Walmart, Kroger, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Target, and Costco all put their own label on the bag. Most consumers now know Taylor Farms’ name from the cyclospora outbreak, but they likely don’t realize how much of the salad aisle actually runs through the company.
The recall covered lettuce shipped to 27 states, New Jersey included. Shoppers who went home to check the fridge ran into a problem: the bag in the crisper drawer said Marketside, or Simple Truth, or nothing recognizable at all. Taylor Farms was not printed anywhere on it.
That is how the modern produce business works. A handful of enormous processors wash, cut, bag, and ship salad for retailers who put their own label on the front. The supplier ends up in the fine print, or on a code, or nowhere.
Here’s what the paper trail actually shows.
Marketside, Sold at Walmart
Taylor Farms produced the Marketside Bacon Ranch Crunch salad kits that were recalled in 2024, and Marketside iceberg lettuce and shredded lettuce both turned up again in the July 2026 recall. That’s two separate recall events, two separate years, and the same supplier behind Walmart’s private label both times.
Trader Joe’s Store Brand
One Trader Joe’s employee posted on Reddit claiming “about 75% of our salad kits come from Taylor Farms,” based on what they said they observed looking at case boxes in-store.
More reliably, Yahoo Creators reported that Taylor Farms supplies “some” Trader Joe’s salad kits and prepared greens, while noting that not all Trader Joe’s produce comes from the company. Trader Joe’s remains famously tight-lipped about its suppliers.
Earthbound Farm
Earthbound Farm isn’t a store brand at all, it’s a company Taylor Farms owns outright.
Taylor Farms acquired Earthbound Farm from Danone in 2019, according to the company’s own announcement. Earthbound built its name on organic spring mix and still sells under its own label, so shoppers reaching for it as an alternative to Taylor Farms are, in practice, still reaching for a Taylor Farms company.
365, Sold at Whole Foods
Taylor Farms’ retail team has formally partnered with 365 by Whole Foods Market, according to the company’s own announcement, meaning 365 brand salad kits could contain lettuce processed by Taylor Farms.
More Brands, Same Supplier
The list doesn’t stop there. According to Yahoo Creators, Taylor Farms also produces salads sold under Target’s Good & Gather and Market Pantry lines, Costco’s Kirkland Signature, and Walmart’s Great Value in addition to Marketside. Social media users allege Kroger’s Simple Truth also sources lettuce from Taylor Farms for their salad kits.
So, while Taylor Farms doesn’t process every bagged salad on grocery store shelves, the company’s footprint is significantly wider than most shoppers realize.
Brand Loyalty Won’t Save You
None of this means every bag under those labels is Taylor Farms product. Retailers that size run multiple suppliers and rotate them by region and by season. A bag of Simple Truth romaine in one state and the same bag in another may come off entirely different lines.
What it does mean is that brand loyalty is not doing the work you think it is doing. Buying Marketside instead of Taylor Farms—or Earthbound instead of either—does not necessarily change whose plant your lettuce went through.
When one processor has a problem, the recall does not respect logos.
How to Actually Check a Bag
Flip it over. Look for the establishment code, the lot number, and the packing facility identifier. That information is what recall notices reference, even when the notices are close to unreadable, and it is the only thing on the package that tells you where the product actually came from.
If you’re wary, the best thing you can do right now is avoid bagged lettuce altogether. Buy full heads instead—chop it, clean it, dry it yourself. A whole head of lettuce from a farm stand in Gloucester County or a farmers market in Bergen didn’t go through a centralized processing plant, didn’t travel through a distribution network touching 27 states, and doesn’t need a lot code to be traceable.
Plus: it tastes better. It’s a win-win.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.