Most shoppers don't realize how few companies control what's on the shelf — or how those companies' incentives quietly shape what ends up in the packaging. Traced investigates the brands in your cupboard, exposes who really owns them, and connects you to verified local vendors worth switching to.
Whole Foods. "Clean" snacks. "Independent" chocolate brands. The labels change — the ownership doesn't. A handful of conglomerates control most of what you see, and they're all incentivized to cut costs quietly. Click any card to trace the full web.
Unlike Kellogg's or Nestlé, these firms don't make food — they invest in brands, scale them, and exit. The brand stays. The ownership changes. Most consumers never know it happened.
A founder builds a brand with genuine values. PE firm invests at growth stage — providing capital for distribution and marketing. The brand scales rapidly. Then either: (a) the PE firm sells to a conglomerate, or (b) holds and quietly optimizes margins.
PE investment is not inherently bad — but it's a leading indicator. Watch for: rapid SKU expansion, reduced ingredient quality, "family of brands" language appearing on packaging, sudden distribution into mass-market chains.
PE ownership is rarely disclosed on packaging. The brand's website still features the founder's story. The Instagram still posts farmer photos. The ingredient list may not change — yet. The financial relationship already has.
Grocery store meat and fish labeling has three overlapping problems: origin claims that mean less than they sound, quality terms with no federal definition, and a supply chain so fragmented that even the retailer often can't trace it. We went through the regulatory history, the Oceana fraud data, and the USDA loopholes — chapter by chapter.
Every investigation on Traced ends with a clear alternative. Farmers markets, independent butchers, specialty makers — all vetted, all outside the conglomerate system, all searchable by ZIP.
Every vendor here has been vetted by Traced — confirmed sourcing, no holding company layers. Enter your ZIP to find farmers markets, independent butchers, specialty shops, and local makers worth switching to. specific sourcing reason, not just an address.
We don't list every farmers market or health food store. Each vendor earns its place through confirmed sourcing practices, independence from major holding companies, and a clear why-it-belongs-here explanation tied to our investigations. If a brand we've flagged has a local alternative, that alternative is here.
Reformulated ingredients. Misleading labels. Quiet ownership changes. Fast scan first — expand for receipts. Every investigation ends with local alternatives worth switching to.
Every index scores brands across ownership, ingredient integrity, certifications, and labor record. Sortable, filterable, expandable.
Every day Traced users read about what a corporate brand isn't — then immediately want to know what's near them instead. If you're an independent maker, market, or shop with a real sourcing story, you belong in this network.