Spot the multinational corporation pretending to be a nice friendly independent

[philmophlegm]

Which of the following lovely friendly companies is actually a front for an evil multinational?

Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream
Harris & Hoole coffee shops
Innocent Smoothies
PJ's Smoothies
Green & Black's chocolate
Teapigs tea
Sunshine Desserts



The answer is that to some extent, all of them are. (Well, except for Sunshine Desserts, which is where Reggie Perrin worked.)

Ben & Jerry's is part of Unilever. Harris & Hoole is 49% owned by Tesco (so probably an associate rather than a subsidiary, although I haven't checked the accounts). Innocent is a Coca-Cola subsidiary. PJ's is Pepsi. Green & Black's is Kraft. Teapigs is Tata.

I'll let you decide for yourself if this is a bad thing.

Comments

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Without reading the rest of your post, I think the answer is, all of them.

[parrot-knight.livejournal.com]

Whether this is a bad thing depends on the way the company is run and how they relate to customers, employees and suppliers rather than who owns them, I tend to think.

[steer.livejournal.com]

Harris and Hoole's position is that Tesco lent them the money because banks wouldn't. If that's true then they're a front organisation for Tesco in the same sense as my flat is a front organisation for the Woolwich building society.

(I have no idea if it *is* true).

[bunn.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I never knew Tata made tea. I thought they were an Indian car brand. Looking at their website, it's interesting that they claim Land Rover as one of their brands, but not Tata Motors. :-D

[chainmailmaiden]

I saw the article on this and it made me think that the author just hadn't kept up with business news. Most of the buy-outs/takeovers (Ben & Jerry's, Green & Blacks, Innocent Smoothies) were very well reported on at the time. Also it doesn't take too much detective work when looking at the labels to work out who owns them.

I wish Sunshine Desserts did exist :-)