19 'Local And Natural' Brands That Are Owned By Giant Corporations

Burt's Bees is marketed as a homespun natural brand from Durham, N.C.

Of course, the brand downplays that it was sold in 2007 for nearly $1 billion to mega-corporation Clorox.

Brands like Burt's Bees attract environmentally-conscious consumers. They rely on being marketed as local and natural, but many people have no clue that these brands are part of globe-spanning corporations.

Quality often drops as a result.

"It's very common that when an organic food brand is acquired, that the new parent corporation reduces its commitment to organic ingredients and seeks out cheaper substitutes," says Michigan State University professor Philip Howard, who studies the food system.

We found 19 brands that you think are small-scale artisans - but are really the latest in corporate crunchiness.

Reporting by Kim Bhasin and Patricia Laya, with additional reporting by Alison Griswold.