These 11 Companies Control Everything About the Fourth of July
On this July Fourth, as millions of people gather to grill, imbibe, and celebrate liberty, their shopping carts will tell a much darker story about power in America. Even though the average grocery store carries tens of thousands of products, Americans' Independence Day shopping dollars overwhelmingly go to a tiny number of enormous companies.
From hot dogs and condiments to beer and charcoal, these Fourth of July favorites show just how concentrated the American food system—and entire economy—have become.
Hot dogs and sausages
Three companies—Tyson Foods (Ball Park/Hillshire), KraftHeinz (Oscar Mayer), and Smithfield—sell about 60 percent of all hot dogs and sausages nationwide, and Tyson alone accounts for over 40 percent of sales, according to market-research firm IBISWorld. Americans will eat an estimated 150 million hot dogs on Wednesday, but extreme concentration in pork production could mean you are overpaying: A new class-action lawsuit claims that Tyson, Smithfield, and six other big pork players may be working together to limit production and increase pork prices, including hot dogs. (As of publication, only Hormel had responded to the suit, denying the allegations.)
Beer
Two companies, Anheuser-Busch InBev and MillerCoors, sell about 66 percent of all beer in America. The giants have also been estimated to control nearly 97 percent of the light beer market, and they’ve been busy buying up or investing in craft brands over the years. To further stifle competition, ABInbev has often pressured beer distributors into contracts with big bonuses to keep independent craft breweries off your shelves.