Regional US differences in food packaging

[Fat Guy]

I still always do a double take when I go out west in the US and the sticks of butter are a different shape: shorter, fatter. (Although now with the popularity of Trader Joe's you can get the western shape everywhere.) It's an unexpected surprise in an era of standardization. It even requires different butter-serving dishes.

Are there any other good examples of US regional differences in food packaging?

[xxchef]

There's an interesting article about Land O' Lakes' struggle with just this difference as they marketed their butter nationally: http://www.packworld.com/package-23418

Less about pack as it is about labeling and marketing but... there is a popular mayonnaise brand in the western US called "Best Foods". I noticed their slogan "Bring out the Best" and thought it funny that I'd remembered it from growing up back east also as the Hellman's mayonnaise slogan. Upon closer examination of the label I saw they were the same company, and same product, just with a different brand name. For a chuckle, check out these two web sites and compare: http://www.bestfoods.com/ and http://www.hellmanns.us/default.aspx .

I've also noticed that identical cuts of meat are called different things in different parts of the country (although the terms seem to be blurring more these days). The beef "flap meat" that you'd practically have to give away in New England 30 years was top-dollar "fajaita meat" in Texas at the same time. Not so much difference any more.

[Darienne]

If I could be allowed to add Ontario to your topic...I can't speak for anywhere else in Canada...

Never heard of 'tenders' as in chicken tenders in Ontario for one.

Of course we have English and French on our packaged items whereas you have either just English or English and Spanish.

Our butter comes in one pound blocks...whoops, excuse me, in 454 gram blocks. (454 g = 1 lb) In fact, all our packaging is in Celsius, although much of it corresponds to some American measure, as in the butter. Instead of 500 gram packages, which at first glance might seem more sensible, the packages are 454 grams to equal one American pound.

I'm sure there is lots more.