The Major Meatpacking Company Behind Walmart's Great Value Chicken Products

If you're a fan of Walmart's affordable prices, the Great Value brand probably makes it onto your grocery list. According to MetricsCart, Great Value is one of Walmart's biggest sellers. Numerous products, including chicken, are sold under this private-label brand. If you're interested in where most of Walmart's Great Value food products are made, including its chicken products, one meatpacking company seems to be the source.

According to people on a Reddit r/walmart thread who say they worked at Tyson, Great Value chicken is sourced from Tyson Foods. In fact, one individual who said they worked at Tyson on the line packaging chicken commented, "They are exactly the same [product]!" Some comments came from people who said they worked at Walmart, with one suggesting, "Most of the time there is really little to no difference between generic products and name brand products, at least not in meats." The source of Great Value chicken products can be corroborated by delving into product recall lists. When the USDA published a list about Tyson Foods, Inc. recalling chicken products in 2019, Great Value was listed as one of the brands that was affected, suggesting that Tyson packs and distributes Great Value chicken. Previously, the distributor was Perdue, which was revealed in a press release from the Government of Rhode Island from 2010.

According to the recall list from 2019, 25-ounce packages of frozen Great Value Fully Chicken Strips, which currently cost about $7.80, were the affected product. The Tyson version of this chicken, a package of Tyson Crispy Chicken Breast Strips (25 oz) costs about $8.40. So you save a little under a dollar by purchasing the private-label brand. There are a lot of Great Value products you should always buy, and based on the evidence suggesting that at least some of the Great Value chicken products are made by Tyson, there's a great chance you'll be getting the same quality for less.

Oftentimes, there's little difference between name-brand and generic or store-brand foods, and whether you purchase one or the other comes down to personal preference. In addition, a big factor to consider when purchasing store-brand versus name-brand products is savings, and how much you overspend when you buy name-brand products. According to CNET, buying store-brand products will help you save about 40% on your grocery bill. So, if you determine the quality of a generic or store-brand product is the same as a name-brand product, consider taking advantage of Great Value chicken strips (and other store-brand products) and splurge elsewhere.