New Pioneer Food Co-op ranks among the nation’s most ethical companies, according to a MarketBeat survey of 3,012 respondents nationwide that examined which brands Americans trust most on an ethical level.
The local food cooperative came in at No. 64, earning recognition for promoting sustainable farming and community reinvestment. The survey cited members’ support for local growers and NewPi’s transparency on sourcing. Additionally, its role as a gathering point for shared values including healthy food, fair trade and environmental stewardship helped cement its recognition as an ethical business.
Two other Iowa companies made the list of 118 businesses as well. Pella Corporation, the family-run window and door manufacturer founded in 1925, ranked 78th.
MarketBeat noted the company’s focus on energy efficiency, American manufacturing and volunteerism through its Hope at Work initiative, stating that the company “is proof that large-scale production can still act responsibly.”
Kinze Manufacturing of Williamsburg, a family-owned agricultural equipment company, placed 118th for its fair wages, on-site training and long-term employee loyalty. “Its locally built machinery supports family farmers worldwide,” MarketBeat said, in a release.
Methodology
MarketBeat, a financial media company, launched its survey in October 2025 to determine which companies Americans believe most closely align with their personal ethics and values. The survey sample was “carefully structured to ensure a balanced representation across age, gender, and geography, reflecting the diversity of the national population,” according to the company’s website.
Following a two-step statistical process, the research employed stratified sampling to capture demographic variation, then post-stratification weighting aligned results with national population benchmarks based on internal data sources.
Key findings
The survey revealed several patterns in how Americans perceive corporate integrity and social responsibility.
Many top-ranked companies, including Hershey, Ocean Spray and Tillamook, are century-old businesses that remained near their founding towns. Local loyalty appears to inspire moral confidence, with Americans equating staying close to home with “staying accountable,” the findings stated.
Food and beverage brands dominated the list, with survey results suggesting that respondents associate ethical behavior with nourishment, possibly because food production visibly connects people, land and labor.
Several admired companies – among them New Pioneer Co-op –operate on cooperative or employee-ownership models. Consumers seem to prefer “reward structures where profits go back to workers and local communities, as opposed to distant shareholders,” according to MarketBeat’s findings.
Other factors include:
- Brands that promote sustainability as integral to their identity rather than a marketing tagline, because “Respondents can spot the difference between a PR pledge and a purpose-driven business,” the findings stated.
- Company size: small-scale businesses that achieved ranking seem to reflect a growing appetite for authenticity over size.
“Ethical perception is becoming the new currency of brand loyalty,” said Matt Paulson, founder of MarketBeat. “People want to believe the companies they support share their values – and they’re rewarding those that prove it.”
To see the full list of ranked companies, visit here.
