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Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,019
Registered: ‎08-08-2010

Re: Food brands and their parent companies

This goes beyond food safety for me as well. There are some companies I choose to support for the social or ecological contributions they make (or choose not to support for those same reasons) and it is getting harder to do that when you have to dig to find the parent company, that is often changing repeatedly.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 25,929
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Food brands and their parent companies

@Mominohio  Do you get ham etc from Silver Star in your area? They are made in Pittsburgh. Lower in salt than most hams. Totally a USA product. We used to be close to the factory and could buy at the factory store. THE WORLDS BEST HOT DOGS, if you like hot dogs, are silver star.

Regular Contributor
Posts: 176
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Food brands and their parent companies

@2blonde  Awww...blushing here. Not claiming to be smart just like to eat healthy food. It makes such a big difference in how I feel.

Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,162
Registered: ‎08-01-2015

Re: Food brands and their parent companies

My DH works in the food industry and is a wealth of information regarding food safety. Was an eye opener for me to learn when he worked making a "certain brand" that the recipe for Europe and Canada was hugely different then the one for USA. To be honest the Canadian recipe tasted way better to me. See EU and Canada have banned GMO's and "high fructose corn surup" and additives we accept here ( HFCS which is the kiss of death popular corn sweetener) I was like WOW. A doctor yesterday told us is all about "greed" here and one has to wonder about things. I do know Boars Head Brand Hams have no GMO and are still "family owned" Yea the China involvement with Smithfield is a dissapointment.

Valued Contributor
Posts: 974
Registered: ‎09-05-2014

Re: Food brands and their parent companies

@Mominohio I agree with you. I no longer buy Smithfield and now it's ubiquitous. Hard to find anything that isn't Smithfield.

 

I made friedns with a local farmer a while back at a farmers market. She was selling angus beef, pork and some chicken....I loved her sausages but when I tried the pork chops, I couldn't believe the difference in taste from what's in grocery stores now! These pork chops tasted like how remember meat tasting when I was a kid. Sadly, she moved back to CA and I rarely eat pork at all now. I tried getting meats from a few other local farmers, but it wasn't very good...and very expensive.

 

I may try a few online companies, although very expensive. There was one called Butcherbox that I might try, just for the pork. I don't know why pork is so much harder to find than beef or chicken. I pretty much stopped eating it. I don't eat much fish either, as much of it is sourced from China....and you don't even want to know what they feed their fish.

My husband had to go to factories his company does business with in China...he said the factories are built quickly, and bcz they just want to make $$, they don't even bother to clean things like sawdust up....just paint over it. Some of the things he told me has put an abrupt end to much of my "made in china" shopping

 

Also Fyi- most of the "natural" or "organic" products are also under a major company: Hain Celestial. I used to go to the Natural products expos years ago...until we jokingly said they should just call it the "HainCelestial" expo....

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,475
Registered: ‎03-14-2015

Re: Food brands and their parent companies

When I was a little girl, we had a neighbor that raised hogs for food.

 

My parents would always buy one of his hogs, and I have to tell you, that was the BEST tasting pork that I have EVER had.

 

His hogs were lean, not full of who-knows-what, and very flavorful.

 

 

Today, I can't eat store bought pork, because I have already had the best, and nothing else compares.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 10,620
Registered: ‎09-22-2010

Re: Food brands and their parent companies

[ Edited ]

I try not to eat processed food (I admit I do not make my own condiments) but I have been shopping at a Japanese market about once a month for years so I am sure I am eating many foods made in China, Japan, Korea, etc.  In fact I am stopping there today.  I worry more about eating food full of fat and chemicals.  

Honored Contributor
Posts: 13,019
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Food brands and their parent companies

[ Edited ]

I'm more concerned about the relaxing of federal regulations safeguarding food production and preparation.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 20,019
Registered: ‎08-08-2010

Re: Food brands and their parent companies


@151949 wrote:

@Mominohio  Do you get ham etc from Silver Star in your area? They are made in Pittsburgh. Lower in salt than most hams. Totally a USA product. We used to be close to the factory and could buy at the factory store. THE WORLDS BEST HOT DOGS, if you like hot dogs, are silver star.


 

@151949

 

I've never noticed Silver Star in this area, but will look for it.

Respected Contributor
Posts: 3,597
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Food brands and their parent companies

Many companies you start buying because they challenge the big guys, then the big guys buy them.   Burts Bees, and Dollar Shave Club come to mind.