Central Market's Brand Name Products

FoodMan · January 27, 2005

Central Market, announces the "revealing" of dozens of products under it's own brand name. By the end of the year they should have more than 200.

Has anyone tried these various products? Any comments?

I buy their unsalted European style (82% butterfat) butter all the time at HEB and I like it very much. I wonder if any of those new products will be available at HEB as well. I will try some when I get a chance.

Elie

nacho · January 27, 2005

I've tried a few of them and have liked each product a lot! Very impressed. So here goes my input:

CM Italian Sparkling Mineral Water: I'm no expert on the sparkling water, but I bought these at $.99 for a 1 Liter (I think), and they were good.

CM Italian Sodas: I've tried the blood orange soda, and it was amazing. I had to try hard not to drink the whole bottle after finishing my first glass of this stuff. They also have a Lemonade that I bought but have not tried yet. I think these were in the $2.50 to $3.50 range, but not certain.

CM Strawberry Preserves: I love strawberry preserves, so I bought a bottle of this. I tried it last night and it was good. I'm not sure if it's my new favorite yet, however. :wink:

CM Soy, Corn, and Flaxseed Tortilla Chips: Man, are these tasty! They are definitely my new favorite chip (old fave was Blue Chips). They have a nice nutty hint to them, and not too much salt. There were other varieties of tortilla chips as well, but this was the only one I've tried so far.

The products are packaged in attractive clean white labels with green accents and text, which gives them a very gourmet look. I think they are going to do very well.

irodguy · January 27, 2005

I've tried a few of them and have liked each product a lot! Very impressed. So here goes my input:
CM Italian Sodas: I've tried the blood orange soda, and it was amazing. I had to try hard not to drink the whole bottle after finishing my first glass of this stuff. They also have a Lemonade that I bought but have not tried yet. I think these were in the $2.50 to $3.50 range, but not certain.
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Yep the darn blood orange is addicting. Since they started selling it a bottle has never lasted me more than one day.

RebeccaT · January 27, 2005

I bought the Organic Microwave Popcorn on my last visit, and I LOVE it! None of the fakey taste, or weird texture that feels like it's coating your mouth that the regular Micro Popcorn has. No transfats either. I am definitely hooked.

The Lemonade Italian Soda was great, and I totally agree on the Blood Orange flavor... addictive.

elion_84 · January 27, 2005

We have completely switched over to CM European Style Butter. It's much much better than land-o-lakes we used to get. Also, last time we got their CM Organic Milk because it seems to have longer expiration.

FoodMan · January 27, 2005

Great input y'all. I know I have to try the blood orange soda now!! I much prefer their butter over LOL as well. It tastes better and it is only about 30 cents more or sometimes the same price as LOL.

Elie

fifi · January 28, 2005

Even better . . . I am seeing more and more CM brands at the HEBs. I get the butter there. They are also starting to carry some of the non-CM brands that you used to be able to get only at CM.

irodguy · January 28, 2005

I second the cm European butter. Great for baking.

I am having blood orange italian soda withdrawl. I meant to make it to Central Market today..... but just didn't make it.

pkenna · January 28, 2005

:smile: I third (4th/5th?) the European butter. It's my favorite brand at the moment.

This is the 1st Ive heard of the blood orange soda....now I must have it!!

:hmmm:

looks like an extra stop on the way home is going to be necessary.....

fifi · January 28, 2005

I just returned from my local HEB, not one of the real biggies, and I have good news. They had the blood orange soda as well as other flavors. I also noted in passing several other CM brands of salsa, chips and applesauce. That is just what I saw in passing. I didn't take the time to go looking. I am wondering if this is some new strategy? Whatever it is, I like it. Since our suburbs are normally deprived of the presence of upscale markets, at least this gets some options out there for us.

Richard Kilgore · January 29, 2005

How does the CM butter compare to Plugra, my preferred butter for the past couple of years?

fifi · January 29, 2005

Hmmm . . . I am not sure about CM versus Plugra. The CM is very good and in my opinion is a bit better enough than LoL that I will buy it when I am there and it is available. I probably wouldn't go without to wait to get CM. I do remember buying the Plugra and going "Eh, What is the big deal?" I think this calls for a side by side comparison. Quite possibly, I am missing something.

BTW . . . That blood orange soda is spectacular. And I am not normally a soda drinker. Having read the label, I find it interesting that it contains 12% juice and is colored with "black" carrot juice. (I am wondering if those are the same carrots that turned my chicken and dumplings blue.) :biggrin: Anyway, there is something oddly familiar about the flavor of the soda. I can't put my finger on it.

irodguy · January 29, 2005

How does the CM butter compare to Plugra, my preferred butter for the past couple of years?
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I would compare it pretty much head to head with Plugra. It's a great "bang for the buck"

nessa · January 30, 2005

I'm so glad I didn't pick up the Blood Orange Soda. I do NOT need another addiction.

The CM organic truffles are quite good.

fifi · January 30, 2005

Uhhh . . . What is an "organic" truffle? Truffles are found, not farmed. It is just this sort of thing that makes me wrinkle my brow about anything claiming to be "organic."

Richard Kilgore · January 31, 2005

Thanks, irodguy. I'll try the CM butter then. I find the Plugra to be significantly better (and significantly more costly) than the Land o' Lakes I used for many years, and something of Plugra quality for less would be great.

franktex · January 31, 2005

OK, so after I pick up my bottle of Blood Orange Soda, I go over to the butter section and find Lurpak Danish Butter with Lime & Chili. I like making my own butters, but this one is pretty good.

Frank the sheep

RebeccaT · February 2, 2005

Uhhh . . . What is an "organic" truffle? Truffles are found, not farmed. It is just this sort of thing that makes me wrinkle my brow about anything claiming to be "organic."
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Ah, but these are the chocolate variety. If there's a forest that grows this kind of truffle, please tell me where! :raz:

FoodMan · February 2, 2005

Uhhh . . . What is an "organic" truffle? Truffles are found, not farmed. It is just this sort of thing that makes me wrinkle my brow about anything claiming to be "organic."
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Ah, but these are the chocolate variety. If there's a forest that grows this kind of truffle, please tell me where!
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:biggrin: ..that's too funny

In comparing Plugra to CM I think Plugra has a more distinctive taste. More "sour", if that makes any sense. However, for the money, CM is definitly my top choice.

Fifi, glad to hear that HEB has all this stuff!! I will be checking my HEB pretty soon.

Elie

nacho · February 2, 2005

Fifi, glad to hear that HEB has all this stuff!! I will be checking my HEB pretty soon.
Elie
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My HEB in Austin at Braker and 183 had some of this stuff, but not much. No blood orange soda though :wacko: .... I'm starting to get withdrawal shakes.

The applesauce is good. The label says they make it with old fashioned equipment to keep the apple bruising down. That's nice of them.

fifi · February 3, 2005

I went to the big HEB at 646 and I-45 last night. I should have taken my notebook. As I thought, there were more CM brands showing up. But . . . the horror . . . they were out of blood orange soda. :sad:

RebeccaT · February 3, 2005

Was at the CM on Westheimer last night, and they have a nice little shelf setup next to customer service with a display of ALL of their new CM items. Stuff I hadn't even realized... morello cherry preserves (and loads of other flavors), extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar... I didn't get anything but the microwave popcorn (seriously, so good. Tastes like what used to come out of the stove-top corn popper) but I will definitely be trying this other stuff in the near future.

FoodMan · February 3, 2005

I would not mind giving their Extra Virgin Olive Oil a try if the price is right. Anyone tried that?

Elie

fifi · February 4, 2005

Was at the CM on Westheimer last night, and they have a nice little shelf setup next to customer service with a display of ALL of their new CM items. Stuff I hadn't even realized... morello cherry preserves (and loads of other flavors), extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar... I didn't get anything but the microwave popcorn (seriously, so good. Tastes like what used to come out of the stove-top corn popper) but I will definitely be trying this other stuff in the near future.
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Now that is a good idea . . . having that display, I mean. I find that CMs and the big HEBs have just so much stuff that it makes me dizzy. I may be making an excursion into town over the weekend and may make a stop there just to check it out. Then I can go looking in my HEB for stuff that I am interested in. There were a lot of odd blank spaces on the shelves at the HEB. It was like they were reshuffling the stock, to make space for the new stuff maybe? But if they don't restock that blood orange soda I'm gonna GET A ROPE!

matilda254 · February 4, 2005

Was at the CM on Westheimer last night, and they have a nice little shelf setup next to customer service with a display of ALL of their new CM items. Stuff I hadn't even realized... morello cherry preserves (and loads of other flavors), extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar... I didn't get anything but the microwave popcorn (seriously, so good. Tastes like what used to come out of the stove-top corn popper) but I will definitely be trying this other stuff in the near future.
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Now that is a good idea . . . having that display, I mean. I find that CMs and the big HEBs have just so much stuff that it makes me dizzy. I may be making an excursion into town over the weekend and may make a stop there just to check it out. Then I can go looking in my HEB for stuff that I am interested in. There were a lot of odd blank spaces on the shelves at the HEB. It was like they were reshuffling the stock, to make space for the new stuff maybe? But if they don't restock that blood orange soda I'm gonna GET A ROPE!
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I was in CM North yesterday wanting to pick up some Blood orange soda..there is none to be found. The warehouse is even out. SIGH....

Maddie

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