Can you trust natural and organic store brands? Many people don’t think that natural and affordable is a possibility considering everything it takes to make natural products: the use of natural fertilizers, rotating crops, wholesome diets, access to the outdoors, and rotational grazing require extra effort and extra costs compared to conventional methods of growing food and raising animals for products.
Naturally then, organic and natural products are supposed to cost more, and while they are indeed more expensive than conventional foods, the increasing demand for organic products has encouraged many retailers now to provide more affordable options.
The trouble sometimes is that people have a hard time trusting natural food brands, even more so when it comes to natural and organic foods from store brands.
How you know that natural and organic store brands are credible
Research
The internet is a valuable tool for discovering and uncovering a lot of useful information. There are many food bloggers that review brands and products, so this is a very good starting point. There are forums where people discuss certain foods and retailers, which provide clues as to what you are buying.
- Use the internet as a research tool to find out information about the natural brands that interest you.
Trial and error
Many people who decide to shop natural and organic soon become aware that even these products can disappoint. There is a lot of terminology for organic food, and some consumers have a different idea of what organic food is supposed to be compared to what the USDA defines as organic.
- When ideas of organic food clash, some disappointment is bound to exist. Trial and error is how many people have come to know the credible brands on the market.
Some store brands are not a waste of money though
Building trust takes time, and many of the businesses that offer natural and organic store brand products know very well how hard it is to win back customers once you’ve lost them, which is why they go through a trial and error stage of their own before launching a new brand or product.
Retailers know they have to live up to a reputation and they also know that the only way to profit of organic food is to make it right. The potential profits are bigger when it’s their own private label foods they sell instead of brand names, but for people to buy them, they have to taste just as good and be of similar quality. And some really are.
Five affordable and credible private label brands that sell organic and all-natural
Safeway O Organics
Safeway was among the first retailers to sell private label organic products. The brand was introduced in 2005 with a wide variety of USDA-certified foods across various departments: produce, eggs, dairies, meats, snacks, baby food, cereals, frozen entrees, and pantry staples, O Organics having become one of the leading store brands in the country in the organic market.
Nature’s Promise line of products includes organic and free from, the first being USDA-certified, and the second including products free from synthetic colors, artificial preservatives, and artificial flavors, plus a number of harsh chemicals.
Nature’s Promise sells foods and cleaning products.
Harris Teeter Organics
Harris Teeter also gets credit for selling some of the most affordable organic foods along with being one of the healthiest grocers in the country. They stock hundreds of organics, from produce to dairies, meats, snacks and sweets.
Not all Simply Nature products are organic, although a vast majority is and the retailer expanded the line just last year with dairies such as cottage cheese, yogurt, and sour cream, now competing with some of the other leading store brands in the country.
With offering lower prices and, since a few years, affordable organics, HEB is also taking a lead role in the organic foods industry, providing consumers with a diversified selection of meats and dairies, canned foods, produce, cereals, salty snacks, and more.
There are other retailers with private labels that sell good quality organics. Walmart is one of them, but it is currently in the process of dropping the Wild Oats organic food brand for reasons that have yet to be announced.