Bacon lovers rejoice! Crispy savory bacon is a breakfast staple in many households. But if you’re an Aldi shopper, you may be wondering exactly who makes the Appleton Farms bacon sold at the popular grocery chain. Confusion around the Appleton Farms brand has led to some false claims circulating online so let’s get to the bottom of this tasty mystery once and for all.
The Claim: Appleton Farms Bacon is Lab-Grown
Recently, posts have been spreading on social media that Appleton Farms bacon sold at Aldi does not actually come from pigs. One viral Facebook post from March 2022 claimed:
“Aldi’s customers: If you shop at Aldi you need to know that store brand bacon is not from pig it’s from a growing CELL. Appleton Meats is currently a privately funded company exploring multiple cellular agricultural methods for growing ground beef, chicken, and mouse-meat cat treats.”
The post alleged that Aldi’s bacon is made by a company called Appleton Meats using cellular agriculture or lab-grown meat technology. It was shared over 25,000 times, drumming up concern among bacon buyers.
Breaking Down the Confusion
So where did this mistaken claim come from? It turns out there are two similarly named brands – Appleton Farms and Appleton Meats – which led to the confusion
Appleton Meats – The Lab-Grown Meat Company
Appleton Meats is a Canadian startup founded in 2017 that is working on cultivated meat technology. This involves growing meat from animal cells in a lab instead of slaughtering animals. The company aims to produce lab-grown ground beef, chicken, and cat treats.
Appleton Meats is not currently selling any products, as it is still in the research stage. The company has garnered media coverage for its innovative approach to meat production.
Appleton Farms – Aldi’s Store Brand Bacon
Appleton Farms is a completely different company. It is a store brand owned by Aldi that appears on various meat products sold at the grocery chain, including bacon.
Aldi has confirmed that Appleton Farms bacon does not use lab-grown meat. It is produced using traditional methods from pork supplied by Midwest farmers.
So while the two companies have similar names, they do not have any affiliation with each other. Appleton Farms bacon comes from real pigs, not a petri dish!
Getting to the Bottom of the Confusion
The false claims about lab-grown Appleton Farms bacon seem to stem from three key points:
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Similar Names: The similarity between Appleton Meats and Appleton Farms led people to confuse the two companies.
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Lack of Familiarity: Many people are unfamiliar with the Appleton Farms brand since it is Aldi’s private label. This made it easier to believe it was made by the more widely covered Appleton Meats.
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Lab-Grown Hype: With buzz growing around cultivated meat, some folks were quick to assume this new technology was behind Aldi’s bacon rather than investigating further.
Once major news outlets did some digging, Aldi and bacon experts quickly refuted the false rumors. But the faulty claim still spread widely due to the power of social media.
Why Accurate Information Matters
While this may seem like a silly mix-up, misinformation like this can be damaging. Spreading false claims about how food is produced can hurt consumer trust. It also takes away focus from real issues in our food system.
When it comes to meat, there are legitimate debates around ethics, sustainability, and practices. But those conversations require starting from a point of truth, not fiction.
As consumers, we need reliable information to make informed choices about what we eat. Fact checkers play a key role in separating food fact from fiction. People should think critically about the sources behind nutritional claims rather than accepting them at face value.
The Takeaway: Appleton Farms Bacon Comes from Pigs
Here are the key facts to remember:
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Appleton Farms is a store brand owned by Aldi, not a lab-grown meat company.
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Appleton Farms bacon is produced using pork, not grown from cells.
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The Appleton Meats name caused confusion, but it is an unrelated startup not selling any products yet.
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Check trusted sources like major news outlets to verify food claims, not just social media posts.
The bottom line? You can enjoy your Appleton Farms bacon knowing it came from real pigs, not a petri dish. Aldi continues to supply this tasty staple using traditional farm-sourced pork.
So next time you peruse the bacon section at Aldi, you can home in on that familiar green and white Appleton Farms packaging, certain of its porky origins. Grab a pack to crisp up some deliciously truthful strips for breakfast. Your tastebuds and your peace of mind will thank you.
Appleton Farms Premium Sliced Hardwood Smoked Bacon
What is the difference between Appleton Farms sliced bacon and regular bacon?
We’ve previously reviewed Appleton Farms Sliced Bacon, and to be honest we’re not exactly sure what the difference is. In our store, the premium bacon was $3.49 for 16 ounces, which is actually less expensive per ounce than the $3.39 our store charges for the 12-ounce “regular” sliced bacon.
Where can I buy Appleton Farms Bacon?
This brand of bacon is widely available at many grocery stores across the United States, including ALDI. In fact, Appleton Farms bacon is an Aldi Regular Buy, meaning it’s available in stores all the time. So if you have an ALDI near you, be sure to check out their meat section to find this delicious bacon.
Is Appleton Farms Bacon from a pig?
A March 19 Facebook post ( direct link, archive link) shows an image of a package of Appleton Farms bacon in a shopping cart. “Aldi’s customers: If you shop at Aldi you need to know that store brand bacon is not from pig it’s from a growing CELL,” the post reads in part.
Does Aldi sell Appleton Farms Bacon?
It is now sold exclusively at Aldi stores across the United States. Appleton Farms bacon is made using a wet curing process that involves a mixture of traditional curing ingredients like salt, sugar, sodium nitrite, and other seasonings. The brine is either used to soak the bacon or injected into the meat.