South Side Aldi's in the news again

[greg42]

Originally Posted by chielgirl

I found the comment about store brands to be funny.
My aunt worked at Heinz and I was able to shop at the Heinz outlet.
Heinz made Shop 'n Save store brand and many other labels.

Store brands are frequently made by the local major food manufacturers.

Oh definitely. I'm totally into trying store brands. Most of them are made by the same big outfits that make "brand name" items. But that doesn't mean there aren't a lot of brand-loyal people who won't try them. Or (and this applies to me sometimes) people who try them and decide they aren't as good. I would venture that just because the store brands are made by some of these companies, it doesn't mean they are identical. Example: if Heinz makes Giant Eagle ketchup (I have no idea, just hypothetical here) it doesn't mean they put the exact same recipe into those bottles that they do the Heinz bottles. Sometimes it's really a separate division of the large company that makes the private label stuff.

There are also companies producing foods (particularly foods but maybe other items as well) that deal exclusively in private label brands, so it's not always a given. Either way, the only way to know if it's good for you is to try it. Some stores make this easier than others with guarantees (money back if you don't like it) etc, although they do that knowing that a lot of us won't bother to come back and say they don't like it. Of all the things I've found sort of "eh, wasn't so great" from Trader Joe's, for example, I only remember once or twice that I invoked the guarantee, generally only for something that's higher priced and/or especially bad. For the typical Trader Joe's shopper, they'd probably rather the food NOT be made by one of the large well-known brand companies, but many items still are. (The Fortune article gives the example of pita chips made by Frito-Lay.)

[rhondee]

Chielgirl I think the Choceur cream filled chocolate is identical to Kinder Schokolade I bought in Germany. I'm willing to bet it's produced by the same company.

[chielgirl]

Choceur is so good.
I send a lot of treats home to Pittsburgh and my friends; I don't send Choceur or Merci (delicious) or items that they can get at Aldi.
They can buy their own.

The kinder chocolate has a little less sugar.

There's a winter chocolate with apple and cinnamon that is too good and you can only get it for a month or so each year. Be on the lookout!

I was in Belgium last week and bought lots of good chocolate.
I also stopped in the Netherlands for cheese.

Only because I can.

[rhondee]

Originally Posted by chielgirl

Choceur is so good.
I send a lot of treats home to Pittsburgh and my friends; I don't send Choceur or Merci (delicious) or items that they can get at Aldi.
They can buy their own.

The kinder chocolate has a little less sugar.

There's a winter chocolate with apple and cinnamon that is too good and you can only get it for a month or so each year. Be on the lookout!

I was in Belgium last week and bought lots of good chocolate.
I also stopped in the Netherlands for cheese.

Only because I can.

Boy I wish I could do that ,too! And you bet I will look out for the apple cinnamon winter chocolate!
I have family in Germany and they insist the Swiss make the best chocolate. Just curious what your opinion is.