Who Really Makes ItHow to find out who makes a store brand
Updated Oct 31, 2026 · every claim links to its source
You don't need insider sources to find out who makes a store brand. Most of the evidence is public and free. These are the six checks we use, each with the official place to do it.
Read the small print on the label
Under FDA rules (21 CFR 101.5), if the company named on a food label did not make it, the name must be qualified with words like "Manufactured for" or "Distributed by". "Manufactured by" names the maker.
Meat and poultry carry a plant number
The USDA inspection mark on meat, poultry and egg products includes an establishment number (like EST. 1234 or P-1234). Look it up in the USDA directory to see which company runs that plant.
Tires carry a factory code
The DOT code on a tire sidewall starts with a plant code that identifies the factory that made it. Two differently branded tires with the same plant code came from the same factory.
Drug labels have a labeler code
Every over-the-counter drug label has an NDC number. Search it in DailyMed, the National Library of Medicine database, to see the company registered for that label.
Recalls name the recalling firm
When a store-brand product is recalled, the FDA report names the firm doing the recall, and that firm is often the one that made it. That is how most entries on our site are confirmed.
Non-food recalls name the maker too
CPSC recall notices for household products list the manufacturer or importer, even when the product carries a store brand.
Before you trust the answer
- Check the date. A recall from 2012 tells you who made it in 2012. Suppliers change.
- Check the role. The firm on a record can be the maker, the packer, the importer or the brand owner.
- “Same factory” is not “same product.” Recipes and specs can differ even when the plant is the same.
See every result we found for Kirkland Signature, Great Value, Member’s Mark, Trader Joe’s and store-brand tires, or send us a record we missed.
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