8 Investigation: who is behind the anti-Hannaford campaigns?
A national nonprofit spent at least $116,000 on anti-Hannaford advertising in southern Maine.
Updated: 12:25 p.m. EST, January 10, 2026
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You may have seen a billboard truck driving around town or ads for Total Coverage of Maine during the holidays. The campaign is called “Whatever Happened to Hannaford?” The commercial mentions higher prices, lower quality and foreign ownership. Its website lists additional concerns about cybersecurity violations and animal cruelty surrounding the chain’s failure to commit to offering cage-free animal products. At the bottom of the screen it says “New England Consumer Alliance.” Ford, who worked at the Humane League, an anti-animal cruelty group that advocates against factory farming, said in a phone call with 8 Investigates that this was their first major campaign, but they wanted to improve grocery stores across the board and planned to take a closer look at other chains. “We’re really trying to focus on Hannaford because they’re a dominant grocer in the New England area,” Ford said. According to Ford, the group has about 12 active local volunteers. It created the New England Consumers Alliance to make room for more grassroots activism. According to IRS filings, the Center for Responsible Food Business received nearly $780,000 in donations in 2024. Donations are not public information, so 8 Investigates was not able to identify major donors. Federal Communications Commission filings show that the group spent at least $116,000 on television advertising in southern Maine. As for the group’s claims, it is true that Hannaford is owned by a Netherlands-based conglomerate, Ahold Delhaize. It is also true that the chain has faced recent cybersecurity breaches, but this is true for many retailers and others for contaminated food products in specific stores. Hannaford called the claims baseless and wrote that the company remained committed to providing fresh, high-quality food at good prices, adding: “We advance animal welfare through transparent and measurable actions. We have detailed, year-by-year plans to meet our free-range egg targets by 2030 and 2032, while adapting to supply chain realities and requirements.” Today, 100% of our stores offer cage-free eggs, and the majority of our assortment is already cage-free.
You may have seen a billboard truck driving around town or ads for Total Coverage of Maine during the holidays. The campaign is called “Whatever Happened to Hannaford?”
The commercial mentions higher prices, lower quality and foreign ownership. Its website lists other concerns about cybersecurity violations and animal cruelty surrounding the chain’s failure to commit to cage-free animal products.
At the bottom of the screen it says “New England Consumer Alliance.” It’s actually a local affiliate of the nonprofit National Center for Responsible Food Business, a group started in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 2024.
The nonprofit is led by Taylor Warren Ford, who worked at the Humane League, an anti-animal cruelty group that advocates against factory farming. In a phone call with 8 Investigators, Ford said this is their first major campaign, but they want to improve grocery stores across the board and plan to take a closer look at other chains in the future.
“We’re really trying to focus on Hannaford because they’re a dominant grocer in the New England area,” Ford said. “We are also conducting research to better understand the impact of other grocers in the area.”
According to Ford, the group has about 12 active local volunteers. He created the New England Consumers Alliance to make room for more grassroots activism.
According to IRS filings, the Center for Responsible Food Business received nearly $780,000 in donations in 2024. Donations are not public information, so 8 Investigates was unable to identify major donors.
Federal Communications Commission filings show the group spent at least $116,000 on television advertising in southern Maine.
As for the group’s claims, it is true that Hannaford belongs to a Dutch conglomerate, Ahold Delhaize. It is also true that the channel has faced recent cybersecurity breaches.
It’s possible that prices have increased, but many retailers have. When it comes to food quality, the chain has recalled eight store brand items in the past year, some for mislabeling, which creates allergen issues, and others for contaminated food products at specific stores.
When reached for comment, a Hannaford spokesperson called the claims baseless and wrote that the company remains committed to providing fresh, high-quality food at good prices, adding: “We advance animal welfare through transparent and measurable actions.” We have detailed, year-over-year plans to achieve our cage-free egg goals by 2030 and 2032, while navigating supply chain realities and regulatory requirements. Today, 100% of our stores offer cage-free egg options, and the majority of our assortment is already cage-free.
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