Store Brands vs. Brand Names

[Pedal Wench]

Publix fat-free yogurts. Really yummy. My BF buys WinnDixie's store brand yogurts and they're just nasty. Watery, tasteless, jello-y (new word!) and funky. Publix is just good.

[sundial]

At Sav-A-Lot, I buy the McDaniel's caffeine free coffee and it tastes better than any decaf, including Folger's and Maxwell House. Interestingly enough, the regular coffee is not as good. Also, their brand of cereals taste fresher and crisper than the major brands. I pay 1.35 for a box of cereal.

[Eden]

Safeway's "O" Organic line is pretty good - I love their lemonade - real sugar, not corn syrup makes it taste better. I like their chickpeas too - sounds strange, like there could be a difference in canned beans...., but they are smaller and a bit more firm. It's all very reasonably priced for organic too.

[GLC1968]

I've found a LOT of store brands that are good. I've been buying them off and on since I lived in Florida (then NC and now OR) - so the names of the stores and the items would be way too long to list here. In general, I've found that most store brand items from Publix, Lowes Foods, Harris Teeter and Safeway are good (particularly their 'natural' 'organic' or 'premier' items. I'd also like to give a special mention to Publix's bakery. Their cakes are fan-freaking-tastic. I only wish I'd used them for my wedding cake instead of using the fancy-schmancy pastry chef at the hotel.

The only two things I refuse to buy generic are birth control pills and diet Coke. And the items that I'll never buy name brand? Aluminum foil, pain relievers, trash bags & sugar.

Buyer beware though - there are times when the generic/store brand is not cheaper than the name brands. Make sure to compare the unit price before you buy.

[michelem]

Buyer beware though - there are times when the generic/store brand is not cheaper than the name brands. Make sure to compare the unit price before you buy.

You've got that right! I was SHOCKED at how much more the Kirkland (Costco) brand wild canned salmon is as compared to the Bear & Wolf brand. They are right next to each other on the shelf. If I recall correctly, the Kirkland brand is 3 or 4 dollars more than the Bear & Wolf brand, and the Kirkland brand has less cans per pack as well. Both are wild (not farmed) salmon. The first time, I bought one of each to see if I could tell a difference in taste, and it was negligible. Definitely not worth such a price difference.

[Blueberry]

I still fondly remember Publix brand Apricot Preserves from a road trip years ago. Sadly, we don't have them here....

Full Circle Organic (from Lowes the grocery store) is pretty good too

CA

[shootingstar]

I don't even know where the closest Walmart is located and I live downtown surrounded by many stores.

Haven't sought it out because truly what we need are essentials which Walmart is not necessary at this point in life. Have all the clothing I need, no more rm. to stuff interior decorating stuff, etc.

[pardes]

Mr. Silver, did you get any sleep yet?

[Mr. Bloom]

Wow! This group really is anti-walmart! Wal-mart/Sams was not mentioned once!

Mr. Silver, did you get any sleep yet?

About 6 hours tonight...that's a two week record. Maybe it's the backlash of caffeine withdrawal.

Some generic brands are actually brand names, you know.
Where do you think that stuff comes from, Generic, Inc.?

I wonder what their stock certificate would look like?

[7rider]

Wow! This group really is anti-walmart! Wal-mart/Sams was not mentioned once!

What?

Do you have me on "ignore"?

I wonder what their stock certificate would look like?

GenX??

[Blueberry]

Wow! This group really is anti-walmart! Wal-mart/Sams was not mentioned once!

I shop at Sam's Club on occasion (Sam's much more regularly), but I've not been happy with their house brands. Can't specifically remember what I tried at this point, though. Wal-Mart is a whole lot further away from me than Target, and our Wal-Mart isn't very nice. It's old, small and has a very bad food selection (it's not a "super"). They're not my favorite company (for reasons that aren't approporiate for TE), but I do shop there on occasion. Sam's just has really good deals - we buy Silk vanilla soy milk by the case, mandarin oranges, peanut butter, cheeses, frozen fish, etc there on a pretty regular basis. I also get my contacts through their optical area.

Interesting about their Advil - I've tried other generics (Trader Joe's), and did not feel like they worked as well. Hmmm....
CA

[bmccasland]

I wonder what their stock certificate would look like?

Plain white paper, Times New Roman font

[beccaB]

generic popcorn is way better than brand names, and pops better too!

[SouthernBelle]

I'm surprised at the Kroger comments as my local one is immaculate. I think part of that may be proximity to headquarters. When the big dogs are apt to come into the store, things tend to stay nice. I've noticed that with other companies as well.

I use the McDaniels coffee as well.

I buy my meat at a local market though.

I was so excited when we got a Publix. But I was disappointed as I find their prices high overall. But one good side effect was that the competition drove some Kroger prices down.

I will generally try generics where available. One notable exception is that my cola must be Coke.

[OakLeaf]

part of that may be proximity to headquarters.

A lot of it is "what part of town," also, I think. I've heard more than once that produce that's too wilted for the ritzy suburban groceries is moved to the inner city stores, and discarded only if it doesn't sell the second time around.

In Ohio, Kroger is the "top end" grocery, but I think our Krogers are a separate corporation from the West Coast ones.

I don't buy a lot of processed food, plus corporate ethics matter to me as much as quality (they usually go hand in hand anyway) - so generic foods are pretty rare in my house. Baking soda, yeah (but most of it goes in the laundry ).

I do use pharmaceuticals (yeah, I know I shouldn't, but I do) - OTC painkillers and allergy medicine I'll always buy generic unless the brand name's on sale for less. With prescription drugs, I'll get generic only if it's the identical drug. No "bioequivalents."

Well, it's too rainy to ride, but the bright side of that is I get to go to the farmers' market - so I'm off. No generics there!