Commissary brands are high-quality, lower cost alternatives to national brand products. We stand behind these brands with a money-back guarantee on every label and take great measures to ensure our patrons are satisfied by rigorously testing each item before it goes on our shelves. Our goals are to save you money and provide you with a product that is as good or better than the national brand. For a complete list of brands currently available, please see our main Commissary Brands page.

You can find a selection of brands at your commissary today, which can differ from store to store depending on store size and location. See your local store manager for details.

DeCA is currently planning with SpartanNash on the next wave of commissary brand, items starting in the fall with additions such as rice and dry beans, foam and plastic plates, shelf stable juices, water enhancers and powdered soft drinks, paper towels and bath tissue. Over the next three to four years, commissary patrons will see a gradual rollout of commissary brands as DeCA plans to increase the commissary brand inventory to about 4,000 items.

Almost all major retailers offer commissary brands products, with commissary brands representing 15 to 20% or more of total commercial grocery sales. Other military retailers, such as the Exchange, already offer commissary brands products. By releasing commissary brands products, DeCA will be taking a step to match retail best practice.

• Almost all major retailers offer private label products, with private label representing 15 to 20% or more of total commercial grocery sales. Other military retailers, such as the Exchange, already offer private label products. 
• By releasing its commissary brands, DeCA is taking a step to match retail best practice.

Private label products are sourced by a retailer, directly from a supplier, but not usually manufactured by the retailer. In other words, DeCA will not manufacture the products in-house, but instead will work with a supplier to source the products.

DeCA's patrons have been asking for the introduction of commissary brands products. In a recent survey, 60% of patrons said they would be interested in a DeCA commissary brands offering.

DeCA used a rigorous selection process to select a supplier that can deliver high quality products at competitive prices for DeCA's patrons. Key selection criteria included quality, cost savings, ease and efficiency of implementation, and ability to support and grow the program in the future.

• The introduction of commissary brands gives DeCA’s patrons a cost effective alternative to lowering the cost of their shopping baskets while giving them access to high quality products.
• Commissary brand products can be sold at lower prices than their national brand equivalents because they cut out many of the marketing costs built into national brand prices.

• DeCA is modeling commissary brands to match well-known national brands. DeCA has set the bar high for quality.
• Many of the commissary brand products are produced on the same manufacturing lines as national brands. They meet the same specifications as those national brands.
• DeCA has gone through a rigorous selection process –- including quality assessments — to identify the right or responsive supplier partner and ensure the ongoing quality of the products.

DeCA is proud to announce its food products will be released under the "Freedom's Choice" brand and non-food products (e.g., plastic bags) will be released under the "HomeBase" brand. Freedom's Choice and HomeBase deliver the quality you expect at savings you deserve.

DeCA has dedicated private label and pricing experts, in house, who possess a combination of commercial and military resale experience. DeCA has extensive experience selecting suppliers, designing assortments, and overseeing distribution. DeCA has selected SpartanNash, a private label supplier, who is a leading expert in this space.

• Commissary brands are sold under three names: Freedom’s Choice for food items; HomeBase for nonfood items such as paper products and other household items; and TopCare products such as first aid supplies, vitamins, over-the-counter medications and beauty care. TopCare is not an exclusive DeCA store brand. It is available at many retailers and supplied to the commissaries by TopCo Associates through an agreement with SpartanNash.

DeCA is partnering with MDV Spartan Nash LLC. Spartan Nash is a Fortune 400 company whose core businesses include distributing grocery products to independent grocery retailers, national accounts, its corporate owned retail stores and U.S. military commissaries. SpartanNash serves customer locations in 47 states and the District of Columbia, Europe, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Bahrain and Egypt. SpartanNash currently operates 158 supermarkets. Through its MDV military division, SpartanNash is the leading distributor of grocery products to military commissaries in the United States.

The increased cost to ship bottled water from the continental U.S. to Alaska and Hawaii will delay Freedom’s Choice water in those states while SpartanNash develops a partnership with local sources. Appropriated funding for shipments to Alaska and Hawaii are not included in DeCA’s transportation budget.

• DeCA's patrons have been asking for the introduction of private label products. In a recent survey, 60% of patrons said they would be interested in a DeCA private label offering. DeCA patrons are savvy shoppers who know they can get the same quality as national brands at a lower price through the introduction of private label products.
• DeCA is introducing its private label products, known as commissary brands, to expand the set of quality options for DeCA's shoppers and to create savings for customers and taxpayers.
• Commissary brands will create savings for customers. Commissary brand products can offer the same quality as national brands at lower prices by cutting out the marketing costs that inflate brand name prices. Customers can think of this as cutting out some of the overhead built into national brand prices.

Stores in Europe will not receive Freedom’s Choice bottled water because DeCA will continue receiving water supplied by AAFES’ water packaging operation in Germany and other local sources.

Varieties of commissary brand products will differ from store to store depending on store size and location. It's also important to note that shipping times overseas are about six weeks behind the states.

Yes