Harris Teeter Organics (Kroger)
| Rating |  |
| Farm/Brand Headquarters | Matthews, NC |
| Products | Fluid milk |
| Website | www.harristeeter.com |
| Market Area | Nationwide |
| Total Score | 17 |
Store brands include organic milk that has been privately labeled by grocery chains. Typically, these businesses buy products wholesale and then market those finished or packaged products with their own labels.
The inherent problem with private labels is that they lack transparency. Store brands may get their milk from highly rated producers, but they may also source from factory-scale dairies. Grocery chains or distributors typically offer low prices for store brands because they source the cheapest products available on the market at any given time. This variability in product sourcing makes it difficult, sometimes impossible, for consumers to determine where and how the products was produced.
Kroger is known to have purchased milk from Natural Prairie Dairy, one of the largest “organic” dairies in the country. Cornucopia has filed multiple legal complaints with the USDA against Natural Prairie Dairy and its certifier, the Texas Department of Agriculture.
Cornucopia recommends caution with store brands like this one. Invested consumers can contact stores to confirm who is supplying their private-label milk and encourage them to be completely transparent about their sourcing—even when it changes.
| Criteria | Points | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| TOTAL (possible score is 1600 plus extra credit) | 17 | 1-Cow Rating | Factory Farms |
| Ownership structure | 1 | No answer |
| Milk Supply | 1 | No answer |
| Organic Production | 1 | No answer |
| Disclosure of Information for Verification | 1 | No answer |
| Organic Certification | 1 | No answer |
| Other Labels/Standards | 1 | No answer |
| Grass-fed | 1 | No answer |
| Soy Free Ration? | No answer. Soy is likely used in feed. | |
| Pasture | 1 | No answer |
| Times Milked | 1 | No answer |
| Cull/death Rate | 1 | No answer |
| Replacements | 1 | No answer |
| Calves | 1 | No answer |
| Antibiotic Use | 1 | No answer; animals given antibiotics may be introduced back into food stream after withdrawal times. |
| Hormone Usage | 1 | No answer; hormones may be used therapeutically |
| Farm Support | 1 | No answer |
| Procurement of Ingredients | 1 | No answer |
| Extra Credit | 1 | None |