Many of us grew up with brands that feel as American as apple pie and companies like Trader Joe’s & 7-Eleven have been part of our lives for generations! However, even some of the most beloved ones aren’t American-owned anymore. Instead, international corporations have bought them. Here are eleven iconic brands that are technically no longer American because they’ve been bought out or a majority of their shares are now foreign-owned. The products may stay the same but the profits now go overseas. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though!
Featured Image Credit: HayDmitriy /Depositphotos.com.
Budweiser
Since 1876, Budweiser has been brewing beer and is now a favorite at barbecues & ball games nationwide. In 2008, Belgium-based InBev bought Anheuser-Busch for a massive $52 billion and created Anheuser-Busch InBev, one of the world’s largest brewing companies. You may still crack open a cold Bud—but it’s technically a European beer now!
Smithfield Foods
Smithfield Foods started out in 1936 in Smithfield, Virginia, soon becoming a household name for hams and pork products across America. But in 2013, Chinese company WH Group bought Smithfield Foods for $4.7 billion. This became one of the largest U.S. acquisitions by a Chinese firm. However, the company continues to operate its farms & facilities in America.
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Ben & Jerry’s
Ben & Jerry’s began in 1978 after two childhood friends converted a gas station in Burlington, Vermont, into a scoop shop. Their chunky ice cream flavors & quirky names quickly became a hit! In 2000, Unilever, a British-Dutch conglomerate, bought the company. That hasn’t stopped the ice cream company, though. It’s still churning out classics like Cherry Garcia & Phish Food while staying true to its social activism roots.
Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
Firestone Tire and Rubber Company is one of the leading tire manufacturers in America—yet it’s not American anymore. Japan’s Bridgestone Corporation acquired Firestone for $2.6 billion in 1988 and merged two major tire giants. Today, Firestone still produces tires & operates stores across the US. But the company steering the ship is in Japan.
7-Eleven
7-Eleven started in Dallas, Texas, back in 1927 as an ice house storefront offering basic necessities. Later, it evolved into the iconic convenience store we know and love today for its Slurpees & Big Gulps. In 2005, Japan’s Seven & I Holdings fully acquired the company & they are now the parent company of all the American branches.
General Electric Appliances
GE Appliances has been a household name in America for decades. Yet in 2016, Chinese company Haier Group bought GE Appliances for $5.6 billion. The agreement let Haier use the GE brand name & keep the headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky. As such, any GE items are still made and designed in the US—but the company behind them is based in China now.
Motorola Mobility
Motorola gave us the first handheld cellphone in 1973. In 2011, the company split into Motorola Mobility & Motorola Solutions, with Google initially buying Motorola Mobility before selling it to China’s Lenovo in 2014 for $2.91 billion. Why? Because Lenovo wanted to increase its global smartphone market presence. Any new Motorola phones are fully under Lenovo’s ownership.
AMC Theatres
AMC Theatres started in Kansas City, Missouri, and is now one of the biggest names in movie entertainment. In 2012, China’s Dalian Wanda Group bought AMC for $2.6 billion to make it the largest cinema chain worldwide at the time. Dalian Wanda Group’s stake in the company has reduced over the years and Silver Lake Partners also has a stake in it. As such, the company is now partially Chinese, partially American.
Purina
Anyone with a pet will know that Purina makes some of the best pet food around! In 2001, Swiss company Nestlé S.A. bought Ralston Purina for $10.3 billion & merged it with its own pet food line to create Nestlé Purina PetCare. Thankfully, we can still pick up Purina chow at the local stores in America.
Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn completely changed roadside lodging by giving people dependable & comfortable accommodations. In 1988, though, British company Bass PLC bought the brand. Bass PLC later became the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and you can book a room at a Holiday Inn anywhere in the US. The parent company might be British but the level of comfort is still American!
Trader Joe’s
As one of the most iconic grocery stores, you’d think Trader Joe’s is entirely American. But while its owner was from California, the company was sold in 1979 to the German co-founder of the Aldi grocery chain. It has offices across the entire United States—but the company is actually German-owned.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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