Danone (12), Kraft Heinz Co. (13), Suntory (17), Fonterra (19), General Mills, Inc. (20), ConAgra Foods Inc (21), Asahi Group (22), Kellogg Co (25), Grupo Bimbo (27), Saputo (40), Dean Foods Co (42), Campbell Soup Co (51), The Hershey Co (55), Red Bull (59), Dr Pepper Snapple Group (64), The JM Smucker Co (67), Morinaga Milk Industry (68), Dole Food Company Inc (82), Tate & Lyle (88), Flowers Foods (96), WhiteWave Foods (99).  Note that there are five Coca-Cola companies on this list with a total revenue just behind Nestle.

PepsiCo

Brands include Siete Foods (acq 2025), Quaker Foods, Ruffles, and Stacy’s Pita Chips.  2016 going from a minority to majority stake to full ownership in KeVita. The products from subsidiary Inviting Foods LLC include Hilo Life (keto snacks).

Nestle

In 2017 Nestle acquired a majority stake in Blue Bottle Coffee.  February 2020 sold Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream to Froneri Ltd.

Mars, Inc

Brands include CocoaVia. Late 2020 started acquisition of Kind Healthy Snacks which in turn started acquisition of Nature’s Bakery.

Danone S.A.

2018/2/6 Danone increases investment in Harmless Harvest (as part of a $30M investment round.)  In 2016 Danone acquired WhiteWave Foods Co.

Groupe Lactalis

Second largest French food products company behind Danone. September 2020 acquired several cheese brands from Kraft Heinz including Breakstone’s, Knudsen, Polly-O, Athenos, Hoffman’s, and Cracker Barrel. Other Lactalis brands include Rondelé, Parmalat, Président, Siggi’s Dairy, Skånemejerier, Rachel’s Organic, and Stonyfield Farm.

Kraft Heinz Company

Kraft Foods and H.J. Heinz joined into the Kraft Heinz Co. – the third largest food and beverage company. Kraft brands include Capri Sun, Roarin’ Waters, Philadelphia cream cheese, Back to Nature, A1 Steak Sauce, Lunchables, Maxwell House, Miracle Whip, Claussen, Gevalia, Planters, Orchard Crisps, Grey Poupon, Harvest Crisps, Honey Maid, Knox, Knudsen, and South Beach Living.  January 2019 finalized acquisition of Primal Nutrition (Primal Kitchen product line); Primal Nutrition operates under the Springboard platform (formed March 2018).

Coca-Cola Company

Brands include Honest Tea, TaB, Zico, Vitamin Water, Kvass, Hi-C, Fuze Beverage, Smart Water, Seagram’s, Rockstar, Nestea, Capri Sun, Minute Maid, Alhambra, and Dasani.  Wikipedia has a long list.  In 2015, acquired more than 16% stakes in Keurig Green Mountain (dropped upon or before Keurig’s January 2018 acquisition of Dr Pepper Snapple), Monster Beverages, and Suja Life L.L.C. July 2020 announced discontinuance of its Odwalla product line.

Tyson Foods

Brands include Wright, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire Farm, Ball Park, and Aidells.  October 2016 acquired a 5% stake in Beyond Meat.  2018 acquired Keystone Foods.

JAB Holding Company

Companies owned include Espresso House and Baresso Coffee A/S; majority stakes include: Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Caribou Coffee Company, and Jacobs Douwe Egberts (JDE) (which includes Pickwick tea).  January 29, 2018 they acquired Dr Pepper Snapple Group (under Keurig Green Mountain; new company name is Keurig Dr Pepper).  In 2017 they acquired Panera Bread and Bruegger’s Bagels.  In 2016 they acquired Keurig Green Mountain and Krispy Kreme.  In 2014, Peet’s acquired Mighty Leaf Tea.

Keurig DrPepper

(Prior to acquisition by Keurig, the Dr. Pepper name was DrPepper Snapple Group.) Brands include 7-Up, A&W, Schweppes, and Hawaiian Punch.  In August 2015 acquired an 11.7% stake in BodyArmor sports drink maker, BA Sports Nutrition.  In November 2016 acquired Bai.  In October 2018 acquired Core Nutriation.

J.M. Smucker Co.

Brands include Smucker, Dunkin’ Donuts, Folgers, Cafe Bustelo, Jif, Meow Mix, Pup-Peroni, and Milk-Bone. Sold Crisco to B&G Foods in 2020.

General Mills, Inc.

Acquired Blue Buffalo Pet Products 1Q18.  Brands include:

• Betty Crocker, Bisquick, Nature Valley, Fiber One bars, Yoplait, Colombo, Totino’s, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old El Paso, Häagen-Dazs, Fruit Roll-Ups
• Cascadian Farms, Annie’s Homegrown, Small Planet Foods, Lärabar (acquired when General Mills acquired Humm Foods), Food Should Taste Good, Muir Glen, and EPIC Provisions (acquisition announced January 2016; will operate under Annie’s division)
• Cheerios, Trix, Cocoa Puffs, Fiber One, Basic 4, Chex, Raisin Nut Bran, Total, Wheaties, and Lucky Charms

Kellogg Company

Brands include Morningstar Farms, Nutri-Grain, and Kashi Co.  Kashi acquiring Pure Organic (bars and fruit and veggie leathers), announced June 2016.  October 2016 acquired Brazilian-based Ritmo Investments which controls the Parati Group (brands include Parati, Pádua, Minueto, Zoo Cartoon, and Hot Cracker).  2017/01 Kellogg leads $4.25M investment in Kuli Kuli.

Grupo Bimbo

Barcel USA is their U.S. snack division. Late 2021 acquired Popcornopolis LLC.

Mondelez International Inc.

Mondelez International Inc. is entering into a joint venture with D.E. Master Blenders 1753 B.V.  Mondelez brands include: Enjoy Life Foods (acquired Feb 2015), Baker’s, Bassett’s, Chocolat Poulain, Côte d’Or, Fig Newton, Green & Blacks, Ritz Crackers, Toblerone, Triscuit, Vegemite, and Wheat Thins.

ConAgra

ConAgra brands include: Blake’s All Natural Foods, Healthy Choice, Van Camp’s, Hunt’s, Wesson, Hebrew National, PAM, and Marie Callender’s. Lightlife (vegan and vegetarian meat substitutes) was sold to Brynwood Partners in 2013. Acquired Pinnacle Brands in October 2018 including Birds Eye, Duncan Hines, Earth Balance, and Vlasic; as well as emerging brands such as Gardein, Glutino, Udi’s, Wish-Bone, and EVOL.

Hain Celestial

Hain Celestial Group has had a misstep or two: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hain_Celestial_Group. June 2017 Hain Celestial’s new incubator arm, Cultivate Ventures, acquired Better Bean; February 2017 Hain Celestial acquired The Yorkshire Provender Ltd (a UK soup company); July 2015 they acquired Mona Group.  Brands include: Greek Gods yogurt, Terra fruit and vegetable nut bars, MaraNatha nut butters, Celestial Seasonings tea, Rudi’s bread, Earth’s Best baby food, Rice Dream rice milk, WestSoy soy milk, Arrowhead Mills flour, Bearitos chips, Health Valley granola bars, DeBoles pasta, SunSpire, and Terra Chips.

Campbell Soup

Brands include Snyder’s-Lance (acquired late 2017).

Hershey’s

Brands include Pirate Brands (acquired September 2018) and Amplify Snack Brands (acquired late 2017). In late 2020 divested the Scharffen Berger and Dagoba brands (which had been acquired in 2005); after divesture, Scharffen Berger and Dagoba relocated operations to 1105 Benson Way, Ashland, Oregon. In 2020, sold Krave Jerky (acquired in 2015). Late 2021 agreed to acquire Dot’s Pretzels LLC and Pretzels Inc. 2021 acquired Lily’s Confections.

WhiteWave Foods

(Spun off from Dean Foods in 2013; acquired by Danone in 2016.)  WhiteWave Foods announced acquisition of Vega Foods in June 2015. WhiteWave’s brands include Silk, So Delicious, International Delight, Land O’Lakes, Horizon Organic, Wallaby Yogurt Co, and Earthbound Farm.  Alpro.

Hormel Foods Corporation

2015/07 Hormel acquired Applegate Farms, the big organic deli meat producer.  Brands include Columbus Craft Meats, Justin’s (acquired in 2016), Skippy (acquired in 2013), Spam, Dinty Moore, Wholly Guacamole (acquired in 2011), Cure 81, Muscle Milk (acquired in 2014), Jennie-O, and La Victoria.

Perdue Farms

2015/09 Perdue Farms acquired Natural Food Holdings, owner of Niman Ranch (700 farmers producing pork, beef, lamb, cage-free eggs, and smoked and cured meats in accordance with specific protocols), SiouxPreme Packing (antibiotic free, natural, or organic), and Prairie Grove (natural, antibiotic free, no animal byproducts feed, and hormone fee pork).

Flowers Foods

In 2015 acquired Alpine Valley Bread Company (for $120M) and Dave’s Killer Bread (for $275M).  Brands include Wonder, Nature’s Own, Sunbeam, Blue Bird, and Tastykake.  Sales of $3.75B in 2014.

Post Holdings, Inc

Brands include Honey Bunches of Oats, Grape-Nuts, and Malt-O-Meal cereals; Peace Cereal, Uncle Sam, and Erewhon natural and organic snacks; PowerBar, Dymatize, and Supreme Protein active nutrition product lines; and Michael Foods Group grocery staples.  Post also does a lot of private label production.  Note that Malt-O-Meal is part of MOM Brands, acquired in January 2015.

Snyder’s-Lance, Inc.

Second largest salty snack maker in the US.  Formed by the merger of Lance, Inc. and Snyder’s of Hanover in 2010.  Lance brands include Cape Cod Potato Chips, Archway Cookies, and Stella D’oro; Snyder’s brands include Snyder’s of Hanover (pretzels) and EatSmart Naturals; post-merger (?) brands include Late July, Pretzel Crisps, and Diamond Foods (acquisition to be completed early 2016).  Diamond Foods brands include Kettle Brand chips, Emerald snack nuts, Pop Secret popcorn, and Diamond of California nuts.

McCormick

In 2015 McCormick acquired Drogheria & Alimentari, Brand Aromatics, and One World Foods (including Stubb’s barbecue sauce).  Other brands include: Grill Mates, Old Bay, Zatarain’s, Thai Kitchen, and Lawry’s. Late 2020 acquired Cholula Food Co (hot sauce).

Landec

Landec Corp. has grouped its natural foods brands under Curation Foods (originally Apio).  In December 2018 acquired Yucatan Foods, including Cabo Fresh.  In 2017 acquired O Olive Oil & Vinegar.  Other brands include: Eat Smart and Now Planting.

Glanbia

Based in Ireland.  Glanbia Nutritionals division is mostly ingredients.  In November 2015 acquired thinkThin.

Froneri Ltd

In 2020 largest producer of ice cream by volume in Europe and second largest globally after Unlever. In 2020 acquired Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream from Nestle, including production and marketing rights to Haagen-Daaz in the US and Canada.

Sonoma Brands

CPG incubator and private equity firm founded by Jon Sebastiani in 2016. Acquired Krave Jerky from Hershey in 2020. Brands include SmashMallow, Medlie, Dang Foods, Guayaki Yerbe Mate, True Botanicals, Peckish, Hu Chocolate, Yumble, Vintage Wine Estates, Hum Nutrition, Milk Bar, Beekeeper’s Naturals, Krave Jerky, and Versed.

Wind Point Partners

A private equity firm owning several food brands and having a majority stake in others including Palmex, Fresh Edge, Gehl Food & Beverage, GoodzGrow, Stir Foods, and Tropicale Foods. In December 2023, under Palmex, Wind Point acquired a majority stake in Benestar Brands (minus Pretzilla) which includes PORQ and 4505.