Generic Vs. Brand Name Canned Food: Is There Really Even A Difference?

Generic canned food was a staple in my household growing up. Every meal required at least one canned item. (Hey, .

) It wasn't until I started cooking for my family that I realized some of the generics I grew up with tasted exactly like some of the name brands I bought as an adult. In fact, my ex-husband and I would argue when I bought our kids a generic can of corn or green beans. He swore by the name brands, but I assured him that the generic was the same food.



Much later in the marriage, I remember reading an article that vindicated my side of the argument. As it turns out, the same manufacturers that make most name brand canned foods also make generic and store-brand items. The news really stunned my husband at the time.

A great example is the Walmart Great Value brand. Great Value is the retailer's store brand, and customers love it for its low price points — especially when it comes to canned food. But the difference between these low-price generic products and the branded counterparts often goes no deeper than the label.

Walmart has long partnered with Conagra to provide products under Walmart's Great Value label, but Conagra is also behind well-known brands like Rotel, Hunt's, and Chef Boyardee (among others). That said, neither Walmart nor Conagra discloses which canned Great Value items are actually products you know from Conagra's brand roster. Generic canned foods may not disclose their manufacturer Unfortunately, there is no way to know which national brands produce specific generics or store brands.

There is a great deal of secrecy around the topic. Oftentimes, the private label behind the store brand is discovered when there is a recall or corporate transaction (like a merger or sale). For example, a 2023 recall of canned meats manufactured by Conagra (due to damaged cans) revealed their partnership with Kroger and Walmart for their store-brand Vienna sausages.

Until the recall, the only way to know that those store brands were the same as the ConAgra Armour name brand was to taste the two side by side. When it comes to groceries, it is almost always . Over the years, I've often used generic brands when my budget was tight.

For instance, I always grabbed the Great Value tomato paste and diced and stewed tomatoes over the Rotel and Hunt's brand alternatives. My brand name-loving ex-husband never knew the difference. And with (and other groceries), it is important to save a bit where you can.

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