Eat For The Earth With These 13 Sustainable Food Brands
Ready to revolutionize your next bite?
Sustainable food brands can help.
So, what is the most sustainable food brand? And what does the term mean?
It’s a company that considers: palate, profit and the planet.
It considers what foods are sustainable, then ensures they’re grown, manufactured, packaged, and distributed in the most eco-friendly and ethical way.
In other words, they’re the solution to a sugar-soaked, lab-concocted, corrupt food industry.
So much so that it’s almost not worth asking, “What are the least sustainable food brands?”—because most big supermarket names are equally gag-worthy.
Move over, chemical-reliant ingredients, resource-intensive monocrops, and plastic packaging, because there’s a new star on supermarket shelves.
These sustainable food and beverage companies are cooking up a better future. Follow along as we drool over each one.
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QUICK LINKS TO THE MOST SUSTAINABLE FOOD BRANDS
Top Sustainable Food Brands in the USA and Canada
Eco Friendly Food Companies in the UK and Europe
Environmentally Friendly Food Brands in Australia
Top Sustainable Food Brands in the USA & Canada
1. Nature’s Path
About Nature’s Path
Nature’s Path is a “fiercely independent family-owned company” that answers to no one—aside from its conscience and customers.
This sustainable food brand offers an array of organic snacks, cereal, granola, bars, oatmeal, waffles, and chips from a variety of brands under their umbrella including EnviroKidz, Love Crunch, Que Pasa, and Qi’a.
Regardless of the name you see on the packaging, you can rest assured that your favorite NP food only contains organic ingredients.
They also work with their suppliers to help farmers make the conversion to organic production.
Nature’s Path’s Sustainable and Ethical Practices
Nature’s Path is one of the only brands to trial circular shipping, sending reusable granola containers to pilot cities.
Currently, 97% of the company’s packaging is reusable, recyclable, or compostable. By 2025, 100% will be.
Their cardboard containers are 55% post-consumer recycled, FSC-certified, and printed with plant-based ink.
The organic food brand is also pioneering the regenerative agriculture movement. Some of their oats are already Regenerative Organic Certified.
One of the most ethical food companies out there, NP donates $2 million of organic food every year to those in need. They also fund urban garden projects and support schools, food banks, and endangered animal organizations.
2. VITAL FARMS
About Vital Farms
What are the best sustainable food brands for eggs?
If you’re in the US, it’s probably Vital Farms, which has become a household name for pasture-raised, Certified Humane eggs and ethically produced butter and ghee.
The company partners with more than 300 small family farms that put animal welfare and sustainability at the forefront of everything they do.
The Certified B Corp was once a single Austin, Texas farm but is now found in most American grocery stores.
Vital Farms’ Sustainable and Ethical Practices
Traceability is the name of the game for Vital Farms. Each egg carton clearly lists the farm name, which can be searched to get a 360° look at the actual pasture.
VF’s hens are fed a supplemental feed of soybean and corn, which is certified organic for the brown organic carton and new Restorative carton.
Each Vital Farms pasture-raised hen enjoys outdoor access to a minimum of 108 sq. ft of pasture, roaming room. Every 21 days, the girls are rotated to a new section of pasture so they can nosh on new greens while the land recovers.
To educate and engage, they shed light on some of the unsavory sides of egg production, like the culling of male chicks and the “retirement” of hens when their egg production declines.
They’ve taken steps to make these unfortunate eventualities as ethical as possible.
VF is also pioneering “restorative eggs,” an effort to produce eggs using regenerative farming practices. They currently have five farms actively practicing regenerative principles.
3. GOMACRO
About GoMacro
GoMacro’s plant-based protein bars are 100% organic and just as delicious.
They’re vegan, gluten-free, and packed with Certified Clean, FODMAP Friendly ingredients—meaning they’re low in difficult-to-digest fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols.
The mother-daughter-owned company got its start in the kitchen of their family farm after the mother was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Not only has her plant-based macrobiotic diet supported her health, but now MacroBars can be found in nearly every US grocery store.
GoMacro’s Sustainable and Ethical Practices
As one of the most ethical and sustainable food brands for those on the go, GoMacro partners with responsible suppliers, like local organic oat farms, fair trade chocolate distributors, and Fair for Life cinnamon producers.
The brand’s facilities are 100% powered with renewable solar and wind energy.
Their cartons are compostable or recyclable and, through a partnership with TerraCycle, the wrappers can be recycled via a prepaid shipping label.
They divert more than 60% (via upcycling or recycling) of their annual waste and have planted over 1,000 acres of forest to earn status as a Carbon Neutral company.
Every year, they donate nearly 500,0000 pounds of food scraps to local farms for animal feed.
4. LUNDBERG FAMILY FARMS
About Lundberg Family Farms
For Lundberg, “it all starts with a single grain of truth:” that rice is goodness and how you grow it matters.
In addition to sustainably grown rice, the sustainable food company also sells side dishes, quinoa, brown rice syrup, and rice cakes and chips.
Most products are certified organic, while others are either Non-GMO Project Verified or “grown with earth-preserving practices”.
Lundberg Family Farms’ Sustainable and Ethical Practices
The Lundberg family started in sustainable rice after fleeing the 1937 Dust Bowl in Nebraska. Once re-settled in California, they knew sustainable farming was the only way forward.
To this day, they take steps to leave the land healthier than how they found it.
Lundberg is an active partner for environmental organizations like the Sustainable Food Trade Association, One Step Closer, and the Climate Collaborative.
Their products are produced in a TRUE Zero Waste Certified facility where 99.7% of their waste is diverted from landfill and electricity use is offset.
Lundberg’s partnership with TerraCycle ensures that their flexible packaging can skip the landfill for a second life as durable plastic goods.
5. NO EVIL FOODS
About No Evil Foods
“In plants we trust” is No Evil Foods’ motto—no surprise they’re one of the best sustainable vegan food brands around.
NEF uses nothing but plants, but unlike some companies offering meat alternatives, their ingredients are of the recognizable, wholesome variety (no soy protein isolate here).
Most are organic and they’re all non-GMO.
Their product line of cleverly named vegan meat substitutes includes vegan “chicken”, “chorizo”, “Italian sausage”, “roast”, and “pulled pork”.
Time to bring out that non-toxic cookware for an ethical feast!
No Evil Foods’ Sustainable and Ethical Practices
All products come in an unbleached kraft carton that is recyclable or compostable in your home’s indoor compost bin. It features plant-based ink and adhesives, too.
For every pound of plastic used to wrap the meat, TWO pounds are removed from natural ecosystems through a partnership with rePurpose Global.
This makes them the world’s first Certified Plastic Negative Plant Meat Company.
They plant pollinator gardens at their HQ and regularly support animal and environmental organizations.
For example, with every purchase of The Pardon holiday roast, proceeds go to Full Circle Farm Sanctuary to support real, rescued turkeys.
6. ONE DEGREE ORGANIC FOODS
About One Degree Organic Foods
Recognizing the connection between healthy crops, healthy soil, and healthy people One Degree Organic Foods is one of the best sustainable food brands for nourishing, clean foods.
When you buy their oats, oatmeal, granola, flour, bread, legumes, seeds, or cereal, it’s like going to the farmers’ market—with the daily convenience of a supermarket.
Everything is organic, glyphosate-free, and free of artificial ingredients.
Since all ingredients are sprouted, the products are more nutritious and easier to digest.
One Degree Foods’ Sustainable and Ethical Practices
All of One Degree Foods’ products come with a QR code that allows eaters to trace their meal and “meet” the sustainable producers behind each and every ingredient.
Everything is grown following plant-based, veganic principles, with the exception of two products that feature ethical organic honey.
Sustainable Food Companies in the UK & Europe
7. ALARA WHOLEFOODS
About Alara Wholefoods
One of the most environmentally friendly food companies in London, Alara Wholefoods is a producer of locally sourced, organic superfoods, granola, muesli, and cereal-based sustainable snacks.
Alex Smith founded the company almost 50 years ago with £2 he found on the street.
A member of the squatting movement, he was in the midst of living a year without money when he used this small amount to gather wasted fruits and vegetables to sell—which would eventually evolve into Alara.
Alara Wholefoods’ Sustainable and Ethical Practices
Alara was the first zero waste food manufacturer on earth.
The drive for environmental sustainability and social fairness has remained with the company throughout the decades.
Alara was the first Fair Trade cereal company in the 90s and is still one of the only to use ISO 14001 and SMETA audits to ensure workplace ethics.
Now, they use 100% renewable energy, package everything in home-compostable eucalyptus cellulose, and offset their emissions by partnering with Indigenous farmers to plant trees in Africa and South America.
The Net Zero carbon food company even has a permaculture garden around their factory.
8. ISLAND BAKERY
About Island Bakery
Scotland’s Island Bakery makes use of the local wild and unspoiled landscapes to provide some of the most delectable and planet-friendly organic biscuits.
On offer are sweet and savory oat cakes, cheese biscuits, oat crumbles, shortbread, and some gluten-free varieties.
Island Bakery’s Sustainable and Ethical Practices
As one of the most eco friendly food brands to invite to tea time, the company uses locally sourced and organic ingredients.
Their renewable energy is also local, with the bakery being powered by wind, water, and wood from right there in the Isle of Mull.
9. TOAST ALE
About Toast Ale
Cheers to sustainable food and drink brands like England’s Toast Ale.
Raising an ale and saying “here’s to change”, the Certified B Corp and winner of the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise & Sustainable Development is fighting for just that, one sip at a time.
Their planet-friendly beers are brewed with surplus fresh bread to replace 1/3 of the fresh malted barely otherwise used, which cuts down water, energy, and land use, and carbon emissions.
Toast Ale’s Sustainable and Ethical Practices
As if keeping 2,622,291 slices of bread out of landfills isn’t enough, all of this sustainable beverage company’s profits are donated.
On a mission to support sustainable food systems, 100% of profits go to charity organizations working to fix the way we eat.
They also donate meals, offer employee volunteer days, and use renewable energy—including heat sourced from the fermenting beer.
We’ll drink to that.
10. WHOLY GREENS
About Wholy Greens
If planet-friendly pasta is on your mind, be sure to add Wholy Greens to your sustainable food companies list.
The Netherlands-based brand has a range of pasta for the pro-earth generation: campanelle, zucca, radiatori, and fusilli.
European shoppers can find their pasta in several shops throughout the Netherlands and via online retailers.
Wholy Greens’ Sustainable and Ethical Practices
Realizing we only have 29 harvests left until we have to feed a population of 10 billion, the eco friendly food brand combines ugly produce with hearty, ancient grains (like spelt) to provide nutritious and sustainable pasta.
The best news about this pasta is that it’s made with 50% vegetables—which are upcycled and sourced from 24 local, like-minded, and sustainable farmers.
So you can eat copious amounts of pasta AND get your daily serving of veggies all in one pasta fazool swoop.
Ethical Food Brands in Australia
11. PANA ORGANIC
About Pana Organic
What are the most sustainable food brands for those with a sweet tooth?
If you’re in Australia, it’s got to be Pana Organic.
The Melbourne-based chocolatier is responsible for lip-licking, planet-loving chocolate that’s vegan, gluten-free, and organic.
In addition to ethical chocolate, they sell frozen desserts, spreads, drink blends, baked treats, and gifts.
Pana’s Sustainable and Ethical Practices
Pana’s chocolate bars are packaged in 100% recycled cardboard that’s printed with non-toxic, vegetable ink. They’re well on their way to packaging the rest of their line in the same materials.
They work with local suppliers to get their organic ingredients and make chocolate bars by hand.
This eco friendly food brand’s HQ is also equipped with solar panels that supply 15% of the energy for their operations.
Through their give-back program, they’ve planted more than 55,000 trees and regularly support local charities.
12. WILDERBEAN
About Wilderbean
Wilderbean is one of the most environmentally friendly food brands for a comfort food fix.
Putting a healthy twist on some of our favorite foods, they’re the place to turn for healthy and planet-based chickpea pasta, chickpea mac & cheeze, and dahl.
Their products can be found in several Victorian and NSW retailers, or online nationwide.
Wilderbean’s Sustainable and Ethical Practices
This ethical and sustainable food brand uses locally grown legumes and other ingredients to keep its food miles down.
In doing so, they’re able to provide protein-rich meals that require far less water and land than animal sources—not to mention the reduction in methane gas.
The company’s production site is powered with solar panels, saving 3 tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere every year.
Each product comes in a certified 100% compostable pouch and 100% post-consumer recycled cardboard printed with vegetable inks.
13. THE VEGAN DAIRY
About The Vegan Dairy
Vegan cheese is typically…well, anything but cheesy.
The Vegan Dairy though, is one of the top sustainable food brands getting it right.
“Udderly plant-based,” the husband-wife brand makes artisan-quality cheese, butter, and crème. Only vegan, organic, additive-free, and gut-supporting ingredients are used.
To keep their footprint small, they’ve replaced a common vegan cheese ingredient (cashews) with a more sustainable alternative (hemp) in some products.
The Vegan Dairy’s Sustainable and Ethical Practices
As a sustainable vegan food brand who makes vegan-living more accessible is a huge plus for the planet.
Whenever possible, TVD’s ingredients are sourced locally. When a local supplier isn’t available, they only work with those who are responsible and have a like-minded mission.
They also have 100% waste-free production and use 100% plastic-free and home compostable or reusable packaging.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON ETHICAL & SUSTAINABLE FOOD BRANDS
What are the most environmentally friendly food brands?
It’s a good question to keep in the back of your mind next time you do your grocery shopping—whether at your local brick-and-mortar or in bulk stores online—since sustainable living often starts in the kitchen.
Besides, “eat” is very much a part of “earth”, the two are inseperable and interdependent.
Are you voting with your fork and supporting eco-minded companies who value sustainable, ethical eats?
This sustainable food companies list barely scratches the surface, so we’d encourage you to use it as a jumping-off point to create your own.
And feel free to share these sustainable food companies with your fellow foodies to keep the conversation cooking.
