CANAJOHARIE, N.Y. – Classic kitchen staples that have not changed over the years are getting rarer and rarer. One of those mostly unchanged brands is Gravy Master, made by Richardson Brands. Richardson makes other classic niche brands, including Beechies, Dryden & Palmer Rock Candy and Richardson Mints, those tiny mint-candyMORE HERE
Ball Mason jars are one of the great American brand names that define a particular category. It is so much so, that most could not even name any other brands that competed against it, though if you think hard, Libby and Kerr come to mind. This year, the company celebratedMORE HERE
MONTVALE, N.J. – Eight O’ Clock, the nation’s greatest coffee brand, has modified its logo with a second redesign that appeared in coupon mailers this week. The design is an update of a failed 2010 design, an improvement but not that much. The packaging debuted in August. In a pressMORE HERE
The whole natural food movement has strong roots in religious circles, not only with Kosher food and Mennonite dairies, and natural foods and the Jesus movement of the 70s, but in a new generation of foods and consumer products made on Biblical principles and sold with a religious theme. OneMORE HERE
LE SUEUR, Minnesota – There are few canned vegetable brands that command a premium, but Le Sueur “very young small sweet peas” are one of them. Charging a premium for a straight basic commodity is a challenge. To make a premium brand out of a commodity, you need years ofMORE HERE
When most of the major brands in an industry go to one owner, it should be of major worry to any industry. When brands are owned in the U.S., it is an oligarchy. When owned outside of the U.S., it becomes a cartel. Part of the discussion of the legalityMORE HERE
SARASOTA – A roundup of branding recent items in the news: Big House POS Display of Nabisco: Nabisco, a brand of the oddly named Mondelez International, is receiving a major Christmas push. For this Christmas season, Mondelez has invested in large point of sale displays that push cocktail time crackersMORE HERE
TAMPA – Since 1921, Navier A has been a classic for cafe con leche. It’s named for the shipping line that brought founder Carlos Menendez to the U.S. In 1921, Carlos Menendez, a Spanish immigrant, founded the Naviera Coffee Mills, named for the shipping lines that brought him to America.MORE HERE
CHICAGO – There are some companies that not only own brands that are classics, but are also classic companies in themselves. Companies like Chelsea Milling (maker of Jiffy mixes), C.F. Sauer (maker of Duke’s mayo and Sauer spices) and Gold Pure (horseradish) sell basic, straightforward things, execute them without deception orMORE HERE
RICHMOND – The much beloved Richfood store brand is disappearing. Richfood was, for most of the 20th century, the dominant grocery name in Virginia; its dairy complex along I-95 in Richmond promoted ubiquitous Richfood milk to anyone driving up and down the East Coast. A friend in Richmond tells meMORE HERE