Are These 18 Store Brands Actually Made by Name Brands?!
Which name brand companies make generic products? We did a bit of digging to find out!
Headed to the grocery store? Read this first.
We all know that sometimes store brands may not compare to name brands… BUT did you know that many store brands are actually manufactured under a “private label” by big brand companies specifically for that retailer and sold at a fraction of the cost?
Instead of paying more for the same or a similar product, check out a few store brand items that we found to be just as good as their competition.
NOTE: The companies below were not willing to disclose this information, so some of the data in this post is based on online research and our “detective work”. 😎 We suggest grabbing a few store-brand and name-brand items to see if YOU can tell the difference!
1. ALDI’s Millville cereals are made by General Mills.
ALDI’s Millville Cinnamon Crunch Cereal $1.39
– versus –
General Mills Cinnamon Toast Crunch $3.28
You save $1.89!
Rumor has it that ALDI’s Millville brand is manufactured exclusively for the grocery chain by the big brand, General Mills. This would make sense considering that “Mills” is part of the Millville line. 😉
However, some rumors say that the Millville cereals are actually manufactured by Malt-O-Meal, which is owned by Post. Whether it’s General Mills or Post, this just goes to show that you don’t need to pay for name brands when you can save big bucks on store brands!
At ALDI, a 12.2oz box of Millville Cinnamon Crunch Squares sells for around $0.11 per oz whereas a 12oz box of General Mills Cinnamon Toast Crunch sells for $0.27 per oz–more than twice as much! 😱
2. ALDI’s Benton cookies taste just like Girl Scout Cookies.
ALDI’s Benton’s Caramel Coconut Fudge Cookies $1.39
– versus –
Girl Scout Cookies (all flavors) $5
You save $3.61!
Get your Girl Scout cookie cravings all year long at ALDI! Under the brand name Benton’s, you can find three of the best Girl Scout cookie-inspired flavors – Thin Mints, Tagalongs, and Samoas. And the best part is ALDI’s brand is priced at $0.95 to $1.39 per package instead of $5 per box!
- Benton’s Fudge Mint Cookies 10oz | $0.95
- Benton’s Peanut Butter Filled Cookies 9.5oz | $0.95
- Benton’s Caramel Coconut Fudge Cookies 8.5oz | $1.39
While we can’t verify that Benton’s brand is made by a big brand, these cookies look (and taste) just like the Girl Scout version, except they’re less expensive and available year-round!
3. ALDI’s Tuscan Garden Italian Dressing tastes the same as Olive Garden!
ALDI’s Tuscan Garden Restaurant-Style Italian Dressing $1.69
– versus –
Olive Garden Italian Dressing $3.78
You save $2.09!
If you’re a fan of Olive Garden’s Signature Italian salad dressing, be on the lookout for ALDI’s version of this popular salad dressing! Although ALDI does sell Olive Garden’s 16oz dressing for $2.99, you can also pick up this Tuscan Garden “Restaurant Style” Italian Dressing in the same size bottle for just $1.69 – that’s almost a 60% savings!
While we can’t verify that the Tuscan Garden brand is made by a big brand, the only difference between these two salad dressings appeared to be the label and the price.
We even tried the two dressings, and they tasted nearly identical!
4. ALDI’s store brand Clancy Baked Chips are made by Barrel O’ Fun.
ALDI’s Clancy Potato Chips $1.25
– versus –
Barrel O’ Fun Barbecue Potato Chips $2.68
You save $1.43
Minnesota’s popular chips brand Barrel O’ Fun produces an extensive line of different potato chip brands (kettle, popcorn, baked, etc). The word of mouth says the Clancy baked chips are made by Barrel O’ Fun and cost much less than a bag of Lays Potato Chips!
Check out this comment from a Hip2Save reader:
“I love Aldi’s potato chips and my kids liked them better than the name brand!”
5. Great Value Peanut Butter is actually made by Peter Pan.
Why pay for Peter Pan Peanut Butter which sells for about 13.1¢ per ounce when you can opt for Walmart’s Great Value brand for about 8.7¢ per ounce?!
Years ago, there was a recall for both products which spilled the beans on the fact that they were actually the same thing! Luckily, that was in 2007 and both are perfectly safe now.
Can’t believe it’s just as good? Here’s what one buyer said about the Great Value peanut butter:
“We decided to try the Great Value brand of peanut butter because of the price and found that it is just as good as the major brand-named peanut butter. If you read the label, you will find that the nutritional values are the same or even better than some other brands & it tastes just as delicious. The lower cost is well worth giving it a try, and you’ll find that the only thing you are giving up is higher costs and a major brand name.”
6. The store brand Great Value White Bread is made by Sara Lee.
The 20 oz. loaves of Great Value White Bread from Walmart are actually made in the same bakery as Sara Lee products & many other brands! Like the Great Value peanut butter, we discovered the connection during a recall that happened in 2015. So why pay more than twice as much for the same thing?
Also, a Hip2Save reader had some unique insight into the brand:
“I worked in a name brand bakery for a year or so. We changed the bags without stopping the production line, and bagged bread for any Texas retailer you could name. Occasionally the slicer would be adjusted to change the thickness of the slice. I almost always buy the house brand regardless of what the product is.”
7. According to a Hip reader, Great Value Pretzels are really made by H.K. Anderson Pretzels.
Great Value Peanut Butter Stuffed Pretzels $4.42
– versus –
H.K. Anderson Peanut Butter Pretzels $5.79
You save $1.37!
Are you a fan of those delicious peanut butter stuffed pretzel snacks? You’re in luck because, according to one of our Hip readers, the Great Value containers are bigger and cheaper. Plus, they’re exactly the same as the pricey H.K. Anderson packs!
Check out their interesting story:
“I once took a tour of the famous Anderson Pretzel factory. Imagine my surprise when they stopped the machines and changed the bags for the pretzels to Great Value bags, then continued on! So, you can pay big for H.K. Anderson pretzels in an Anderson Pretzel bag, or you can pay a little for Anderson Pretzels in a Great Value bag!”
8. Store brand Great Value Ice Cream is known to be made by Blue Bunny.
Wells Dairy has spent over 30 years working with Walmart to produce Great Value Ice Cream. They began to expand outside of their signature brand Blue Bunny and also manufacture Halo Top and Bomb Pop. Pay about $1.97 for the delectable ice cream overpaying nearly $4-8 for the name brands!
Pssssst! You can always try homemade ice cream and make it just how you like! 🙃
9. Great Value Applesauce is made by Musselman’s but at a fraction of the price!
Who knew? Our childhood favorite snack is actually 30¢ cheaper when we buy the store brand! We took a look at the ingredients lists, and both include “apples, sugar, water, and ascorbic acid,” in that order, so we can see how they’re pretty much identical.
If you regularly purchase applesauce, check out this tip from a Hip2Save reader:
“A plant in our town makes Musselman’s, White House, and Great Value. The same recipe, they just change the packaging. The only time they change the recipe for a brand is if they do a specialty one like ‘all Granny Smith’ or something. Toured the factory in high school and have bought Great Value ever since.”
10. It’s not surprising that Tyson also produces Great Value chicken.
Tyson 1.5-2.5 lb Chicken Drumsticks $3.88 (depends on location)
– versus –
Great Value 5 lb Drumsticks $5.27 (depends on location)
You save ~ $0.50 per pound!
Since Tyson is one of the top suppliers of chicken products, it’s no surprise that they also produce Great Value chicken!
Like some other items on this list, we found out about the connection during a recall in 2019. And Walmart’s Great Value brand wasn’t the only one affected–Family Dollar, CVS, Meijer, Piggly Wiggly, Publix, and Wegmans were also affected by that recall, so it’s safe to assume that Tyson supplies chicken for several different retailers’ store brands.
Note that prices will vary by location.
11. Rumor has it that Smithfield makes all Great Value pork products.
Smithfield Hometown Original Bacon $8.87
– versus –
Great Value Natural Hickory Smoked Bacon $6.84
You save $2.03!
Just like Tyson supplies so many retailers with chicken, Smithfield manufactures a ton of pork products, so it’s totally believable that they supply Walmart (and probably several other retailers!) with their store-brand items.
If you wanna save even bigger bucks on bacon, buy the bacon ends and pieces! It can sometimes be hard to find them in stores, but I almost always spot them at my local Walmart.
Our Hip reader gave us the scoop on this Smithfield copycat!
“Smithfield makes all Great Value brand pork products. They also make Kroger, ShopRite, and BJ’s house brand bacon.”
12. Kirkland Signature Supreme Diapers are actually made by Huggies.
Rumor has it that Costco’s highly rated Kirkland Signature Diapers may actually be made by Kimberly Clark (the manufacturer of Huggies) and are just an “older generation” Huggies. While this is not publicly advertised or verified, many members rave about these diapers on the Costco website.
Check out a couple of reviews from Hip2Save readers:
“Yes, Kirkland diapers are made by Kimberly Clark who makes Huggies diapers. They are just the older style of Huggies.”
“I’ve heard Costco diapers are made by Huggies and their formula is made by Similac. I have always been a generic brand person, but in some cases I love the store brand better anyway.”
13. Kirkland Signature Coffee is roasted by Starbucks.
Kirkland Signature Coffee 39¢ per ounce (prices vary)
– versus –
Starbucks’ House Blend 83¢ per ounce (prices vary)
You save 44¢ per ounce!
This is one of the easiest dupes to find since the bags of Kirkland’s coffee say that they’re actually roasted by Starbucks Coffee Company right on the front! You can pick up a 2.5-pound bag of Kirkland Signature House Coffee at your local warehouse for around $15.49, whereas a 12oz bag of Starbucks Coffee (0.75-pound) sells for $9.99 at Target. Talk about BIG savings!
Watch for the Kirkland Signature Espresso Blend and Decaf House Blend varieties, too!
14. Kirkland Signature Batteries are made by Duracell & work just as well!
According to this interview with the CEO of Costco, the Kirkland Signature Batteries are actually made by Duracell. You can pick up a pack of Kirkland Signature AA Batteries at your local warehouse for around $13.99, whereas a Duracell Batteries sells for more than double! 😱
15. Trader Joe’s store brand Pita Chips is made by Stacy’s.
Have you ever eaten Trader Joe’s Pita Chips with Sea Salt? These chips are so yummy and taste essentially the same as the Simply Naked flavor of Stacy’s Pita Chips that come in different packaging at a lower price.
A 6oz bag of Trader Joe’s Pita Chips sells for about $0.33 per ounce, whereas a 7.33oz bag of Stacy’s Simply Naked Pita Chips sells for about $0.46 per ounce at stores like Target.
Hip Tip: Don’t miss the BEST Trader Joe’s items you won’t find anywhere else!
16. Trader Joe’s Organic Vegetarian Chili is made by Amy’s Organic.
Trader Joe’s Organic Vegetarian Chili $2.29
– versus –
Amy’s Organic Medium Chili $3.48
You save $1.19!
Trader Joe’s Organic Vegetarian Chili which sells for $2.29 per 14.7 oz can is rumored to be identical in taste, ingredients, and appearance to Amy’s Organic Medium Chili with Vegetables which sells for $3.48+ per 14.7oz can at other stores. Don’t be fooled by the label when the store-brand item is just the same!
Hip Tip: Looking for a unique side to go with your chili? Try our Mexican Street Corn recipe!
17. Trader Joe’s Organic Shells and White Cheddar taste like Annie’s!
Trader Joe’s Organic Shells and White Cheddar $1.39
– versus –
Annie’s Homegrown Organic Shells & Cheese $3.99 (prices may vary)
You save $2.60!
If you’re a fan of Annie’s Homegrown Organic Shells & White Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese which sells for around $3.99 per 6oz box at Target (= 67¢/oz), be sure to give Trader Joe’s Organic Shells and White Cheddar Macaroni & Cheese a try. Rumor has it that they taste essentially the same and you can grab a box for just $1.39 at Trader Joe’s (= 23¢/oz)!
Bonus Dupe: The now-discontinued Trader Joe’s Harvest Blend Herbal Tea was actually made by Celestial Seasonings.
So this is sort of a reverse-dupe 😅, but if you miss the Trader Joe’s Harvest Blend herbal tea that was discontinued a couple of years ago, try the Celestial Seasonings blend! Rumor has it that Trader Joe’s version was actually identical to the Cinnamon Apple Spice Celestial Seasonings tea which is thankfully still available. ❤️
Remember, when in doubt, look at the ingredients lists.
Even if a store brand isn’t known to be made by a name-brand company, a peek through the nutrition labels should reveal any quality copycats! You’ll often find that store-brand items have the same ingredients in the same order as pricier labels.
As to Aldi cereal, I would guess Tree House Foods, the successor to Ralcorp, which is the successor to Ralston. They are a huge private label business. They were going to sell to Post, who owns Malt-O-Meal, last yea, but the deal fell through.
Does coke make weis sodas?
I worked at a Genaurdis years ago. It was well known most store brands were excess private label brands.
I did not know Aldis had a .95 box of cookies. Will look on my next visit.
How about that! Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome!
Love Love Aldi. Many memories of shopping there with my mother in the 60s and 70s. I like Trader Joes but Aldi is my favorite. Wish I could close wave my magic wand and turn Trader Joes into Aldi in Little Rock. The closest Aldi is 3 hours a way so 6 hour round trip. I have to shop when I am out of state visiting family. They won’t open an Aldi because Trader Joes is owned by the same company and there would be competition.
There are many towns with trader joes and aldi. Sometimes they are a mile apart. They are run separately. Totally separate, TJ would never consider an Aldi Store when locating their stores.
They are owned by the same family. Aldi’s in Germany were split years ago. There is Aldi’s Nord and Aldi’s Sud in Germany. They split over selling cigarettes’. My father in law knew the parents of the brothers. LOL
Not owned by same company,but owned by one of the brothers that owns Aldi.
85% of Aldi PL is made in China,India, and Southeast Asia ! I know,as I’ve seen the the manifest on container after container.
I purchased CVS brand batteries and there was a Duracell battery mixed in the unopened package!
Walmart has Good Value Cinnamon that has a bright and fresh flavor compared to other brands!
Just because they are made by big companies doesn’t’ mean they are exactly the same. Sometimes they are but sometimes there are different ingredients or in different amounts. FYI URGE chips sold by Kwik Trip stores in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa are made by Old Dutch. I haven’t done a side by side blind taste test to see if they are the same or not. There is/was a dog food brand made by Fromm (a very respected brand) but privately labeled and it definitely wasn’t Fromm.
Then keep paying out the nose for your food. It’s your money.
Who makes the Belmont Ice Cream Make Fudge Not War. I swear I think its Benny And Scarry Jerry’s
Belmont is an ALDI brand, not sure who makes it but it totally may be Ben & Jerry’s!
I noticed this many years ago and what gave it off was the packaging was the exact same ketchup bottle as the Heinz and there’s no way they could be that similar and then I started looking at other packaging for different bottles of condiments and yes they can tell that they’re made by the name brand
For Aldi’s canned meat-containing products like soups, chili, hash, summer sausage, etc; look for the “EST.” number. Then, go to https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/2021-03/MPI_Directory_by_Establishment_Number.pdf and look-up who made it. You might be surprised! Plenty of name brands under Aldi’s labels.
Roy dog biscuits are made by Milk Bone. I occassionally get Milk Bones in the Roy brand.
I have been in a manufacturing company was putting Oil of Olay body wash and selling it for 3 to 5 dollars each. And when they ran out of the labels, they switched over to the Dollar store, same shape and size bottles were used and they were packaged 📦 going to the Dollar store for $.99. And that was my first time seeing cheaper products coming out of the same Companies. Countless other times as an over the road truck driver I have seen literally a hundred or more products in many different names and coming from the same providers and it’s all the same.
Who makes Winco smooth and crunchy peanut butter?
My guess is Peter Pan, the ingredients list is the same between the 2 (at least for the chunky version from WinCo that I have in front of me), all of the others (Skippy/Jif) say cottonseed, rapeseed and/or soybean, vs Peter Pan/Winco that just list cottonseed and/or rapeseed; they (Peter Pan) also makes other store brands PB (think Walmart GV), and while the nutrition fact #’s are slightly off, they’re still pretty close, so either they varied it within allowed tolerances to help mask it, or there is a slight formulation variation between the 2 brands. That said, I prefer Skippy PB, the WinCo version seems gritty and dry to me.
Clancy chips are awful…too salty.
Just an FYI from someone who works in this area.
“Made By” does not equal “Same As” in all instances. 99.5% of the time, smaller companies that don’t want to put out the capital to buy the manufacturing facilities and pay for employees, they use “tollers” who make their product. Sometimes that’s General Mills, sometimes that is an unknown manufacturer who can make any brands peanut butter or crackers or cereal or body wash or mascara. Equipment is cleaned, ingredients are switched, recipes are changed, but the machinery is still the same.
In times of a recall, you might see multiple brands under the same recall because one manufacturing plant made it, but they all had a common touch point (rinse water, packing belt, etc.).
If you prefer one brand over another, it’s the recipe and ingredients, not necessarily who makes it. Most companies have multiple manufacturers to meet demand anyway.
If I had an Aldi in our area I would be buying there everything I can’t get cheaper with coupons and rebates. LOL Had a coupon for free crackers and got back a $1.75 rebate on them. LOL I buy store brand if they don’t have a deal on name brand but when you can get name brand cheaper than store brand I always use them.
Easiest giveaway is the production codes.
Good to know, Kevin! Thanks for the tip! 💕
Who makes Walmart Great value Trash bags.
Thanks
Although this isn’t food but when I was a young woman I worked in a gasoline cap factory that made gasoline caps. They also just changed manufacture’s boxes. One reason I know how generics are the same item. No matter what industry.
Thanks for taking a moment to share with us, Madelon!!!🥰
I always check the ingredients list.Another post I read is true. Companies that make their name brand products also place different labels on the products. Same product lower price.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on these, Lisa!❤️
Got a good one for all of you. Did you know that your Great Value sprinkles, canned icing, pouched icing, tubed icing, popcorn tins and gel food color are not made by Walmart? No? They’re manufactured at a place called Signature Brands! Nifty, eh? Just thank the many gloved hands that put in the time to make those products.
Wow! Thanks for the heads up on those items! 💖
Wonder Bread is generic “anybread”. When my husband worked at the Wonderbread facory”…they only changed the bread wrapper.
Thanks for sharing about this brand, Barbara! Good to know they are the same! 🙌❤️
Great Value Ketchup is Hunt’s with more vinegar and garlic. It’s made by Con Agra who makes Hunts.
Wow! I do like both of those varieties! Thanks for sharing that, Miss Terry! 🙌
Growing up one of my friends dad worked in the clothing industry. He told my parents that one ingredient was changed (example different thread type). So all production had to do was change a roll and labels and they were off making another companies product.
Monday they ran socks for the designer store sold a pair for $5.00 each. Tuesday made few changes and here came Sears socks at $3.00 a pair. Then Wednesday adjustments again and off comes Kmart at $1.00 a pair. Same thing was done for many other companies.
Wow! SO interesting to hear the little changes that made that difference. Thanks for sharing this, Connie! ❤️🙌
I worked for Bausch and Lomb for 35 years. We did a lot of private label eg equate,cvs, dollar general and Walgreens. Same tank just different labels
😱 Thanks so much for sharing more about that brand, Wanda. Good to know that it’s the same solution for store brand! 🙌