The Actual Brands Behind Popular Aldi Items
Aldi shoppers are a devoted bunch, sometimes evangelizing to their loved ones about the glory of Aldi's selection of delicious snacks. Operating on a no-frills concept that prioritizes low prices over all other considerations, the grocery store has carved a special niche for itself that doesn't necessarily give too much attention or emphasis to familiar name brands on the shelf. While some of those products are offered at Aldi, they're sharing shelf space with a host of smaller and private label (more commonly, store-brand) products that fit more comfortably with Aldi's modus operandi of slashing prices to their lowest profitable point.
If you know anything about grocery retail, you'll know that some of these purportedly lesser store brands are actually the very same products you might pay more for in another store and with another label, in some cases even sharing the same manufacturers. As a general practice, Aldi is pretty secretive about what brands lie behind their in-house private labels, but a few of these company secrets have made their way to the public, regrettably usually as the result of product recalls. Take a look, and learn a little more about the brands behind the Aldi brands.
Aldi's Sundae Shoppe ice cream may be made by Michigan's House of Flavors
No grocery store freezer aisle is complete without ice cream, and Aldi's Sundae Shoppe ice cream brand fills this important need. Back in 2014, a press release from Aldi announced a voluntary recall of its Belmont Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream due to a nut allergen issue. The other company cited in the press release? Michigan's own House of Flavors.
Assuming Aldi has kept its association with House of Flavors intact in the years since, the Michigan-based ice cream manufacturer is likely the one churning out the Sundae Shoppe ice creams. A Yahoo report on the matter draws another connection between the two: Aldi's Sundae Shoppe Moose Tracks variety of ice cream, which the story states is a match for the Moose Tracks flavor offered by House of Flavors. An extensive taste test might be called for in order to confirm these rumors.
Millville cereals have been linked with Post Malt-O-Meal
Like most other grocery stores, Aldi's own in-house line of breakfast cereals seeks to replicate as closely as possible the flavor, texture, and crunch of popular name-brand cereals at a lower price. Thanks to legions of satisfied Aldi shoppers, the store's Millville breakfast cereal has become something of a name brand in and of itself, and eagle-eyed cereal lovers have followed a series of clues tracing the private label to Malt-O-Meal, the cereal brand currently owned by Post.
The Millville/Malt-O-Meal connection predates Post's acquisition of Malt-O-Meal by several years, though. In 1998, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a press statement on a mandatory recall of cereals manufactured by Malt-O-Meal that were tainted by salmonella. Millville Toasted Oats is specifically cited in the press release confirming that, at least in 1998, it was being made by Malt-O-Meal. 1998 was a long time ago, but the press release is a concrete thread linking these two cereal brands together.
Earth Grown Vegan Frozen Desserts were once made by SmithFoods Inc.
It's unfortunate that the best and most definitive source of information regarding the brands behind Aldi private labels is in the form of various product recalls and other alerts over the years. The United States Food and Drug Administration has a copy of a statement announcing just such a voluntary recall in 2020, issued by SmithFoods Inc. on undeclared cashews being found in Earth Grown Vegan Non-Dairy Almond Based Frozen Desserts, carried by Aldi.
It makes sense that at least some of Aldi's Earth Grown line, plant-based products that follow vegan dietary standards, would be made by SmithFoods. That's because SmithFoods specializes in plant-based dairy substitutes and other similar products, although any connection between it and anything else on Aldi's shelves hasn't been confirmed as it has with Earth Grown Vegan Non-Dairy Almond Based Frozen Desserts. And until another product recall occurs, it's unlikely it will be confirmed one way or the other.
Baker's Corner All Purpose Flour is made by ADM Milling Company
Aldi doesn't just offer private store brand labels on ready-made foodstuffs like breakfast cereal and ice cream. You can also get most of your requisite pantry staples for a lower price at the store, including products like Baker's Corner All Purpose Flour. In 2019, another pesky product recall archived by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration revealed that Baker's Corner flour was actually ADM Milling Company flour.
Given this, it's possible that ADM is behind some of Aldi's other similar products as well, but this is the only one that's been officially documented publicly. Some other products to carry the Baker's Corner brand at Aldi include granulated sugar, an all-purpose baking mix, baking powder, baking soda, various mixes and crusts for cakes and pies, and even some ready-made cookies and other treats. But since it's only the flour that's been publicly linked with ADM, anything else is just speculation. Fun speculation, but still.
Bimbo Bakeries may be behind many Aldi breads
In 2015, Aldi issued a voluntary recall on a certain batch of its Fit & Active 45 Calorie Multigrain Bread. Also cited in the press release was Bimbo Bakeries USA, the American arm of Grupo Bimbo, a large company headquartered in Mexico that makes products with a true international reach.
That press release is really just the tip of the iceberg, as many Aldi diehards suspect that Bimbo Bakeries is the company behind most if not all of the breads you see on your local Aldi shelf. This has never been confirmed in any official capacity outside of that one press release, but the Yahoo story on Aldi's mysterious private labels cites some 37 different brands; several familiar grocery store staples, such as Entenmann's and Mrs. Baird's, can be traced back to Bimbo Bakeries. With that in mind, it isn't too much of a stretch to imagine them serving as Aldi's primary bread supplier as well.
Clancy's Potato Chips are likely made by Old Dutch Foods
One of the most tantalizing and delicious of the Aldi private label mysteries is the question of what brand is most likely behind Clancy's potato chips and other snacks, which come in various flavors and varieties. The answer to this question hasn't been confirmed publicly, and fortunately for the snacking community there don't seem to have been any product recalls issued on any Clancy's snacks. All the same, rumors persist that the chips and snacks under the Clancy's brand are the work of Barrel O'Fun, owned by the larger conglomerate, Old Dutch Foods.
A Reddit comment under a picture of a bag of Clancy's All Dressed Wavy Potato Chips cites a possible connection by way of this somewhat lesser-known potato chip flavor, said on the bag to be "a mixture of barbecue, salt & vinegar, and ketchup all in one bite." The commenter wrote, "Coincidentally someone just found Old Dutch All Dressed at a local grocery store here in my area. Now that has me wondering if Old Dutch is supplying Aldi with those chips!"