5 Brands You Never Knew Were Related

At some point, we have all experienced that moment of surprise when we realize that two seemingly disconnected (sometimes even contradictory) brands are owned by the same parent company. Exploring some of these relationships helps readers better understand that natural food products may belong to a network of not-so-natural choices. This list is more about brother-brands who seemingly shouldn't be!

1. Unilever - Ben & Jerry's and Slim Fast
While many of us recognize Unilever as a common household name for toiletry products, they are actually the world's largest producer of ice cream! With the Heartbrand (represented by different names in different countries - like Algida in Italy) as well as Heartbrand, Klondike Bar and Breyer's, it is no wonder why. In almost comical juxtaposition to this frozen indulgence is one of Unilever's other leading lines - Slim-Fast diet products. Incredibly successful in the United States, it just seems like Slim-Fast should not share even the slightest bit of common ground with decadent ice cream - and yet...

Of course, Coca-Cola is a huge company "With a portfolio of more than 3,500 beverages," according to their website- wow! Everything from Dasani bottled water to Nestea iced teas, the Simply Orange juice company (including Simply Apple, Simply Grapefruit, Simply Lemonade, etc.), Godiva Belgian Blends bottled beverages and Odwalla natural juice drinks.

3. Kraft Foods - Oscar Mayer and Boca
With its unforgettable jingle, Oscar Mayer is famous for its bologna and hot dogs -- compared to another Kraft Foods brand, Boca, a pioneer in vegan food production. And never the twain shall meet - right?

4. Kraft Foods - Mayo and Miracle Whip
Now, Kraft gets two mentions here because while we cannot deny the entertainment behind combining Oscar Mayer and Boca, the fact that Kraft Foods owns both Mayo and Miracle Whip is similarly hard to ignore. After Miracle Whip's recent ad campaign, which keeps a tally of lovers and haters, it seems like an odd juxtaposition for a single company to own a product and a leading competitor... That is, if you have tasted Miracle Whip and not yet written mayonnaise-like-spreads off completely...

5. Kellogg's - Keebler and Bear Naked

Kellogg's is an easily recognizable company - dominating the breakfast cereal aisle, they're pretty hard to miss. With brands like Carr's Crackers and Morningstar Farms in their repertoire, they are certainly a huge network of brands and products. But who would have thought that the makers of Rice Krispies and Keebler cookies would also produce super health-conscious products like Bear Naked granola? In a Keebler Elf versus whatever-made-that-paw-swipe battle, I'm banking on the elf... Plus, with friends like Snap, Crackle and Pop how could they lose?

Slim-Fast photo by: o5com