10 American Brands That Are Secretly Owned by Europe
Many brands that once stood for American grit and ingenuity are now under foreign ownership. You might be grabbing your morning coffee, hopping in your car, or buying groceries, unaware that the profits are heading overseas. These brands started on U.S. soil but are now steered by companies based in Europe.
Trader Joe’s
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Trader Joe’s might feel like the most Americana grocery store around, but since 1979, the beloved chain has been owned by Aldi Nord, a German enterprise based in Essen. Despite frequent confusion with Aldi Süd (which operates Aldi stores in the U.S.), the two companies are distinctly separate—Trader Joe’s is fully steered from Europe.
Sunglass Hut
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What started as a single kiosk in a Miami mall in 1971 has grown into a go-to destination for stylish shades. Founder Sanford Ziff’s idea quickly caught on, especially in sunny spots. In 2000, the business was acquired by Italian eyewear giant Luxottica. Today, it’s part of EssilorLuxottica, headquartered in Paris.
Holiday Inn
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Road trips got a whole lot more comfortable thanks to Kemmons Wilson, who launched Holiday Inn in 1952 after one too many bad motel experiences. In 1990, it was scooped up by the UK-based Bass PLC, which later became InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). Still headquartered in Britain, IHG now oversees this once entirely American brand.
Budweiser
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The company behind Budweiser is Belgium-based AB InBev, which has owned it since 2008, when it acquired Anheuser-Busch for $52 billion. Originally brewed in St. Louis since 1876, Budweiser is still made in the U.S., but profits and big decisions now flow through Brussels. The “King of Beers” continues to dominate the American beer scene with its massive Super Bowl ad spend.
Frigidaire
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People once used this brand to refer to refrigerators. Frigidaire began in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in 1918. By 1986, it had changed ownership and had become part of the Electrolux Group in Sweden. Now, this iconic American appliance brand reports to one of the largest appliance manufacturers in Europe.
Hellmann’s
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It is owned by Unilever, which manages it from European headquarters but keeps its U.S. recipe intact. But this was not always the case. Hellmann’s started in New York City in 1913 when German immigrant Richard Hellmann began selling his wife’s homemade mayonnaise recipe. The brand exploded in popularity across America and caught the eye of British-Dutch conglomerate Unilever.
Chrysler
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For decades, Chrysler built cars that defined American highways. Ownership has changed hands more than once. First, Daimler-Benz took control in the late 1990s. That deal eventually ended, but Chrysler wouldn’t stay independent. In 2021, it became part of Stellantis, a global company based in the Netherlands that owns a roster of European brands alongside Chrysler.
Ben & Jerry’s
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Peace, love, and ice cream started in a funky gas station-turned-scoop shop in Burlington, Vermont, in 1978. Founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield became icons of both dessert and activism. Yet in 2000, Unilever—an Anglo-Dutch multinational—acquired the brand. While the ice cream is still made in Vermont, the major decisions now take place in European boardrooms.
Purina PetCare
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Check any grocery aisle and you’ll spot Purina’s logo—an American staple for generations. The brand’s roots are in St. Louis, but since 2001, it’s been owned by Nestlé. The Swiss food giant bought Ralston Purina for over $10 billion and now runs the business from its headquarters in Switzerland, even as production and sales continue across the U.S.
Lucky Strike
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Lucky Strike was launched in Richmond, Virginia, in 1871 as a chewing tobacco brand. Fast forward to present, and it operates under European ownership. It became a cigarette brand in 1916 and grew popular through wartime advertising. British American Tobacco, headquartered in London, gained complete control in the 1990s.
Alka-Seltzer
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If you’ve reached for Alka-Seltzer after a long night or a rough meal, you’re using a remedy that started in Indiana back in 1931. Miles Laboratories came up with the formula in Elkhart. Nearly fifty years later, Bayer stepped in and bought the company. Today, Alka-Seltzer is still produced in the U.S., but Bayer, based in Germany, calls the shots.
Forbes
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Despite its continued operations from Jersey City, New Jersey, Forbes’ ownership is predominantly international. In 2023, Austin Russell, CEO of Luminar Technologies, attempted to acquire an 82% majority stake but was unsuccessful due to funding challenges. The iconic American business magazine, founded in 1917, was acquired in 2014 by Integrated Whale Media Investments, a Hong Kong-based investment group.
Peet’s Coffee
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In 1966, Alfred Peet changed America’s coffee landscape when he opened his Berkeley, California, shop with deep-roasted beans and bold flavors. Peet’s sparked a gourmet movement and inspired the founding of Starbucks. Since 2012, it’s been part of JAB Holding Company, a German conglomerate that also owns Caribou Coffee, Panera, and Keurig.
Dr. Martens (U.S. Operations)
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Although it’s a British brand, Dr. Martens made significant inroads in American youth culture during the punk and grunge scenes of the 1980s and 1990s. The brand’s U.S. marketing, retail, and distribution are all managed by its European parent company, headquartered in London and publicly traded on the UK stock exchange.
Vaseline
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Vaseline, the famous petroleum jelly, was first created in 1870 by Robert Chesebrough in Brooklyn, New York. He discovered the jelly while working with oil rigs, eventually patenting it. In 1986, British-Dutch company Unilever acquired the brand through its purchase of Chesebrough-Pond’s. Today, Vaseline is owned by Unilever, headquartered in London.