Hiball Energy Water Found at Fresh Market in Kenwood, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Most discussions about Hiball sparkling energy drinks focus on the caffeine content of the beverage. (With 7.5 mg of caffeine per fluid ounce, a 10 oz. bottle has 75 mg total and, per ounce, it has less caffeine than a Starbucks Double Shot, but, per item, more than a can of Coca-Cola Classic or a Hershey’s Special Dark Bar.)

What’s more compelling about this product is its bottle. It’s glass. And Hiball is proud of choosing glass instead of plastic. On the “About” page of their popping website (click on “Why glass?” on the bottom left), designed by Steve Holmes of Energi Design, they’ve included a link to a list of reasons why glass is more sustainable and healthier than PET. This is a message other brands might want to note. Not only is glass more sustainable, it’s also nontoxic, impermeable, nonporous, has a longer shelf life, more attractive, and it’s retro.

Also interesting is the earlier redesign of the glass bottle. Alyssa Warnock’s graphic design has gone largely unchanged since the product was launched, but there is evidence that the bottle went from short and stout to tall and thin. Such changes happen all the time in the packaging industry, but since Hiball is a small brand with wide distribution, it’s especially intriguing that this change occurred within the first decade of the product. It would be interesting to know how this change came about and when. Hint-hint, Hiballers.

Short + Stout Hiball Bottles via popsop

Tall + Thin via Hiball Downloads on hiballer.com

Hiball energy waters and juices can be found on Amazon or at Safeway, Stop & Shop, Hannaford, HEB, Central Market, Shaws, Fred Meyer, Giant Eagle, Sunflower, Bristol Farms, The Fresh Market, Earth Fare, Albertsons, and Whole Foods.

The Chippery stamped chip bag

I’ve been waiting for a packaging upgrade for Kroger brand products in Cincinnati, and I was very excited to see this bag of The Chippery chips with the Kroger stamp at the Beechmont Ave. Kroger Marketplace. Alas, it turns out that The Chippery is responsible for this great look.

Maybe new designs are still coming?

Kroger brand products, called Private Selection, are quality items, like this great organic flax seed bread

Kroger Private Selection Organic Flax Seed Bread

or these pre-washed sugar snap peas

Kroger Private Selection Sugar Snap Peas

but it would be great to see further packaging upgrades. Although store brands have often been associated with cheaper products, this Kroger store brand is changing this pattern. It would be great to see Kroger emphasize their excellent products with better branding and packaging.

That said, The Chippery is an excellent addition to Kroger stores, from a packaging perspective and from a new product perspective. The Chippery’s business model makes it possible to have fresh chips made on the site where they are sold, with potatoes that are locally grown. These chips will give Pringles a run for its money.

8th Continent Soymilk found at Foodtown in Sunnyside, Queens

When I saw 8th Continent Soymilk in the dairy aisle of my local supermarket, I was overjoyed, especially since I had already seen a brief post about this packaging design on lovelypackage. The jolly-faced sun on the front and the worn heart on the side recall my obsession for Alexander Girard’s work. This is the perfect culmination of folk art and white space for the kitchen and this packaging creates exactly the kind of feeling a consumer product should; it evokes emotion.

And the product did not disappoint! Not only did the soymilk taste great, but I felt a sense of pride at the checkout that continued when I added the carton to the collection of beverages in my refrigerator. The illustrations by Ben Javens combined with the minimalist designs of BBDO West inspired near-whistling every time I poured the soymilk over my corn flakes or into my coffee in the morning. Trouble is, now I hesitate to throw the 1/2 gallon carton away, as it is indeed a work of art.

Upon further study of the product and company, it is difficult to find anything about this product that I don’t enjoy. The website is fun, colorful, and easy to navigate. 8th Continent has an excellent variety of flavors and soymilk styles, to meet more lifestyles than most consumers would imagine. To top all these details, 8th Continent has established a “Draw Your Sun Contest” that will contribute $100,000 to school art programs in the U.S. and has a “Nice Job, Mom” mommy online chat environment.

A few details: the website has a link to a coupon for 8th Continent products, but you have to download the software to print one and I wasn’t able to print to a PDF. I also noticed that the ingredients list includes Xanthum Gum, even in the original flavor, which in some cases may have traces of gluten. Update: 8th Continent has confirmed that their source for Xanthum Gum has reported that their product is gluten free. It looks like their competitor (with far less appealing packaging) does not include Xanthum Gum in their ingredients list.

Herr's Ketchup Potato Chips found @ Foodtown in Sunnyside, Queens, NY

This concept is new to me, but ketchup flavored potato chips have had a few manifestations. Frito-Lay and Old Dutch Foods Ltd. have produced them, and according to Wikipedia, Serbians favor the ketchup flavor. Even though at first it sounds too tangy and too salty, it makes perfect sense to dip chips in ketchup, because they’re a variation on french fries, only round and crispier. These chips, produced by Herr’s of Nottingham, Pennsylvania, have paired up with Heinz to simulate this chips-and-ketchup experience. My question: are we just too lazy to dip our chips in ketchup?
That said, if I were to recommend these chips for a themed party, I would say they would be a good pairing for the World Cup. Why? Even though this brand and flavor definitely originated on American soil, the taste leans into the multi-culti realm, when considering that Canadians serve their fries with gravy and Belgians and the Dutch eat their fries with mayonnaise. Since soccer, a.k.a. football, is becoming more popular in the U.S., it seems like ketchup chips could be the snack food that symbolizes the American experience of watching the World Cup.

On to the product. The bag is thin, metallic, and decorated with a visual equation: fries + ketchup = ketchup flavored potato chips. The Heinz label dominates while a red-checkered background announces that this snack is picnic-ready. Although definitely messy, the ridges are well-defined and these chips make a big crunch, which is very satisfying. Not to worry, the sound will surely be masked by the buzzing of the vuvuzela.

Inside the Bag

These are very good chips, but I don’t care as much for the flavoring. According to taquitos.net, the website that is serious about snacks, rival Wachusett Ketchup Potato Chips are “the best darn ketchup chips in the world” and “If you took ketchup and smelled it, it would smell like this.” Hmm. Not sure I have any reason to smell ketchup, but apparently the Wachussett version is more ketchupy than Herr’s. You’ve been warned.

But I still have to ask: why not just continue to dip your chips in ketchup and skip the powdered flavoring? Not only is this more authentic, but you could dip with one of Heinz’s newer varieties, perhaps one that doesn’t have high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient.

? Found in a Supermarket on Curaçao

The answer is…kòmkòmber chiki, a.k.a. cucumber native to Curaçao. This name is Papiamentu, the local language of Curaçao, Aruba, and Bonaire, and this fruit is often stewed with chicken, pork, braised goat meat, and even iguana meat. Select this link for a recipe (scroll a little more than half way down the page).

n.b. This version of cucumber is not like the cucumber used in salads. A good substitute would be green papaya or green beans.

Hello! It’s time to play another round and this episode is brought to you from the Caribbean. Each of these are about an inch and a half long and about an inch in diameter. Leave your guess in the comment area above.

Fresh Code

It is truly frustrating to buy produce, bring it home, and find that it is either rotten or tastes old. Fresh Code is a barcode sticker system, designed by Sisi Yuan, Yiwu Qiu, Lei Zhao, Qiulei Huang, Lijun Zhang & Weihang Shu, that uses the barcode to indicate freshness. The best feature: if the produce is too old, the barcode has disappeared and it can’t be scanned and therefore can’t be sold. Questionable feature: a freshness barcode based on time, like a water filter timer, may not be accurate for all kinds of products.

The new translucent bottle of renu multi-purpose solution

It’s about time for bestgroceries to get down and dirty, or clean and smooth, and take a look at some products that usually appear in the bathroom. First item today: Bausch + Lomb’s renewal of ReNu MultiPlus Solution, which is now renu multi-purpose solution.

This renu packaging is so cool that it’s hot. It makes me proud to use this saline solution. This is how packaging should be redesigned. When it’s this good, consumers already buying the brand will  be proud to keep buying it; the brand will only attract more consumers. Best part: the clear, textured bottle for the solution. You can see the product, which is a new concept in packaging this brand of saline. This makeover ties nicely into the current trends in transparency in architecture and politics. Why not try it with comestibles? It’s brilliant. And it’s logical. No longer will I have to determine how much of the product is left by gently shaking the bottle or trying to measure the weight in my hand, now I can see it. And I can now associate this solution with salt water, which is what it is. This is renu revealed.

renu twin value pack

Additionally, the box is definitely cleaned up and it really caused me to pause when I saw it on the shelf. It screams “fresh” but also looks much cleaner than before, not nearly as loud. (This was the kind of change Tropicana was probably aiming for, even though it was a bust for them.) This is exemplary of why hiring Paula Scher and Lisa Kitschenberg of Pentagram is a good idea. Cleaning up the packaging, especially for products that are meant to cleanse something that goes into your eye, is smart. Lovely Package shows how well the new boxes display the difference between the regular “fresh” flavor (blue) and the “sensitive” flavor (turquoise). I’m also left wondering, do we need this box? Is there a better way to handle the box and maybe see the cool new bottle inside without disturbing the security provided by a box?

Another important question, why didn’t this redesign include a solution for the product seal? The seals on these bottles are too difficult to open. I know I’m tired of using my teeth and pair of scissors trying to pry these bottles open.

Findlay Market's masonry tower today, north façade

Findlay Market is my favorite place to find quality foods at unbelievably reasonable prices in Cincinnati, and it is also a mainstay in my (somewhat former) Cincinnati shopping routine. Beginning at  the age of four my mom took me to the market early on Saturday mornings to shop for produce and flowers and, before I moved to NYC, I lived just up the hill from the Market and would go down to shop about once every week or two, although I always felt I should have gone more often.

During my most recent visit to Cincinnati, I noticed the market had attracted Churchill’s Tea Room which was previously located at the 4th Street entrance of Carew Tower in the downtown business district. When I stopped in to visit Churchill’s new location in its new northwest side store front, proprietor Kathleen Kern mentioned how the Findlay Market community is noticeably more relaxed than the downtown mid-day lunch and shopping crowd. She also praised the ease and thrift of shopping at the market on a regular basis, comparing the cost of a great Findlay seafood dinner for six (under $10 for all fresh ingredients) versus a Chinese carry out meal that cost almost $60.

Speaking of preparing meals from the Market, I also ran into a couple of pals who live by the market and have started their own blog, Feed Me Findlay. Jenn LeMasters and Matt Wirtz, a husband and wife team making sustainable urban architecture between Findlay Market meals, have been recording Findlay findings from their dinner table since March of 2009 on this blog. Their menus make it difficult for me to live so far from the Queen City.

Interior of Findlay today

A little history lesson…. Findlay Market is Ohio’s oldest surviving and continually operating public marketplace (since 1855) and it is always a lively place; all kinds of people converge here and enjoy the community as much as the mountains of melons and rows of sausages. In the heart of the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood, just north of the business district, Findlay has a lengthy history of bringing people together regardless of the reputation of the surrounding neighborhoods; Findlay truly transcends any strife. The marketplace joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, eleven years before its Over-the Rhine neighborhood made the list. Findlay boasts an iron frame construction bolstered by a central masonry tower that was added to the building in 1902.

Sausage selection @ Kroeger & Sons Meats

Findlay Market offers everything from meats, poultry, fish, and cheeses to produce and flowers, fine teas, and Mediterranean specialties as well as non-food items such as jewelry and art. My favorite purchases have often included purple potatoes from Madison’s, smoked Gouda and Habanero salami (which slice into flower shapes) from Krause’s, raw cashews and huge white pita from Dean’s, and tilapia from Heist. When you go to Cincinnati, you have to go to Findlay. Click here for a map of the marketplace merchants.

Findlay Market is located at 1801 Race Street and is open Tuesday through Friday 9 am to 6 pm, Saturday 8 am to 6 pm, and Sunday 10 am to 4 pm.

? Found @ the Food Emporium Bridge Market, under the Queensboro Bridge, on the Manhattan side (next to the Conran Shop)

Happy 2010 from bestgroceries!

The answer is…as almost everyone guessed, Buddha’s Hand Citron, a.k.a. the five-fingered mandarin or the fragrant citron or fingered citron. Rumor has it that the Buddha prefers this fruit with the fingers bent inward, as if in prayer. Regardless of your form preference, this oddly-shaped (hybrid or mutant? you decide), lemon-like treat has come to symbolize happiness, wealth, and longevity; perfect for a New Year celebration. There is much lore surrounding the Buddha’s hand, some of which can be found here, as well as a few recipes. It is also useful as a room fragrance.

It’s about time I posted another entry of Name That Produce, eh? To play, write your comments to weigh in on what these fingery fruits might be. They are about the size of a small hand. Witty comments also acceptable.

Thick & Rough Oatmeal found @ Foodtown in Sunnyside, Queens

At first glance, the burgundy-red box of The Silver Palate Oatmeal doesn’t seem very compelling. The front of the box includes the logo, the name of the product, a brief description, and a photo of The Silver Palate shop window, wrinkled awning included. All of this seems cluttered and unpolished, as if it has been on the grocery store shelf a little too long. The Silver Palate’s logo appears to be the only well-designed aspect of the composition, and it seems someone who was simply fond of the product, not specifically a designer, could have applied the rest of the images and text around the sides and back of the box.

Stop for a moment and consider that these qualities say something different than expected; these are marks of an honest product. This product must be so delicious and healthy that the company doesn’t need flashy fonts and graphics to sell it. The Silver Palate name is enough to speak to consumers who just want a good oatmeal, not the kind that comes in individual packet servings. This oatmeal seems untouched by the same level of industry as Quaker Oats or even Nature’s Path; it feels local and even traditional. Perhaps the likes of John Ruskin would eat this oatmeal (although he might gravitate toward McCann’s Irish Oatmeal first).

At the bottom of the back of the box is a photo of The Silver Palate product line. As a group, the line is quite compelling, with it’s glass jars topped with red and white cloth and labels on every bottle and jar sharing a logo and layout. It looks like the Thick + Rough Oatmeal is the odd one of the bunch. And somehow, this irregularity is still compelling.

Although it is extremely fair to suggest that The Silver Palate consider re-designing the box, and perhaps they should, there is an enjoyable quality in the lack of design on this product. Nevertheless, if The Silver Palate is having any trouble with sales of Thick + Rough Oatmeal, they should consider a re-design. After all, these products are by the same ladies, Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins, who brought us The New Basics cookbook, which is a great basic cookbook, perhaps even a replacement for The Joy of Cooking for today’s market.

On the taste: this oatmeal is incredible! It’s fluffy and, just as the label says, thick and rough (get your minds out of the gutter!). It’s so tasty that sugar or honey or any other toppings just aren’t necessary and even might distract from the almost aggressive goodness. It takes longer to cook than instant, but it is so worth it. Slow down your morning and try it!

Also worth noting, The Silver Palate has new ownership since 1988. Take a look at this nytimes article from when the company was sold. Also, pay respect to Sheila Lukins, who died this year at age 66. Listen to this NPR Morning Edition story for more info.