International companies that are no longer American

Trader Joe’s

Original Headquarters: Monrovia, California
Purchased By: Theo Albrecht
Country: Germany

Competition in the convenience store sector has always been fierce, especially if it’s located in a heavily populated area. Back in 1967, Joe Coulombe started stocking unusual and hard to come by foods to try and entice customers into shopping with him instead of at 7-Eleven. It worked. 

That store is still open today, but Joe sold Trader Joe’s in 1979. The owner of Aldi Nord, Theo Albrecht became the new owner. Aldi is a huge supermarket chain, so the Albrecht’s have a great deal of family money. Theo is said to be worth over $16 billion thanks to his wise investments. 

Lucky Strike

Original Headquarters: Richmond, Virginia
Purchased By: British American Tobacco
Country: England

Lucky Strike cigarettes, or “Luckies”, is one of the best-known American cigarette brands there is. Back in the 1930s and 1940s, everyone was smoking Lucky Strikes thanks to its appealing advertising. As a result, the brand was the number one-selling cigarette at the time. 

The company first brokered its relationship with British American Tobacco in 1976, before B.A.T then bought its old parent company the American Tobacco Company in 1994 and absorbed both Pall Mall and Lucky Strike. Despite this, the company continues to be considered quintessentially American, thanks in part to shows like Mad Men.