Who Makes Kroger Brand Bacon? The Complete Guide

I like bacon a lot, so I often look through the bacon section at my local Kroger. Kroger sells a lot of different brands of bacon, but I usually choose Kroger brand bacon. It’s affordable, tasty, and readily available. But even though I’ve bought Kroger bacon for years, I never knew who made it.

So I decided to do some digging and get to the bottom of this mystery – who makes Kroger brand bacon? Let’s take a closer look at America’s popular grocery chain and the origins of their store brand bacon,

A Little Bit About Kroger

Founded in 1883 by Bernard Kroger in Cincinnati, Ohio, Kroger is one of the largest supermarket chains in the United States. Kroger operates over 2,750 stores across 35 states under a variety of banners like Kroger, Ralphs, Dillons, and more.

Beyond groceries, Kroger also operates convenience stores, jewelry stores, gas stations, pharmacies, and they even have their own manufacturing plants. As one of the largest privately held companies in America, Kroger employs around 465,000 people.

Kroger offers an extensive selection of natural, organic, and specialty items. But they’re probably best known for their affordable, quality Kroger brand products. The Kroger brand includes over 15,000 items across their supermarkets.

The Origins of Kroger Brand Bacon

Kroger bacon falls under the broader Kroger brand label, It’s sold packaged with simple Kroger branding, But Kroger doesn’t actually manufacture any of their store brand products themselves

To make Kroger brand items, Kroger instead works with a number of suppliers and co-packers across the country. These partner facilities produce food products according to Kroger’s specifications and standards.

So who exactly makes the bacon for Kroger? The supplier varies depending on the region. But here are some of the major bacon producers for Kroger brand:

JBS USA

JBS USA is one of Kroger’s biggest suppliers of bacon. They’re an American subsidiary of the Brazilian company JBS S.A, the largest meat processing company in the world.

JBS USA operates pork processing facilities in multiple states including Kentucky, Tennessee, Minnesota, Illinois, and Utah. Across the US, JBS has the capacity to process over 90,000 pigs per day.

So in many parts of the country, there’s a good chance your Kroger bacon was made by JBS. Their facilities produce packaged bacon for Kroger brand as well as raw pork bellies, which are further processed into bacon at separate facilities.

Indiana Packers Corporation

Indiana Packers Corporation is a privately owned pork producer headquartered in Indiana. Their processing plant in Delphi, Indiana supplies significant quantities of packaged bacon for Kroger stores in the Midwest under the Kroger label.

The facility has the capacity to process 9,000 pigs daily and Indiana Packers sells their products in over 30 states. Beyond bacon, they’re a major supplier of other pork products like ham, sausages, and hot dogs for Kroger brand.

Farmland Foods

Owned by Smithfield Foods, Farmland Foods operates pork processing plants in Missouri, Kansas, and Iowa. These facilities have a hand in producing bacon for Kroger under their store brand label.

In particular, Farmland Foods’ plant in Milan, Missouri manufactures retail packaged bacon products for Kroger supermarkets in the region. The Milan facility alone can process 19,500 pigs per day.

Other Regional Suppliers

In addition to these major players, Kroger works with smaller regional meat producers and processors to make their store brand bacon. Local suppliers like meat markets and smokehouses contribute to producing bacon sold under the Kroger name.

The specific supplier varies depending on the region and product availability. But regardless of the producer, Kroger brand bacon must meet the company’s established quality standards.

Why Choose Kroger Brand Bacon?

As one of America’s largest grocery retailers, Kroger can leverage their massive buying power to get competitive rates from suppliers. In turn, they’re able to offer affordable prices on Kroger brand products to customers.

Kroger bacon costs noticeably less than premium national brands like Oscar Mayer or Hormel Black Label. But Kroger manages to maintain decent quality at a budget-friendly price point.

Here are some other benefits of opting for Kroger’s store brand bacon:

Quality Control – Kroger imposes strict quality criteria for their private label products. Random batch testing ensures their bacon meets standards for fat content, weight, thickness, and more.

Minimal Processing – Kroger bacon contains just pork, water, salt, sugar, and sodium phosphate. There are no artificial preservatives, flavors, or colors.

Variety – Kroger sells bacon in different cuts like regular, thick, or center cut. You can get it sliced or unsliced in both 12oz and 16oz packages.

Trusted Sourcing – Kroger prioritizes food safety and only works with reputable American suppliers like JBS, Indiana Packers, and Farmland Foods.

Good Value – At around $3 to $5 per pound, Kroger bacon gives you good bang for your buck compared to premium brands running $6 to $9.

Wide Availability – Easy to find across thousands of stores in 35+ states. Kroger also sells bacon online via grocery delivery and pickup.

Taste – For a store brand, Kroger bacon offers decent taste and texture. It provides good pork flavor and works great for breakfast, BLTs, and more.

So if you’re looking for an affordable bacon option, Kroger brand is definitely worth considering. The next time you’re shopping at Kroger, head to the cooler aisles to check out their bacon selection.

How Kroger Bacon Is Produced

Kroger bacon goes through a standard pork processing method to transform fresh pork bellies into delicious cooked bacon. Here’s a quick look at how it’s made start to finish:

1. Sourcing Pork Bellies

Kroger suppliers like JBS and Indiana Packers source fresh pork bellies from contracted pig farms. The farms raise pigs on a grain diet until they reach an ideal size and weight.

2. Brining and Curing

The pork bellies are placed in large containers of brine made up of water, salt, sugar, phosphates, and nitrites. This cures the meat and adds flavor.

3. Smoking

After brining, the pork bellies may be cold smoked for extra flavor. This low heat smoking imparts a smoky taste without cooking the bacon.

4. Slicing and Packaging

The cured pork bellies are pressed into uniform blocks and sliced according to desired thickness. An automated line then packages measured slices into Kroger-branded retail packs.

5. Cooking

Prior to shipping to Kroger warehouses, the bacon packs are cooked according to USDA guidelines to eliminate impurities. Pre-cooked bacon just needs to be heated before eating.

6. Distribution

Kroger stores place orders for bacon from regional warehouses. Trucks deliver the bacon to stores where it’s stocked in refrigerated cases, ready for purchase.

So while produced in different plants, you can expect Kroger bacon to go through this standard process for commercially produced sliced bacon. The result is convenient, quality cooked bacon ready to enjoy.

Is Kroger Bacon Healthy?

Like most pork bacon, Kroger brand bacon falls into the processed meat category. Processed meats are associated with increased health risks like colorectal cancer according to the World Health Organization.

Kroger bacon contains saturated fat and sodium levels higher than fresh meat. Each slice has around 45mg cholesterol and 370mg sodium. Eating it regularly, especially in large portions, may raise cholesterol and blood pressure.

However, as an occasional treat in moderation, bacon can fit into a balanced diet. Two to three slices contain 10g to 15g protein, vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B12, plus iron and zinc.

Kroger bacon avoids artificial additives, but the curing process does use nitrites to preserve the meat and add color. There are some concerns around nitrites and cancer risks, but more research is needed.

Overall, it’s smart to limit processed meats like bacon. But buying high-quality bacon from a reputable brand like Kroger can help minimize any potential health risks. Talk to your doctor about how much bacon is safe to eat as part of your diet.

The Bottom Line

Kroger may not actually make their own bacon, but they source it from some of the biggest names in the pork industry. Major suppliers like JBS USA, Indiana Packers, and Farmland Foods all contribute to producing Kroger brand bacon.

While the exact supplier varies by region, Kroger maintains stringent standards for quality, taste, and food safety. As an affordable alternative to premium brands, Kroger bacon brings home the savory bacon flavor consumers love.

So next time you’re browsing the Kroger meat case, you can feel confident that the Kroger label represents a good value. Just be mindful of health risks from eating too much processed meat. But when cooked up in moderation, Kroger bacon makes a tasty addition to any meal.