Walmart’s Great Value brand, launched in 1993, has grown to become the largest food brand in terms of sales in the US. Many customers appreciate Great Value products for their affordability and often comparable quality to name-brand items. However, Walmart does not manufacture these products directly; instead, it partners with established manufacturers to produce items under the Great Value label.
One significant manufacturer is Bimbo Bakeries, known for its Sara Lee bread. In 2015, a recall revealed that some Great Value bread was produced on the same line as Sara Lee products. Conagra is another major player, producing well-known brands like Healthy Choice and Slim Jim, alongside Great Value foods. A serious salmonella outbreak in 2007 linked Conagra to both Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter, resulting in significant recalls and legal repercussions.
Other brands involved in Great Value products include Hefty, which makes trash and food storage bags marketed under the Great Value name. In 2023, Reynolds, Hefty’s parent company, settled a lawsuit over misleading recyclable claims about their bags.
Wells Dairy, known for its Blue Bunny ice cream, supplies Walmart with Great Value frozen desserts. The company has a strong connection to Walmart, having provided ice cream since before the Great Value brand’s launch. Similarly, Land O’Lakes likely produces Great Value butter, indicated by a packaging mix-up in 2025.
Tyson Foods is another major supplier for Great Value chicken products. A 2010 recall of Great Value chicken nuggets identified contamination issues linked to materials found inside the products. With these collaborations, Walmart continues to offer affordable alternatives while benefiting from established brand expertise.
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