I think a lot of people are becoming more and more concerned about what they eat. Everything from the source of the food (particularly the country of origin), to how it is processed and what is actually in it.
I have avoided Smithfield products since they were purchased by a company in China. People can agree or disagree with that choice, but the point of this post is more about how hard it can be to know what brands are now owned/operated by/private labels manufactured by other companies they you may be choosing to avoid or choosing to seek out and support.
Example. I have always purchased the Members Mark hams at Sam's Club. Loved the quality and taste. They were gone the last two times I went to Sam's, replaced with Smithfield brand. I asked a meat department person about the change, and he told me the Member's Mark were made by Smithfield anyway (made me a little sick to think that!). I told him I refused to buy a known Smithfield product. I also said I was trying to source as much uncured meats as possible, and he pointed to a new arrival (just in store a couple of days) called Pure Farms uncured ham. I was happy to give it a try.
Different than what we are used to, lots of fat, and bone in which is kind of a waste for me, but I was pleased to find a healthier option.Then I came to the computer this morning to research the product.
Falls under the Smithfield family!
Ugh! It can be difficult to stand in a store, and choose a product when all these multiple brands and labels are really owned or produced by the same major company. Seems a little dishonest. Companies are buying up other brands all the time and many of the brands we felt comfortable supporting or eating are no longer made by the same parent company we thought (or in the same place or with the same ingredients).
Part of my solution has been to eat closer to nature and more whole foods, less processed. But everyone isn't going to do that, and even those that do, want to easily know the source/manufacturer of their foods outright without a bunch of smoke and mirrors and hiding of the actual source or manufacturer.
I'm frustrated trying to keep a score card about who owns what and who has bought out what other brands. I know we can always opt for more locally raised meat, but I've pursued that in a couple of small shops here, and I'm not at all happy with the quality, especially for the high price.
So, just frustrated to have to work so hard to find brands that I'm trying to avoid, just keep coming up with new brands to market to me, and hide the facts about who they really source from.
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