File:Organic - 'Natural' Products companies Corp acquisitions US 1997-2014.png

Organic_-_'Natural'_Products_companies_Corp_acquisitions_US_1997-2014

https://www.msu.edu/~howardp/organicindustry.html

The development of the USDA National Organic Standard in place of differing state/regional standards was widely predicted to accelerate trends of increasing consolidation in this sector. The first draft of the standard was released in 1997.

http://www.ams.usda.gov/about-ams/programs-offices/national-organic-program

http://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/organic-regulations

The first wave of acquisitions of organic processors was concentrated between December, 1997 when the draft USDA standard was released, and its full implementation in October, 2002. A second wave of acquisitions has been occurring since 2012.

Few companies identify these ownership ties on product labels.

Updates: August 2015, Coca-Cola acquired just under 30% of Suja Juice ($90M), Flowers Foods (#37) acquired Dave’s Killer Bread ($275M), WhiteWave acquired Wallaby Yogurt ($125M); June 2015, Campbell Soup Co. acquired Garden Fresh Gourmet ($231M); May 2015, Hormel (#15) acquired Applegate Farms ($775M), ConAgra acquired Blake’s; January 2015, Post acquired MOM Brands/Malt-O-Meal/BetterOats ($1.15B); September 2014, General Mills acquired Annie’s Homegrown ($820 M), WhiteWave acquired So Delicious ($195 M). August 2014, Tyson acquired Hillshire Brands ($8.5B); April 2014, Post acquired Michael Foods ($2.45 B), Hillshire Brands acquired Van’s Natural Foods ($165 M), Treehouse Foods acquired Protenergy Natural Foods ($150 M), and Hain Celestial acquired Rudi’s Organic Bakery ($61 M).

https://www.greenpolicy360.net/mw/images/Organic_-_%27Natural%27_Products_companies_Corp_acquisitions_US_1997-2014.png

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