When did generic grocery brands get so good looking?
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When did generic grocery brands get so good looking?
1–10 of 148 posts
Re: When did generic grocery brands get so good looking?
#2I am surprised that the article did not mention Costco's Kirkland brand.
In my mind, that is the inhouse brand to beat in terms of high quality and good value. And it is definitely driven by consumer data, since Costco has information on what every member bought and returned.
Re: When did generic grocery brands get so good looking?
#3I miss the old old generic food packaging...
It had its own special aisle.
Big cans with white labels that merely said “BEANS” or “CORN” in fat black letters.
Of course, it was embarrassing to have a cart full of that stuff as everyone would know you were poor.
Re: When did generic grocery brands get so good looking?
#4I miss the old old generic food packaging... It had its own special aisle. Big cans with white labels that merely said “BEANS” or “CORN” in fat black letters. Of course, it was embarrassing to have a cart full of that stuff as everyone would know you were poor.
> Of course, it was embarrassing to have a cart full of that stuff as everyone would know you were poor.
I don't mean this to pick on you personally, but this sentence sums up so many problems with consumerism, advertising and it's ability to make us overpay. You don't look poor because you get the white label, you look financially responsible, unwilling to pay a branding premium for essentially the same product. Especially with things like corn where no one could differentiate between the white label and name brands.
These days the off brand labels have there own special stores like ALDI, which is even better because you don't have to fight the distraction of a dozen brands of the same thing.
Re: When did generic grocery brands get so good looking?
#5I miss the old old generic food packaging... It had its own special aisle. Big cans with white labels that merely said “BEANS” or “CORN” in fat black letters. Of course, it was embarrassing to have a cart full of that stuff as everyone would know you were poor.
It's funny realizing how people have been so trained to purchase processed products instead of dry beans etc.
Re: When did generic grocery brands get so good looking?
#6I miss the old old generic food packaging... It had its own special aisle. Big cans with white labels that merely said “BEANS” or “CORN” in fat black letters. Of course, it was embarrassing to have a cart full of that stuff as everyone would know you were poor.
> Of course, it was embarrassing to have a cart full of that stuff as everyone would know you were poor. I don't mean this to pick on you personally, but this sentence sums up so many problems with consumerism, advertising and it's ability to make us overpay. You don't look poor because you get the white label, you look financially responsible, unwilling to pay a branding premium for essentially the same product. Esp…
I don’t know what the odds are, but this generic-food thing has come up before on HN. I made a comment and, if I recall, was downvoted... but, I’m going to say it again. ;
Namely, when I was a kid, my sister and I were terrified to go into that aisle because our mother told us that food was for albinos... that’s why the labels lacked color. It truly scared the crap out of me. Haha! Anyway, I will now sit back and wait for HN’s albino members to downvote me for offending people of [non]color.
Re: When did generic grocery brands get so good looking?
#7I am surprised that the article did not mention Costco's Kirkland brand. In my mind, that is the inhouse brand to beat in terms of high quality and good value. And it is definitely driven by consumer data, since Costco has information on what every member bought and returned.
There's a few websites that try to track what Kirkland rebadges.
Walmart may be soul-sucking to shop at, but their Dr. Thunder and clone colas are really good and 67 cents a 2 liter.
Their yogurt is basically as good as yoplait (orange is great), and their generic salt and vinegar kettle chips and life cereal are all great.
Supermarket clones are still pretty bad, which is surprising given what Walmart and Costco have been able to do with their market strength.
Re: When did generic grocery brands get so good looking?
#8I miss the old old generic food packaging... It had its own special aisle. Big cans with white labels that merely said “BEANS” or “CORN” in fat black letters. Of course, it was embarrassing to have a cart full of that stuff as everyone would know you were poor.
> Of course, it was embarrassing to have a cart full of that stuff as everyone would know you were poor. I don't mean this to pick on you personally, but this sentence sums up so many problems with consumerism, advertising and it's ability to make us overpay. You don't look poor because you get the white label, you look financially responsible, unwilling to pay a branding premium for essentially the same product. Esp…
> unwilling to pay a branding premium for essentially the same product.
For true commodities thats entirely reasonable. And these days when the same contract manufacturers develops and packages the product for Aldi, trader joes, kroger, and Annies its even more true. But dont let rose colored glasses obscure the differences that dis exist between the generics and name brands of previous times. Its ok to admit that Toasted Nut Os just werent as good on texture and flavor.
Re: When did generic grocery brands get so good looking?
#9I miss the old old generic food packaging... It had its own special aisle. Big cans with white labels that merely said “BEANS” or “CORN” in fat black letters. Of course, it was embarrassing to have a cart full of that stuff as everyone would know you were poor.
It's funny realizing how people have been so trained to purchase processed products instead of dry beans etc.
Is it training, or is it convenience? Personally, I don't like soaking beans 24 hours before cooking. In fact, any additional time is too much for me, as bad as that may be. A article in the NYT called The Tyranny of Convenience really crystalized this for me: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/16/opinion/sunday/tyranny-co...
Re: When did generic grocery brands get so good looking?
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's funny realizing how people have been so trained to purchase processed products instead of dry beans etc.
Is it training, or is it convenience? Personally, I don't like soaking beans 24 hours before cooking. In fact, any additional time is too much for me, as bad as that may be. A article in the NYT called The Tyranny of Convenience really crystalized this for me: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/16/opinion/sunday/tyranny-co...
Not trying to address your point at all, but an instapot is amazing for beans. No presoak needed.