The following is an ever-evolving list of privately-owned / family-owned companies who produce organic foods AND are adamantly opposed to genetic engineering / GMO ingredients. These companies are our favorite brands to support… they continue to operate independently, which enables them to uphold solid product integrity as well as freedom in educating about GMOs.
Why Choose Family-Owned Organic Brands?
The opposite side of this coin are organic brands owned by major food corporations. When an organic brand is controlled by a corporation, product quality can suffer, and worse, your dollars spent on these “corporate organics” trickle back upstream to the parent corporation—most of whom don’t think GMOs are a problem and/or worse, donated money to prevent GMO labeling.
This doesn’t mean “corporate organics” aren’t organic. This doesn’t mean they contain GMOs (provided they’ve been properly certified). It just means the dollars you spend on corporate-owned organic brands are helping to keep GMOs from being labeled. (Feel free to consult my longer list of all GMO-free brands, even though it includes both corporate and private-/family-owned companies.)
Family- and Independently-Owned Organic GMO-Free Brands
Here are the brands we heartily recommend you support because they are organic + GMO free + private-/family owned. The list is always growing based on brands that we’ve had time to research first-hand. Please comment and suggest new companies—as long as they are family/privately-owned, and dedicated to organic, GMO free products.
NOTE: if you don’t see your favorite brand here, check our Corporate-Owned Organics page… many organic brands are now owned by major food manufacturing conglomerates.
• Alvarado Street Bakery: certified organic whole grain breads made in a worker-owned bakery.
• Amy’s Kitchen: canned soups, chili, beans, pasta sauce, salsas and frozen meals including Light and Lean, Gluten Free, and Light in Sodium for customers with special dietary needs.
• Apple and Eve: privately owned juice manufacturer with a USDA Certified Organic line of juices.
• Artisana Nut Butters: organic and GMO-free nut butters, coconut butter and oil, and chocolate spreads. They appear to be independently owned but we are unable to verify…
• Bearded Brothers: this small, family owned company from Austin, Texas makes organic, non-GMO energy bars.
• Beck & Bulow: this family provides ethically sourced, fresh meat delivery from their ranch and affiliated sources in New Mexico. Their products include bison, beef, elk, lamb, chicken, pork and wild boar. Read each product page for details about sourcing.
• Betty Lou’s Bars: be sure to look for this family-owned company’s organic line of bars, since not all of their products are organic.
• Bionaturae: this “family-oriented, privately-owned” company offers organic pasta, fruit nectar, fruit spreads, olive oil, vinegar, and tomato sauces and pastes.
• Bob’s Red Mill: most (though not all) of their milled grains and grain products (flours, cereals, etc.) are organic and GMO-free; check your labels.
• Bragg Foods: apple cider vinegar, olive oil, salad dressings, marinades, and liquid aminos either certified by USDA Organic or Non-GMO Project.
• Bueno Foods: this family-owned, New Mexico-based manufacturer has a separate line called BUENATURAL® that includes organic corn, blue corn, and whole wheat tortillas (not to mention green and red chili, all natural vegetarian tamales, and all natural stews made with free-range chicken and organic posole), all made without preservatives or additives. All of their tortillas are traditionally stone ground using volcanic rocks for authentic texture. Can’t find them in your local store? Order online from Spud.com.
• Carla Lee’s Nut Burgers: this family-owned company offers non-GMO vegan burgers, taco “meat,” and “meatballs.” Three out of four of their products are also USDA Organic certified.
• CB’s Nuts: owned by Clark and Tami Bowen, CB’s offers organic peanut butter certified by the Non-GMO Project as well as the USDA, plus their website features prominent opposition to GMOs and consumer education about the falsehoods of the “natural” labeling claim.
• Central Milling: as the oldest continuously operating, employee-owned company in the State of Utah, Central Milling offers a large selections of premium specialty flour and grains, including both organic and conventional.
• Clif Bar: the majority of these energy / nutrition bars are not entirely organic / GMO-free (while Clif is committed to sourcing ingredients that are not genetically engineered, only 70% of the company’s purchased ingredients are certified organic). However, Clif Bar just introduced a brand new USDA Certified organic line called Kit’s Organic Fruit and Nut bars. Because these bars are USDA Certified, this means they are GMO free (read more about USDA labeling and organics here). Plus Clif Bar gets big kudos for donating $100,000 in support of California’s GMO Labeling Proposition 37. They were founded and are still run by a husband (Gary Erickson) and wife (Kit Crawford) team.
• Core Foods: founded and still run by Corey Rennell, this not-for-profit company creates USDA Organic (which is GMO-free), fresh, whole food raw bars (which they call “meals”).
• Crofter’s Organic Fruit Spreads: family-owned, organic and non-GMO!
• Cultures for Health: this family-owned company sells starters for yogurt, sourdough and kombucha (and other products) that are GMO-free.
• Eden Organic: the oldest independent organic food producer in the U.S. makes a wide variety of organic, GMO-free products including soy milk; whole grains and flours; dried fruit, nut, seeds and snacks; canned beans (black, kidney, navy, pinto, garbanzo and cannellini); canned chili; canned and jarred tomatoes and sauces; fruit juices, spreads and butters; condiments including soy sauce, sweeteners, oils, vinegars, spices and herbs; and a wide variety of traditional Japanese products from crackers and mochi, to miso and sea vegetables. Back in 1997, an independent test by the New York Times looking for traces of GMOs in 11 soy and corn-based products found Eden’s milk to be the only product that tested clean, a finding that Eden Foods attributed to their extensive certification and testing program.
• Edward & Sons Brands: this privately? family?-owned company is responsible for a number of organic and natural products, under the following brands: Let’s Do Organic | Native Forest | Nature Factor | Road’s End Organic. They also take a clear stance against GMOs on their website. Thanks to Shaela for bringing them to our attention!
• Farm Soy Foods is a family-owned company that’s doing tofu the right way—hand made and USDA certified organic—for over 40 years!
• Farmer’s Market Organic Pumpkin and Squash Products: this woman-owned company makes canned organic pumpkin, butternut squash, sweet potato puree, and pumpkin pie mix certified by both USDA Organic and Non-GMO Project.
• Feridies Peanuts: this family-owned company received Non-GMO Project Certification for three of their peanuts: Super Extra Large Salted Virginia Peanuts, Super Extra Large Unsalted Virginia Peanuts and Super Extra Large Redskin Virginia Peanuts in March 2014.
• Fiordifruuta Organic Fruit Spread: a subsidiary of family-owned Rigoni di Asiago.
• Grindstone Bakery: 100% organic, whole grain, GMO-free bread that is wheat-free, dairy-free, yeast-free, and gluten free.
• Grown Right: owned by the Lassonde family in Canada and distributed under their “Clement Pappas” brand, this label includes organic and natural lemonades, limeades and cranberry sauces.
• Healthy Times: premium baby food, cereal, biscuits and snacks that are USDA certified organic, GMO-free, certified kosher, with special formulas that are wheat free, dairy free, soy free products for sensitive babies
• Helios Organic Kefir: privately owned by Lifeway Kefir.
• Kinilly: is a family-owned and operated manufacturer of organic products located in Newberry, Florida USA, who also sells products from other like-minded brands.
• Lakewood Juices: 4th generation independently-owned manufacturer of fresh-pressed 100% pure organic and premium juices, with no additives or artificial ingredients.
• Late July: organic snacks including chips, saltine crackers, sandwich crackers, cookies, and sandwich cookies (think healthy Oreos!). Note: in 2007, Snyder’s Lance Corporation bought a minority stake.
• Let’s Do Organic: see Edward & Sons Brands above.
• Lotus Foods: this family-owned California company offers a multiple (and unusual) varieties of organic rice. Check the labels closely, as not all of their product line is organic.
• Lundberg Family Farms / Wehah Farms: rice and rice-based products (cereals, chips, snack foods and more)
• Mary’s Free Range Turkeys: organic, GMO-free, and free range.
• Murray’s Chicken: Pennsylvania family-owned, humanely raised, Non-GMO Project certified fresh chicken.
• My Grandpa’s Farm: organic, gluten free mixes for brownies, cakes and breads from a family-owned company in Minnesota—named for the farm that has been in their family for generations.
• Napa Valley Naturals: this small, family-owned company offers USDA Organic certified olive oil, other cooking oils, and a variety of vinegars.
• Native Forest: see Edward & Sons Brands above.
• NativOrganics: family-run organic supplement company; products are made in the U.S.
• Nature Factor: see Edward & Sons Brands above.
• Nature’s Legacy / VitaSpelt / Purity Foods: GMO-free pasta, granola, flours, and snacks
• Nature’s Path: breakfast cereals, granolas, hot oatmeal, waffles, toaster pastries, pancake mix, and granola / snack bars.
• Newman’s Own Organics: still owned by Paul Newman’s daughter Nell, this company produces all organic products including pretzel snacks, cookies, dried fruit, coffee, tea, oils, vinegars and salad dressings, and pet food. All of the ingredients used in all of their products are grown on farms that have not used artificial fertilizers or pesticides for three years or more; the farms and processors have likewise been certified by an independent third party. All of their products are certified organic by Oregon Tilth; and Kosher certified by Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, 333 Seventh Avenue, New York.
• NOW Foods: family-owned makers of nuts and seed snacks, dried fruit, supplements, oils, protein powders, and body care products—some of which is organic. Check the label and choose those with USDA Organic and/or Non-GMO Project Certification insignias.
• NuGo Nutrition bars: be sure to look for this family-owned company’s organic line of bars (not all their products are organic).
• Nutburgers: see Carla Lee’s Nutburgers
• Nutiva: hemp, coconut, and chia “superfoods”
• Once Again Nut Butter: 100% employee-owned manufacturer of USDA Organic / Non-GMO Project certified peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, other seed butters, tahini, and more.
• One Degree Organic: cereal, bread, flour and seeds—sourced from growers who use “veganic” farming methods—no animal waste or byproducts whatsoever.
• Organic Food Bar: family-owned manufacturers of organic energy “food” bars. Thanks to Shaela for bringing them to our attention!
• Organic Valley: a full range of dairy products, eggs and some produce produced by a cooperative of (mostly) family farms. While this brand is still doing the majority of things correctly, the Cornucopia Institute has downgraded them in recent years due to a growing lack of corporate transparency, and they are on record for supporting the DARK act (Denying Americans the Right to Know about GMO labeling).
• Organicville: woman / family-owned makers of sauces (pasta, pizza, teriyaki and more), dressings, condiments, and other foods.
• Pacific Beach Peanut Butter: family owned and operated manufacturer of peanut butter, including two organic varieties (salted and unsalted), although the label does not carry any third party organic certification insignia (USDA Organic or Non-GMO Project).
• Pascha Chocolates: family-owned maker of organic, Non-GMO Project certified chocolate and candies.
• Pure Bar: all bars are certified GMO free; they have both a USDA Organic line, and a “made with organic ingredients” line.
• Que Pasa: tortilla chips made with GMO-free, 100% organic corn and oil
• R.W. Garcia Tortilla chips: family-owned and certified GMO-free!
• Rapunzel Naturkost: this Bavaria-founded company exceeds USDA Organic standards by adhering to the “Demeter” level of certification on all of their products, including baking ingredients, sweeteners, cocoa powder, noodles and pasta, rice, oils and vinegars, dried fruits, tomato products and sauces, spreads, seasonings and spices, grains, legumes, and more.
• Raw Revolution: family-owned organic energy / food / snack bars
• Road’s End Organic: see Edward & Sons Brands above.
• Sambazon: fresh superfood drinks, energy drinks, frozen sorbets and smoothies, and acai supplements, “fiercely committed to Sustainability + all things Organic/Non-GMO”
• SOL Cuisine: organic, Non-GMO, Kosher, Halal, wheat-free, gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan protein products including tofu, veggie burgers, veggie dogs, veggie ribs, falafel, veggie burger dry mix, veggie crumbles and more, including soy-free options.
• SquareBar: Sarah Crawford and Andrew Gordon started these USDA organic, Non-GMO Project certified, gluten-, dairy- and soy free square-shaped bars in their San Francisco kitchen just last year. These are one of the few bars on the market that seems to meet everyone’s dietary issues. If you can’t find them at a store near you (their website has a handy locate map), you can buy ’em on Amazon.
• Straus Family Creamery: located in Marin County, California, this family-owned and operated dairy produces milk, butter, cheese, ice cream and yogurt; their milk is also used in the production of cheese at Cowgirl Creamery.
• Sunshine Burger: Carol Debberman and John Hiler make USDA organic, Non-GMO Project certified, gluten free breakfast patties and veggie (or vegan) burgers (including soy-free options). Their burgers were the first in the U.S. to receive Non-GMO Project certification!
• Teddie Peanut Butter: located in Everett, Massachusetts, this family-owned and operated company offers two USDA Organic certified peanut butters (chunky and creamy).
• Theo’s Chocolates: privately-owned company offering organic / Non-GMO Project certified chocolate and candies.
• Tropical Traditions: family-owned company offering organic / Non-GMO coconut oil, soaps, skin care products, pasta, and more
• Uncle Matt’s Organic: founded in 1999 by Matt McLean, these USDA Organic (which means GMO-free) fresh fruit juices have no added fragrance or flavor packs.
• Shiloh Farms: this privately-owned company offers a very wide variety of food products, many of which are certified organic / GMO-free.
• Starwest Botanicals: bulk herbs, spices, seasonings, sprouting seeds, loose tea, essential oils and herbal extracts—some of which are USDA Organic.
• Sweet Creek Foods: organic pickles, including dills, jalapeños and beets, organic fruit spreads, organic salsas, and albacore tuna.
• Tasty Brand: founded by two moms to provide organic / GMO-free candy, cookies and fruit snacks.
• Traditional Medicinals: independently owned maker of organic herbal teas
• Two Moms in the Raw: organic, gluten-free and non-GMO granola, nut bars, crackers and candies.
• Vermont Village Applesauce: this family owned Vermont company takes pride in knowing all their farmers and where their ingredients come from. Their applesauce is kettle-cooked, GMO free, gluten free, kosher, and certified by the Vermont Organic Farmers Association.
• VitaSpelt (see Nature’s Legacy)
• Vivapura: founded and operated by Chris Whitcoe, this company manufacturers raw, vegan, USDA Organic (and non-GMO Project certified) Superfoods including raw cacao, dried fruits, raw nuts, coconut products, and raw organic “wild Jungle” peanut butter.
• Wild Friends Foods: founded by two University of Oregon students, this line of peanut butter, almond butter, and sunflower butter comes in a variety of flavored options, including Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter, Sesame Cranberry Peanut Butter, Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter, Maple Sunflower Butter, and more, many of which are Non-GMO Project Certified and/or USDA Organic certified.
• Yogi Tea: independently-owned maker of organic tea.
• YummyEarth / YumEarth: organic candies made by a privately-held company.
• Zulka: family-owned makers of “Morena®” brand pure cane sugar, certified by the Non-GMO Project.
Online Organic Brands
Also be sure to check out our list of “online organic” brands here >
Other Brands that Come Close:
• Beanitos: founded and still run by two brothers, these gluten-free, GMO-free chips are certified by the Non-GMO Project, but are *not* sourced from organic beans.
• Elemental Superfood: this mom-owned, California-based company manufactures “seedbars” that are “made with the highest quality ingredients that are organic and pesticide free, raw, gluten free & dairy free.” A quick scan of their products page and ingredients list shows that the bars are certified as raw and gluten free, but are not certified as organic or GMO free (though the package does carry a “no GMO” graphic). View a list of all of the ingredients here to see which ones are organic and which are not.
• KIND Snacks: founded by a private individual and still controlled by a private company, KIND offers three lines of whole nut and fruit bars. I’ve included them in this section only because their Wiki page claims that “each KIND bar is non GMO.” However let the buyer beware: it does not appear that KIND bars use organic ingredients, and there is no mention about about GMOs or organic (whether pro/con, or usage) on their website.
• Pamela’s: family-owned manufacturer of baking mixes, cookies, cakes and bars that are all GMO-free; most products contain organic ingredients but none are USDA organic (GMO free).
• Wegmans Grocery Stores: (located in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Virginia) Although Wegmans is still a private, family-owned grocery store chain offering both USDA Organic and their own Wegmans “Organic Food You Feel Good About” branded products, they are long-time members of the Grocery Manufacturers Association, an organization that consistently donates millions of dollars to fight GMO labeling measures. One of our blog readers has also reported a marked increase in the number of conventional products in the food aisles, and growing employee dissatisfaction with a more “corporate-minded” store management approach.
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Thank you so much for this!!
Thank you so much for sharing. Happy to see Organic Valley, Amy’s & Annie’s on there. They are favorites in our house.
Do you know where Applegate falls in all this? My family regularly eats a variety of their foods.
Elizabeth, Applegate Farms’ organic line of products are GMO-free; they specifically address this on this page of their website. 🙂
Applegate was acquired by Hormel July 2015.
I don’t usually but Applegate. I am now concerned with their new owner.
big fat shame that Annie’s just sold out so you can cross them off the list completely http://www.realfarmacy.com/annies-sells-gmo-giant-general-mills/
Annie’s is already off our list. Such a shame indeed. Even if their claims of “remaining true to their food quality” is true, dollars spent on this brand will now “trickle upstream” to support their parent company, who has donated millions of dollars to defeat GMO Labeling efforts across the U.S.
exactly!!!
Now that Annie’s is owned by Kellogg’s it says Natural….
Yes, funny how that seemingly small shift in wording took place… :-\
Thank you for compiling this list!
Please take Organic Valley off your list. They recently caved to Monsanto along with Whole Foods.
Susan, I understand how the “caved to Monsanto” rumor got started about Whole Foods. While I’m no Whole foods fan, that rumor was based on a statement that was taken out of context. Can you give me a source for your statement about Organic Valley please? Thanks kindly!
The most comprehensive article I’ve seen on Organic Valley is http://www.progressive.org/news/2015/07/188233/organic-valley-crossroads
I don’t see Boulder Canyon on your list. They say that they are nonGMO and have several varieties that I really like. Any more information on them. I know they also contribute to keep rivers clean.
Sharon, their website does not say anything about organics or GMOs… are you seeing this information on a label somewhere? Do they talk about a third party certification process? They do appear to do some pretty awesome things for the environment!
The Majority of Clif Bar’s products are certified at the Made with Organic ingredients (70% organic ) level cannot contain GMO’s by law. Download a copy of USDA’s national organic program policy memorandum of April 15, 2011 and read the last statement ” the use of GMO’s is prohibited in all ingredients in “organic” and “made with organic (specified ingredients (or food groups)).
If you want to see who is walking their talk, check for support on Yes on WA 522 and Just Label It – some brands are NON GMO project labeled, but don’t support labeling of genetically engineered foods, just “Optional Labeling” which is also what Monsanto supports. Optional isn’t the answer unless we are self centered elitists!
Any update on Organic Valley?
I’m not sure of your question… the one person who commented was confused by a misleading graphic that ws circulating the internet for a while. Organic Valley continues to maintain good standards, and their farmers appear to be more than willing to address concerns raised by the Cornucopia Institute. However, as you will read in that same article link, there are some questionable issues in regard to hens with no outdoor access, and overall corporate transparency.
Do you know where I can find a comprehensive list of privately-owned / family-owned companies who produce organic foods
Liza, our list (above) is just what you’re asking for… and so far it’s the only one we’ve found. As new sources / companies are discovered, we continue to add to it.
Does anyone have any more info on Kind bars? Soy is on the list of ingredients and since I’m eating a lot of them, I’d like to know if it is GMO or not. I may stop eating them anyway unless they come out with an organic version
Maura I’m assuming you saw the paragraph about Kind bars towards the bottom of the page; their website has not been updated with any further indication or intentions about organic / GMO free ingredients, so I think their status is the same. They’re tasty bars… I just wish they’d go for USDA Organic and/or Non-GMO Project certification!
Back in June 2013, I wrote to Kind Bars asking about GMOs…this was their response: “I am pleased to inform you that all of our ingredients are indeed non-GMO, as indicated on the wrapper. This includes our soy; our soy comes from Identity Preserved Soybeans (NON GMO soybeans). I hope you find this information helpful; please don’t hesitate to contact me with any additional questions.
KIND Regards,
Tony Celentano
Hi, thank you for this information! I am trying to find non-gmo/ge/monsanto affiliation organic plants for my home garden and it is proving very difficult! Any suggestions?
Are you talking seeds or plants, veggies or ornamentals? Seeds are easiest for us to give you information about… this website is our standard go-to resource. As for plants, the best places to look are either farmer’s markets (though be sure to inquire about their organic practices to be certain), and sometimes your local organic grocery market / co-op will carry organic veggie starts and flowers. Last but not least, try contacting your local Weston A. Price chapter… they can often be a great source of referrals to all things organic in your area. Very best of luck to you!
I trust seed savers exchange They have an organic section & they sell out quickly. Last summer I went somewhere else I was so disappointed I already have my seeds to plant of the spring from seed savers exchange!
Does Silk milk count as organic, too?
If Silk Soymilk has the USDA Organic (and/or Non-GMO Project) certification label on it, then yes.
However it’s still owned by a large corporation. I’m skeptical to continue purchasing from them, but I absolutely love their milk!!!!!!
One Degree Organics is a great brand too. It has the USDA stamp on it and they have sprouted versions of their grains.
Excellent recommendation! We’ve added them, thank you!
Was Applegate Farms bought out by Perdue?
Applegate and Purdue are separate companies. Applegate has however contracted with Perdue for selected chicken nugget production.
I am wondering about the “Field Day” organic / natural brand. Two years ago they had a few items in my area (NE). Though I only see this brand in “natural” stores, today they seem to have a competitive product for almost everything, and all priced at (or below) conventional supermarket level. My gut says “When something seems too good to be true it usually isn’t,” but I’ve been unable to find info on them. Can you help?
Give us some time to research… we’re all volunteer here (working in the late hours after our “day” jobs). 🙂
I just found this because I had the same question. Looks like they are a good company and one of their subsidiaries is Woodstock, which is the frozen veggies company I think. . . I buy Woodstock veggies in the freezer of my co-op
I had the same question about Field Day brand. I found that they are owned by a corporation, United Natural Foods Inc (UNFI.O) https://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/company-profile/UNFI.O
whereas at least for coconut milk, the other brand carried by my co-op is Native Forest, which is owned by https://store.edwardandsons.com/
I’m not sure Annie’s should be on this list? I think Solera owns them.
Solera was their investor. General Mills purchased them on September 8, 2014.
Well, as of today, according to Annie’s Facebook page they are becoming partners with General Mills. Although they state they are still committed to natural, organic, non gmo foods, they are no longer family owned and I am very uncomfortable giving my money to a company that supports GMO’s!
We agree… and are truly saddened to see this.
Annie’s is now owned by Kellogg’s which as we all know is a big multinational that supports GMOs. I love Annie’s but will not be buying their products any longer. Will Annie’s be removed from this list or at the very least marked with an asterisk noting they are not independently owned?
Annie’s was bought out by General Mills yesterday afternoon.
What about Horizon?
Unfortunately Eden foods is a party to the “Hobby Lobby” case; they also wish to deny their female employees access to birth control on the basis of the CEO’s “religious beliefs.”
Awesome! They’ll have my support then.
Isn’t Attune Foods owned by Post? I remember reading about the buyout last year and a google search confirms this. Post Foods defintely opposes gmo labeling.
Thanks so much Torrey… this update slipped through the cracks. All (sadly) done now.
Feedback on Nature’s Promise please
You can find our review about Nature’s Promise on our other page, “GMO-Free Brands.” In short, these products are NOT GMO-free unless they have an additional USDA Organic label on the package.
I do not see anything about Newmans Organic. Please inform me. I buy the organic cat food. I’d like to know if I’m wasting my hard earned money. Thank you.
You are not wasting your money… it was an oversight on our part to not have them listed. Correcting that now, thanks to you!
Everyone you must visit; http://www.mysmilebaby.com. MOMiN is a 100% Natural USDA Approved Organic, GMO Free Baby Skin Care Products. This product is also made in the USA.
Thanks for your information! !!
I like Larabar’s bars as opposed to Kind bars. I believe they use all non-GMO ingredients too.
Larabar is definitely non-GMO, however they are not family owned (which is the focus of this page); they are owned by General Mills (who donates millions of dollars to fight GMO labelling each year, unfortunately…)
I currently feed my pets (2 adult cats, 2 kittens, 1 adult dog, 1 senior small breed dog) dry core wellness brand food, kittens get we5 food as well, cats get wet food as treat dogs never get store bought wet food. They all get my gmo free home cooking on ocassion. Ive noticed that im most brands, including the core wellness, the wet food does not say gmo free, I’m wondering if there is something that’s even better? More organic, more vitamins, more humane, etc. I looked at the freeze dry food, don’t know anything other than what I’ve readAny advice or suggestions
As you may already know, the USDA Organic certification label is your way of identifying that a product is (typically) GMO free. There are also a few brands that have received the Non-GMO Project certification (visit their site and type “pet food” into the search line). Here are a few brands we know of that are USDA Organic certified: Newman’s Own, Castor & Pollux, PetGuard Organics, Natura Karma, Blue Organics (Blue Buffalo), Brandon Farms Organics, and Natural Balance has several organic brands. To learn more about USDA Organic pet food, click here >
Thank you!!
Hi! How can a company get on your list? Our products are GMO free and gluten free, as well as organic! organicglutenfreemixes.com
You’ve been added! Thanks so much for your patience, for preserving your family’s farm, and for offering great products!
Thank you so much for this research…I put the ones that had no doubts into my phone to reference next time I go to the health food store. I just installed the Buycott app too to scan barcodes from my phone. I found out my smart water wasn’t so smart!
Wonderful! Here are some more smart phone apps for you if you are interested: https://gmo-awareness.com/shopping-list/smart-phone-apps/
I stumbled upon your awesome page and deeply saddened to see “MANUFACTURED FOR DISTRIBUTION BY THE HAIN CELESTIAL GROUP INC,” on my favorite USDA organic/NON GMO project verified organic soy milk. The commissary doesn’t carry other soy milk brands.
So sorry to hear it. Would ordering online work for you? Here are some options: https://gmo-awareness.com/shopping-list/online-organic-shopping/
Annie’s has been bought by Kraft. Clif bars are GMO. So is Newman’s and these KIND healthy grains that I’m eating have maple syrup…and also “natural maple flavor”…which makes it another GMO product. Why is our food controlled in the states?
Everything seems to come back to money over integrity these days…
Thank you Soooo much for this list! It is extremely helpful. Your hard work and research efforts are very much appreciated!!!
Would you be able to give me some information on the Whole foods store brand and their Organic 365 brand. Are they truly Organic and GMO free? Should I trust this brand or are there any concerns I should be aware of?
Thanks!!
Whole Foods is discussed on our “GMO Free Brands” page (versus the Family-Owned GMO Free Brands)… I know… too many lists! 🙂
Oops also what about the brand Wholesome Sweeteners ? I need some good Organic NonGMO sugar and pancake syrup pleeassseee
Also, why is Bionaturae not on this list? I believe they are a Family-oriented, privately owned company Company which is Certified Organic and GMO free. Can you please look into them and let us know if we can trust this brand? Thanks!
They absolutely belong on this list, thank you for bringing this company to our attention!
Wholesome Sweeteners is listed on our Corporate Owned Organics page.
What about Shiloh Farms food stuffs? They seem indie owned, and have many organic items.
They too were already listed above, thank you.
What about NOW brand, they have many organic grains, seeds, etc.
There’s also a soup brand called Wolfgang Puck, that may be organic & indie owned.
I don’t buy their soups, but I’ve seen the soup in the “natural” section.
What about Woodstock Farms? They make organic condiments, such as pickles, mayo, ketchup, etc.
What about the Organicville brand? They make sauces & dressings.
What about Just Mayo?
What about Smart Balance & Earth Balance spreads? They may ire some because their products contain palm oil, which may=habitat loss.
Earth Balance, has branched out, from just “buttery spread”, to making vegan Mac & Cheeze, popcorn, peanut butter spreads, etc. What about these products?
What about Surf Sweets? jelly candies? I buy the veganic jelly beans.
What about Farmer’s Market brand? They make organic canned veggie purees, like Sweet Potatoes, Pumpkin and Squash..
What about Simply Organic, which makes spices?
What about Starwest Botanicals and Frontier brand, who both make bulk herb and cooking additives, like organic corn starch, turmeric, baking powder, cinnamon, comfrey, turmeric, etc.
Rapunzel, makes organic bullion cubes, among other stuff, like organic corn starch.
What about Better than Bullion, which makes concentrated soup bases, some of which are organic.
What about Bragg apple cider vinegar?
What about Fantastic Foods? They make seasoning mixes and vegan “meat” mixes.
Most of these were already listed (just not on the “family-owned” page; be sure to check our ‘GMO Free Brands’ page when assembling research lists for us. 🙂 Those that we did not have, we have added, with thanks to you. 🙂 The “Just Mayo” website does not provide enough information for us to make a determination / addition. Hopefully they’ll fix that soon.
Also, Once Again nut butters.
Once Again is already listed above. We’re working on your long list now…
What about Native Forest brand, which makes canned, peaches, mandarin oranges, etc?
What about the Grown Right brand? I buy organic cranberry sauce from them.
What about Nature’s Path, Barbara’s and Erewhon cereal brands?
What about Lotus Foods organic rice?
What about Jarrow Naturals which make coconut oil products, some organic.
What about Organic Food Bar, Raw Revolution, Nugo Nutrition & Betty Lou’s Bars?
What about Nutiva, who makes flours and oils?
What about Vann’s? They make frozen waffles and such.
What about Theo & Pascha chocolate?
Yogi teas?
Deva vegan vitamins?
Artisana – nut butter spreads?
Two Mom’s in the Raw?
Crofter’s and Fiordifruuta fruit spreads?
Many of the brands you’ve mentioned are already listed above (Nutiva, Once Again, Nature’s Path, Lotus Foods, Theo’s, etc.). Others you mentioned are not family-owned (Barbara’s, Erewhon, etc.) so they can not be included on this page (please refer to our “Corporate Owned Organics” page). However several brands were unknown to us, so we’ve added them… thanks very much!
It takes us several careful steps to verify each and every brand you suggest, so we ask for your patience as we go through your second long list. 🙂
Thank you so much for all your hard work!! This updated list of Organic brands really makes a HUGE difference for my family! THANK YOU!!!
You are so welcome. 🙂
Hello. I believe Yummy Earth and Wholesome sweeteners belong on this list. Thanks 🙂
Hello! Thanks for the nudge about Yummy Earth! You can find Wholesome Sweeteners on our Corporate Owned Organics page. 🙂
Thank you so much, I’m trying to avoid anything that comes from corporations fighting GMO labeling, I want to support family own companies instead
Hello! What about Napa Valley Naturals? They are Family Owned and most of their products are Certified Organic and/ nonGMO.
Added, thanks for the head’s up!
Thank you, thank. Maybe if enough people buy brands from all organic, non-gmo it will make a dent.
I have contacted several of the dogfood companies on your page that you say are organic, which means they should be gmo-free, but they are not. Some of the ingredients are organic, but not all.
There are no dog food companies listed on this page. As you may already know, the USDA Organic certification label is your way of identifying that a product is (typically) GMO free. There are also a few brands that have received the Non-GMO Project certification (visit their site and type “pet food” into the search line). Here are a few brands we know of that are USDA Organic certified: Newman’s Own, Castor & Pollux, PetGuard Organics, Blue Organics (Blue Buffalo), Brandon Farms Organics, and Natural Balance has several organic brands. To learn more about USDA Organic pet food, click here >
I use Castor & Pollux for my 2 Irishwolfhounds. The bag that II buy states GMO free & organic on them. They are xxx lg dogs and I make there so called can food myself with all organic ingredients, I am considering changing dry food since reading your letter fro C & P. Let me know please if you have found that great food.
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I have been trying to find GMO-free dogfood, and it has been hard. So far, I have only been able to verify from Newman’s Own Organics, and Natural Planet Organics. Brandon Pet Foods are discontinued and don’t offer organic, and I don’t see where Blue Buffalo offers any organics. The USDA label is the only way to guarantee that the animals sourced for meat are fed non-GMO feed/grain. Castor & Pollix doesn’t offer non-GMO dogfood either. Here is there response from when I contacted them to ask about GMO-free dogfood:
Recently you requested assistance from our Pet Parent Relations team. Below is a summary of your request and our response. If this issue is not resolved to your satisfaction please let us know by replying back to this email, or reach back out to us and include your incident reference #. Thank you.
Subject
I am trying to find a non-gmo dog food, and I am looking at your ORGANIX…
Response By Email (Twyla Waddell) (05/17/2015 03:37 PM)
Hello,
Thanks for your question. Our meal is made from USDA inspected chickens and turkeys, which are cooked to melt the fat and remove much of the water. The fat is then separated by pressing it from the meat, and then the dried product is ground into meal.
Our meals are excellent sources of essential amino acids, as well as minerals such as calcium and phosphorous. They are exceptional ingredients in terms of protein quality and digestibility and provide optimal nutrition for optimal health. We can not guarantee our Poultry Meal is GMO free, because we can not guarantee the diet of the animals. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance. Have a wonderful day!
Twyla Waddell
Pet Parent Relations, Merrick Pet Care, Inc.
http://www.merrickpetcare.com | http://www.castorpolluxpet.com
Join us on Facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/merrickpetcare
http://www.facebook.com/castorpolluxpet
Hey what about the Brand: Seeds of Change???
And anyone know anything about the brand Village Harvest?
Also, would you please look into Sonoma harvest foods? I haven’t been able to find any info on them regarding GMOs or Organic practices. Thank you so much!!
This brand’s site shows that it’s non gmo project verified. I love their jams so really hope it upholds the right to be on your list! Thanks for this, really helps!
Sorry I forgot the link http://www.bonnemaman.us
Bonne Maman (product of France)
Thanks Ariel! Adding now. 🙂
Thank you so much for your dedicated work! Your lists are very helpful. I am writing from Germany and would like to point out to you that one of the strictest organic labels we have is called “Demeter”. It was explained to me that this label was called Demeter all over the world. I wonder if you have heard about it or seen it.
We had not heard of it, but thanks to you, we’ve learned a lot more! http://www.demeter-usa.org/about-demeter/
Applegate has sold out to Hormel.
What about Cadia?
Cadia is owned by Nature’s Best, which was bought by KeHE Distributors in 2014. They are not family owned, so we have them listed on our “GMO Free Brands” page instead: https://gmo-awareness.com/shopping-list/gmo-free-brands/
Hi, I was just reading the blog and came upon Susan’s comment…..was she talking about Whole Foods grocery stores? Can you elaborate on her statement if it’s true or not and also I am interested in why you are not a fan…..I hesitate to buy there because they are so expensive and I usually buy the same brands for cheaper in other markets like Sprouts. BTY…I live in Las Vegas. Thanks.
Susan, I understand how the “caved to Monsanto” rumor got started about Whole Foods. While I’m no Whole foods fan, that rumor was based on a statement that was taken out of context. Can you give me a source for your statement about Organic Valley please? Thanks kindly!
Please update the list. Applegate has just sold out to Hormel. And, Annie’s is owned by General Mills.
Sadly, Dave’s Killer Bread was just bought out by Flower Foods Inc for $275 million.. you might want to update that.
It’s been updated. 🙂
Hi there, I was wondering if you could help me out with something. So this list is exactly what I’m looking for as to what to buy and support for organic and non-GMO foods, but do you know of a list that is just like this but for home goods such as baby wipes, cleaning supplies, paper towels, bedding, pretty much anything you use in your house that you don’t eat?. I have been trying to find such a list for a while and cant seem to find a good one like this. Greatly appreciated if you have any knowledge of one. Thank you so much!
Whitney, we have not found a list like this, and we agree it would be super helpful… If we didn’t have to work full time jobs outside of maintaining this website, we’d get right on it! 🙂
Ok, so I now have a list of non corporate organic foods, but where do I go to easily access them? Maybe a one stop grocery store in west vally or Salt Lake City UT.
Try this website: http://www.organicstorelocator.com/
Can you please update the list?
What about the Wild Oats brand?
Walmart’s Wild Oats brand is not family owned; it is addressed on this page: https://gmo-awareness.com/shopping-list/gmo-free-brands/
Here is another company for the list “Woodstock”
http://www.woodstock-foods.com/pages/categories.aspx
Woodstock is not family owned (as far as our research could tell). They are already listed on this page of our website: https://gmo-awareness.com/shopping-list/gmo-free-brands/
Hi!
As an employee of this company, I would like to humbly submit Cultures for Health for consideration to be added to this list. We take great pride in using non-GMO ingredients in the production of our cultures and in all of the products that we source. If you have any questions about our production or ingredients, please don’t hesitate to ask! Thank you for putting together this wonderful article.
Cheers,
Mason
Mason we’ve added them to both of our GMO free pages, however as an employee, you may want to ask your employer to make the GMO-free aspect MUCH more prominent on their website. The only place we could find mention of GMO free was zooming in on a product photo. Would be great to add this fact as an FAQ, or put the statement more prominently on the Home page, etc. Let your consumers know your benefits! 🙂
Rudi’s is owned by Haines Celestial now, sadly.
Thanks for helping us keep this updated!
I buy Organics & Wild Oats at Walmart & Safeway
Some of the Late July Ccontain MSG so I steer clear of their products.
Applegate Farms is owned by Hormel (May 2015) and sadly, Snyder’s-Lance, as of November 2014, has 80% equity in Late July.
Those updates were made quite a while ago, but thank you. 🙂
I used to buy Great Value organic white popcorn kernels at a health food store that was grown by a small farm I believe. That store was bought out and I can’t find any information on that popcorn. (My searches just pull up the Walmart Great Value brand and that is NOT what I bought.) Do you have any information about this popcorn? Thank you.
We researched it too and can’t find what happened to them, very sorry!
Forget Eden foods. The owner doesn’t think women should have access to health care via the ACA and doesn’t think women have a right to control their own decisions about their own body! He also killed babies because he lied about his soy milk being infant formula!
I would like to know if Wegman”s K cup organic coffee is truly organic and it it Fungi free? Thank you
If it has a USDA Organic symbol on it, it is as organic as it gets. 🙂 As for Fungi free, you’d need to contact them directly.
Thank you so much for this information! Its very very helpful..and sincee you are all volunteers know that your time and effort is appreciated!
Thank you Alexis… it is indeed done in our all-too-brief spare time! ❤
This information is so appreciated!!! I can only imagine how much time you have spend on this. THANK YOU!!! I am trying to place a bulk order on UNFI, and now am going back and trying to replace the corporate owned organics with the independent and still it’s taking me all day!! When you make updates does it go directly on this site or how do we continue to stay as updated as you? Also how do you learn whom owns a company many of their sites don’t say and if I put into google, I just keep coming back here. 😉
ie, someone asked about “Field Day” and i never saw an answer just that you are a volunteer. Their About page lists Values, Missions, Promises and nothing about family owned so I am suspicious. Trying to find a replacement for Santa Cruz juice. Anyone want to make a recommendation?
You are so welcome. And so right about the amount of time… that’s why it takes us so long to wade through so many comments, questions, demands, corrections… whew! 🙂 When we make an update, we make it here on the website. Unless you came to us via another website, you will always find the updated info here. One of the best ways to find who owns a company is to literally type “who owns _____” into google. But sometimes it takes a LOT more sleuthing and digging (hence it taking us so long). We answered the Field Day sleuth request last year, and updated our description on this page: https://gmo-awareness.com/shopping-list/gmo-free-brands/ We prefer Lakewood Juices (you can even order from them directly): http://www.lakewoodjuices.com
Which Greek yogurt brand do you recommend? Which frozen berries brand do you recommend? Which canned food brand do you recommend? Can you recommend brands that are included in Kroger?
We don’t make any specific brand recommendations, we simply list which ones meet the non-GMO standards. We do however encourage people to always choose products labeled with the USDA Organic seal, and where possible, those that also include the Non-GMO Project seal. Another great alternative is to visit your local farmer’s market to see if you can find a farmer selling organic dairy products.
This should be updated to include the fact that Organic Valley has been named as a company that is supporting the dark act. Which is heartbreaking. A quick google search can confirm this.
Heartbreaking and done. 😦
Love this. I have printed this list and will be carrying it in my purse from now on. To be honest, the GMO issue is not my particular issue, but it is really, really important to me to NOT put my money towards large corporations and/or parent companies. This is for a whole host of reasons, but mainly because I have watched many of the corporations act irresponsibly over the past 30 years, and I do not like to reward that kind of behavior with my tiny amount of spending dollars. This need not be an issue of left vs right, or conservative vs liberal either. We all stand to lose when these umbrella companies gain too much power and influence within the marketplace. Thanks 🙂
Hello,
I am a student writing a research paper for my English class about organic foods, farming, and if the yield is beneficial compared to conventional farming. If you could get back with me it would be greatly appreciated.
We do not assist students in writing papers, but sincerely hope you researched thoroughly online and found all of the supporting information you needed to write your paper.
Thank you for the honesty in your blog. I appreciate you taking the time to find this information and share it!
Wonderful blog! So helpful to have all this information in one place. Well done 🙂
I bought an frozen entree from “Hip Chick Farms” recently, and tried to learn more about them. It appears that they are independent, and have not been bought out by big food. They have the USDA Organic seal.
Obviously, frozen is not everyone’s choice, but sometimes you need a quick meal. It could be helpful for singletons, too, who aren’t preparing large meals.
I don’t think they are on your list yet. Thanks for your commitment to this project.
Look into adding Engine 2 and Sunwarrior to your list! Thanks for posting this. I often see lists showing the sell-outs, but not those who haven’t. Hope it’s still being maintained. It’s a valuable resource!!
Is there any such thing as corn that is non GMO? If so-so where can I order it?
How about Straus Family Creamery? Also, is this list still being updated? Thanks 🙂
Thank you and yes, albeit more slowly these days. 🙂
What an amazing resource for consumers! Thank you so much for putting this list together. I also wanted to share an American Family-owned and Operated business that is dedicated to manufacturing as well as promoting American Made All Natural & Organic Products that are free of harmful chemicals, toxins, and GMOs.
KINILLY | Natural & Organic Products
https://Kinilly.com
Google: Organic Products
Google: All Natural Products
Google: Best Selling Organic Products
You should be able to find Kinilly rather easily for any of these searches out of millions and even billions of search results. We welcome you to view our selection of all-natural products made by American owned brands.
2020 will be the bell-weather year for all the unrest in our country. Companies that support the Marxist radical take-over of America! Thank you for compiling this!
It is my understanding that Bobs Red Mill is owned by Quaker Oats. Will no longer purchase their products, as my dog died and I became profusely ill, after consuming their organic oatmeal upon opening a new bag in 2019.
This is not correct. Bob sold his company to his employees, it is still privately maintained. I’d urge you to contact them about the product!