Who Owns Organic?

31 August 2007

Looking at the labels of many well known organic brands, you'd have no idea they were owned by corporate giants. Dr. Phil Howard created the charts below to show who owns what. He explains, "Although the owner of an organic food company told me 'consumers don't care' about this trend, hiding their corporate ownership suggests otherwise."

Information Graphics courtesy Phil Howard, Ph.D.

Organic Industry Structure: Top 25 Acquisitions

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Note that most of the acquisitions occurred between December, 1997, the date USDA published the first draft of the proposed national organic standards, and October 2002, the date the national organic standards were implemented.

Organic Industry Structure: Top 25 Introductions

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Note that most of the introductions occurred after October 2002, the date the USDA national organic standards were implemented.

Organic Industry Structure: Significant Acquistions and Introductions

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Organic Industry Structure: Major Independents and Their Brands

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Organic Industry Structure: Private Label Brands

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Last Updated 9 March 2010