[KitchenWench]

I live in NC, and the state is known for Mt. Olive pickles and Texas Pete hot sauce among others.

What products are your state known for?

 

[Shane R]

Heinz. There's a massive tomato processing plant near Fremont, OH. Pioneer sugar, which is a brand made from beets rather than cane. Troyer's and Walnut Creek cover most of the Amish style market. Troyer bologna is the best. And there's more companies doing egg noodles and dumplings than I can remember. Also, I believe Smucker's is headquartered in Ohio.

And there are so many creameries making ice cream every region has their own brand. I live on the edge of Smith's and Velvet territory. Further North you get Toft's.

 

[Shane R]

And Great Lakes Brewing Company out of Cleveland is well known and widely distributed. Probably their most popular beer is Dortmunder Gold. But they've got 4 or 5 brews that the better grocery stores will stock.

 

[Steve-o]

Minnesota is the home of:

• General Mills (Betty Crocker and Pillsbury desserts, Yoplait, Annie's Organic, Cascadian Farms, Muir Glen, Chex, Cheerios, Wheaties, Trix, Gold Medal flour, Green Giant, Häagen-Dazs, Larabar, Old El Paso, Progresso)
• Hormel (Hormel, SPAM, Jennie-O turkey products, Skippy peanut butter, Planters nuts, and Herdez Mexican foods, to mention the big ones)
• Post (Grape-Nuts, Honeycomb, Shredded Wheat, and Malt O Meal cereals [MoM does a lot of private label processing])
• Land O' Lakes dairy products
• Schwan's (frozen entrees and the Freschetta, Red Baron, and Tony's pizza brands and Mrs. Edwards desserts)

Michael Foods is one of the country's biggest processors of eggs for food services and manufacturing (dried eggs, liquid eggs, etc.)

There are many smaller processors with some recognition, like Angie's (Boomchickapop popcorn), Morey's (smoked fish), and Pearson's (Bit O Honey candy).

ETA Minnesota is either the #1 or #2 turkey producing state in the U.S. Lots of sugar beets, too. Pretty busy state.

 

[Shane R]

I forgot Bob Evan's sausage. They have a music festival every October at the farm he owned. I believe it is still in the family. Bob Evan's is so popular in Southern Ohio that they have a food booth at many of the county fairs. If you like to go to the fair in the morning typically the only breakfast food will be Bob Evan's and maybe a local church or 2.

And of course Skyline and Gold Star chili out of Cincinnati. That really is a very regional delicacy. The restaurants don't operate North of Lima or much East of Columbus. My daughter had a tooth removed a while back and I was trying to think of something she could eat from a restaurant when I spotted a Skyline next to the road. She ate a 3 way (spaghetti, chili, cheese). I was watching a Bengals game earlier this year and Tony Romo mentioned their broadcast booth was next to the Gold Star and the coneys were smelling very enticing.

 

[KitchenWench]

Somehow I forgot NC is the birthplace of Pepsi, but if I remember correctly they moved the headquarters somewhere else.

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, Lance Crackers, Brightleaf Hot Dogs and Cheerwine soda are a few more from here.

 

[Shane R]

I remember when Cheerwine was super secret. I had never seen it before being stationed in SC. I don't drink pop much but Cheerwine is my favorite. The local grocers don't stock it but Walmart has it.

 

[PickyPrincess]

Dr. Pepper, Big Red, Shiner (Spoetzel?)Brewing (I remember the days when all they brewed was Shiner Bock), BlueBell, Mrs Baird's and Shipley's.

We also gifted the world chicken fried steak and frozen margaritas.

 

[Colbyt]

Bourbon and KY Fried Chicken. What a combo.

 

[Wooleybooger]

Yes Dr. Pepper in Waco, Tx, Lone Star beer in San Antonio, Shiner in Shiner, Tx at Spoetzl Brewing. BlueBell ice cream at the "little creamery" in Brenham, Tx from "contented" cows. Mrs. Baird's is now a division of Bimbo out of Mexico.

 

[Shane R]

Bourbon and KY Fried Chicken. What a combo.

Have you ever eaten a Hot Brown? I know tons of people in KY, including a few from Louisville, and have never met anyone who has tried that so-called sandwich (I loath open-face sandwiches). I've known people who ate the mutton bbq but not the Hot Brown.

 

[PickyPrincess]

Yes Dr. Pepper in Waco, Tx, Lone Star beer in San Antonio, Shiner in Shiner, Tx at Spoetzl Brewing. BlueBell ice cream at the "little creamery" in Brenham, Tx from "contented" cows. Mrs. Baird's is now a division of Bimbo out of Mexico.

I looked up Bimbo Bakeries (the US division). I had no idea they owned all these brands!

About Us | Bimbo Bakeries USA

They have divisions in 33 countries but are owned by Grupo Bimbo out of Mexico.

Mind. Blown. 🤯

 

[Colbyt]

Have you ever eaten a Hot Brown? I know tons of people in KY, including a few from Louisville, and have never met anyone who has tried that so-called sandwich (I loath open-face sandwiches). I've known people who ate the mutton bbq but not the Hot Brown.

We make them every turkey day with the leftover breast meat. It is not really a sandwich. It is sliced turkey on toast with cheese sauce, bacon or country ham, cheese sprinkles and in the original form it had sliced broiled tomatoes.

With bacon, cheese and even with turkey I don't see how it is possible not to like it.

 

[KitchenWench]

When their outlet store was open I stocked up on a regular basis so I knew they owned some of those brands but not that many!

I remember when Cheerwine was super secret. I had never seen it before being stationed in SC. I don't drink pop much but Cheerwine is my favorite. The local grocers don't stock it but Walmart has it.

I'd never seen it before I moved to NC 20 yrs ago. I still miss Hummels' Bros. bologna and hot dogs as well as Foxon Park soda from growing up in CT. Both were regional, limited distribution brands that I adored.

Hummels' Products Growing up they only made hot dogs, bologna and liverwurst.

Foxon Park Beverages

Foxon Park Beverages, Inc. is a family owned and operated business located in East Haven, Connecticut for over 90 years. By using only the finest ingredients in

www.foxonpark.com

 

[Roll_Bones]

In SC Dukes (Sauer's) mayo seems to be the number one choice. Personally I use Hellman's. But I am going to buy a small jar of Dukes to see what all the love is about.
Texas Pete is big here, but I prefer Franks or Crystal.

 

[Wooleybooger]

I've tried Duke's and went back to Hellman's then found a less expensive brand that tasted so close as made no difference. Now I use Great Value. It's maybe a little creamier than Hellman's but again so close in taste.

 

[KitchenWench]

I'm not very brand specific about most things but when it comes to mayo it's Hellman's (Best west of the Mississippi or Rockies, I can't remember which...lol) or nothing. The closest value brand I've ever found was Harris Teeter's house brand (NC grocery store chain) until they changed their mfg. It was made on the same line as Hellman's and branded for Harris Teeter.

 

[Wooleybooger]

The closest value brand I've ever found was Harris Teeter's house brand (NC grocery store chain) until they changed their mfg. It was made on the same line as Hellman's and branded for Harris Teeter.

I think there is more of that than people suspect in the food industry. Easier to change labels in the machines than change product.

 

[Colbyt]

Dukes is okay but light on the vinegar so it does not have the same zip as Hellmans.

 

[KitchenWench]

I think there is more of that than people suspect in the food industry. Easier to change labels in the machines than change product.

I buy a lot of house brands instead of paying for the privilege of a name. I found a couple of tips and tricks eons ago that work really well if you want to figure out what store brand / private label is made by which national brand. Shelving / planograms are influenced by which company pays the most money to have their product the most visible. That's why you'll see them displayed between eye level and average hand height.

1. look at where it's shelved. If it's the first item when going from one thing to another, look at which name brand is closest. That's usually who makes it.

2. If it's between 2 name brands, take a look where it's made / packaged/ produced. Whichever name brand is made at the same place is your answer.

3. The brands you see either at the very top or very bottom of the shelves is usually foreign brands or independently made so those are kind of hit or miss. Oddly enough, I prefer some of those over the name and store brands. It just depends on what it is.