Latest news with #Velveeta
Miami Herald
04-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Supermarket chain's popular item may disappear from shelves
There are certain products consumers tend to grow attached to. If there's a specific T-shirt brand that feels good against your skin, that's the one you're going to want to load up on. If a specific water bottle feels comfortable to drink out of and keeps your water at just the right temperature, you're going to want more than one. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter You can stock up on certain products once you find a winner. But with food, that's a lot more difficult. Related: Costco quietly drops popular product, saddens fans Food, by nature, has an expiration date. And that extends to shelf-stable products. It's true that you might buy a box of crackers with a "best by" date that's three months out. And you may even be okay to bust into those crackers six months after buying them without them tasting stale. But eventually, even non-perishable grocery items are going to go bad. You won't necessarily get sick from eating them. But the taste might be off. And that's a bad thing for snack products in particular. Losing a beloved supermarket product can be a huge blow. Even when you're able to find a similar item, if it's something that's a staple on your weekly grocery list, it's hard to say goodbye. And if you have kids who are picky, switching brands could be a problem. Related: Costco members angry over very personal product change That's what makes shopping at grocery stores like Trader Joe's so difficult. Trader Joe's is known for its rotating inventory. But that means you might fall in love with a given product, only to never find it again. And you can't just stock up on food products you really like, because eventually, their quality is going to decline. And in the case of perishable goods, you have even less leeway. While Trader Joe's discontinues products on a regular basis as part of its broad strategy, Aldi may be forced to remove a popular product for a different reason. Mondelēz International, the maker of popular cookie brands that include Chips Ahoy! and Oreo, has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Aldi. Aldi is being accused of copying Mondelēz's packaging, and Mondelēz claims that Aldi's similar packaging is "likely to deceive and confuse consumers." Related: Trader Joe's makes a customer service decision Costco won't Mondelēz is suing for monetary damages and is asking that Aldi be barred from selling its "copycat" versions of Mondelēz's famous cookies. Of course, this isn't the first time Aldi has been called out for producing "knock-off" versions of brand names at a fraction of the price. The budget supermarket chain has created its own version of everything from Goldfish crackers to Velveeta cheese. Aldi is known for selling products made by its exclusive brands that are similar to national brands but priced much lower. This time, however, it may have taken things too far. All you need to do is look at a box of Aldi's chocolate sandwich cookies with vanilla filling to realize that the packaging could easily be mistaken for a box of Oreos if you're grabbing items off the shelf in a hurry. Of course, the upside is that Aldi's version will probably cost you a lot less. But it's easy to see where Mondelēz is coming from. That's bad news not just for fans of Aldi's version of the Oreo, but Aldi fans in general. More retail: Walmart CEO sounds alarm on a big problem for customersTarget makes a change that might scare Walmart, CostcoTop investor takes firm stance on troubled retail brandWalmart and Costco making major change affecting all customers If the chain is forced to pull this product, other food makers might come after Aldi for similar infringements. As a result, a number of your favorite low-cost Aldi products could disappear for good. And while you could stock up in case that happens, you'll want to do so with caution - because while actual Oreos are delicious, and knockoff Oreos are pretty darn good in their own right, stale Oreos are just plain gross. Related: Walmart makes key move to help 'older' Americans The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Business Insider
11-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Classic recession-proof trades may not protect your portfolio anymore. Here's where to invest for downside protection instead.
What do you do when your old-school, recession-proof trades aren't working as intended? That's a question investors are grappling with in a stock market constantly being shaken up by news on tariffs and recession concerns. When the economy goes south, investors usually reach for reliable defensive stocks such as those in the consumer staples, healthcare, and utilities sectors. These companies provide essential goods and services that are always in demand, even when there's talk of the economy souring. However, some Wall Street experts are wary of these trades in the current market environment. Utilities stocks are beating the S&P 500 year-to-date and over the last 12 months. But legendary investor Warren Buffett recently warned at Berkshire Hathaway's annual shareholder meeting that utility companies, which investors love for their stable revenues, might not be as dependable as they once were going forward. "Berkshire Hathaway Energy is worth considerably less money than it was two years ago based on societal factors," Buffett said, citing wildfire risk as a threat to the sector. He warned investors to temper their valuation expectations going forward. Savita Subramanian, the head of US equity and quantitative strategy at Bank of America, is raising the alarm on another area of the defensive trade: consumer staples. "What's interesting is you're hearing more weakness around consumer and even in consumer staples. So if you think you can hide in the food stocks and the defense, that's not necessarily working this time," Subramanian said on an April 29th episode of the "Bloomberg Surveillance" podcast. Recent earnings reports revealed that consumer staples companies are indeed struggling under tariff-induced market turmoil. Take Kraft Heinz (KHC), for example. The company is one of the largest food and beverage manufacturers in the US and produces not only condiments but also Oscar Meyer hot dogs and Velveeta cheese, among other basic food staples — all seemingly recession-resistant products. Yet, the company lowered its sales outlook from -1.5 to -3.5% in fiscal 2025 on its Q1 earnings report. Similarly, Church & Dwight (CHD), which produces household essentials like laundry detergent and toothpaste, lowered its sales outlook to 0-2% growth (previously 3% to 4%). This isn't just the case for a handful of companies. Downward earnings revisions in the consumer staples sector were unusually large and came earlier than expected this year, according to Morgan Stanley consumer staples analysts Dara Mohsenian and Eric Serotta. The number of quality companies in the staples sector has also been on the decline. Bank of America considers 65.8% of companies in the staples sector high quality, which is 15.9 percentage points lower than the sector's long-term average. Go for value and quality Instead of turning to traditional defensives, Subramanian has her eye on value and quality stocks, which are more likely to be tied to essential spending. Value stocks are those that trade at low prices relative to their fundamentals — in other words, they are cheap or undervalued. Quality stocks, meanwhile, are companies with strong balance sheets, consistent earnings, high returns on equity, and other positive characteristics. "Russell 1000 Value companies have a much higher non-discretionary spend, either services or goods," Subramanian said. Seventy-six percent of the revenue in the Russell 1000 Value index comes from nondiscretionary spending, whereas only 56% of the Russell 1000 Growth index does. "If we're in an environment where we're cutting back, we're still going to pay insurance," Subramanian added. Companies in the insurance, industrials, and financial services sectors tend to be more recession-resilient, as spending is often required by law or driven by necessity. Additionally, the industrials and financials industries in the S&P 500 rank at the top of the list for having the highest percentage of high-quality stocks, according to Bank of America. The Russell 1000 Value index also has a higher percentage of companies paying dividends than the Russell 1000 Growth index. Dividend stocks can be a smart bet during an economic downturn, as they offer consistent cash flows and come from financially stable and mature companies. For investors looking to buffer their portfolios with more safe-haven trades, consider adding exposure to funds such as the iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD) and the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG).
Buzz Feed
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Finger Lickin' Good With A Little Sweet Heat: Let's Try Some Bbq
Finger Lickin' Good With A Little Sweet Heat: Let's Try Some Bbq Our three delightful contestants include Kennedy from Houston Texas, Mason who hails from Birmingham, Alabama, and Moni, whose family is from North Carolina. Okay, we got the casting right this time and 3 people from the south or atleast have southern roots. Kennedy is kicking it off first with her barbecue chicken with a side of questionable looking mac & cheese and interesting looking candied yams. Now I'm not feeling the sides of the presentation alone, but who am I? I'm just the fun commentator who says what ya'll are thinking – anyways, let's get back into it (haha). She marinated the barbecue chicken in garlic and onion with a side of dirty rice. The one word she used to describe her dish: Home. Let's hope she can bring home the win. Now, her opponents received their plates and just like any other Black person would, they questioned the mac and cheese. She used the big shell macaroni and it looked like Velveeta mac and cheese. Mason clocked it, sharing my sentiments while Moni questioned if Kenendy used canned sweet yams – and by the looks of it, she might be right, no shade. Let's get into their first bites. Now, Mason said it best – looks can be deceiving because they both enjoy the piece of chicken with Moni sharing it had 'a little kick to it.' Kennedy instructed her opponents to eat the rice and yams together – which confused them and wasn't received well. Also, the mac and cheese didn't hit babe for your opponents, either. So, let's get into her final scoring. Final score: 12.5 It's Moni's turn, and she made sticky short ribs and prefaced her rib fell off the bone when she first cooked them, but don't expect the meat to drop because it's been sitting before she brought her food to the studio. I'll give it a pass. She made her own sauce for the ribs, using ginger, honey, brown sugar, and garlic. The recipe was passed down from her grandmother and I'm sure she's watching in heaven proud of her baby to show them what a good rib tastes like. Nothing like a tradition from an elder. No sides on her plate, but enough chatting, let's see how her opponents felt. Kennedy was already enthralled by the rib, ready to pounce down honey, Mason also shared positive sentiments, saying how it smells good and – to my surprise– he said it's still falling off the bone. Baby, they loved the rib and they said it was THAT good. Shout out to grandma Moni! No notes – let's get into her score. Final score: 18 Mason is up and the plate looked – in his words – delectable. He made some barbecue grilled salmon, grilled vegetables, and had a healthy scoop of mac and cheese that wasn't Velveeta. No shade Kennedy. For the barbecue sauce, he got it from his grandmother, but he told us a few ingredients: ketchup, mustard, and…a can of beer? Interesting – let's taste it. Moni wasn't too pleased – saying it was 'nothing special' while Kennedy had a better spirit about the dish and enjoyed her bites, despite being shocked by the combination of barbecue sauce and fish. However, they both agreed on one thing, which is unfortunate for Mason: it didn't give old fashion barbecue. Final score: 14 Now, before we close out, we had the Queen of Smiles and shade herself, Dr. Heavenly Kimes and her husband, Dr. Damon Kimes, try the dishes too. They tried Kennedy's dish first – they weren't mad at the mac and cheese and the chicken, although Heavenly said it doesn't give barbecue. Her score for Kennedy: 7 Now, it's time for her to judge Moni's dish – and she already is calling it cheap. Whew lord. Final score: 6 Now, for Mason's dish, they said it was 'really good' and fresh. They deemed it 'the best one' out of the three dishes. Final score: 9.6 Ultimately, the win goes to Moni so pat on the back baby! And um….when you host your next cookout, holler at me. If you enjoyed my banter, I know you'll enjoy the video so hit that video below.
Buzz Feed
10-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
These Viral "Soup Drops" Are Stirring Up Tons Of Heated Opinions Online, So We Tried Them (And Have Thoughts)
Food stunts are so back. From the infamous Velveeta martini to Van Leeuwen's mac 'n' cheese ice cream, the past few years have been filled with some experimental (at best) food creations, and thanks to the beloved soup brand Progresso, 2025 is already off to a pretty kooky start. To be clear, I'm all for experimentation! But there's a line. The line, according to some people on the internet, was likely crossed when Progresso announced their limited release of 'soup drops' earlier this year. If you're thinking (as I initially did) that these are soup drops, as in launches of new soup flavors, you would be wrong. So, so wrong. No, these are literally soup-flavored cough drops. Chicken noodle soup-flavored cough drops, to be exact. The highly controversial soup drops quickly became a hot commodity online, with some social media users noticing that their limited stock, replenished every Thursday throughout the month of January, was often selling out in a matter of minutes. Now, the Soup Drop website reminds soup drop-seekers that they can still get a 'hot bowl of the real thing' wherever Progresso's canned soups are sold. Ultimately, that might be a blessing in disguise. Initial reactions to the Soup Drop stunt were maybe not the best overall, though plenty of people were beyond stoked to try their hand at getting a can of these bad boys. When the die-hard soup lovers are questioning things, you know you've really rocked the boat. Even Jimmy Fallon featured the chicken noodle soup-flavored drops during a segment on The Tonight Show, and the audience response what you'd imagine. Just imagine some pained groans and laughter from the audience. After seeing countless reactions to the 'crime against food' hard candies all month long, I was deeply curious, extremely excited, but ultimately terrified to the core when my personal can of soup drops arrived in the mail. So naturally, I begged my equally-skeptical coworkers to try them with me so I wouldn't have to go it alone. Ross Yoder Note: BuzzFeed was sent a complimentary sample of this product, but we were under no obligation to provide a review. Here's what we thought. First, let's get into what the heck's even in these things. 👇 Progresso's Soup Drops come in a cute little soup can-like canister. Each container packs in 20 individually wrapped drops. The main ingredients of these drops are isomalt, a sugar substitute often used for decorative purposes, and salt. They also contain ingredients like cornstarch, MSG, and some actual chicken in cooked-and-powdered form. Next, the aesthetics. They didn't look bad! Think of a cough drop-shaped Werther's caramel, flecked with little brown spots, and that's exactly what we were working with here. Not bad at all! But let's get into the taste, shall we? Ultimately, four of us were brave enough to suck on a Progresso Soup Drop, and let's just say no one lasted long. I wouldn't say they're unpalatable by any means, but they're…well, rough, to say the least. 👋 Hey you! If you're getting hungry for some really good soup recipes (in their classic format), take a quick minute to download the free Tasty app — where you can browse 7,500+ recipes and save your favorites. Lauren bravely volunteered to try them first. Right off the bat, she remarked on the palpable "chicken broth" scent as she removed the soup drop from its cellophane wrapper. But after she popped it into her mouth, the vibes turned pretty bad pretty fast. The wincing, coughing, and laughing seemed to suggest that it certainly wasn't enjoyable, but she didn't immediately spit it out, either. To Lauren, it tasted like gravy — "with a little sweetness to it," she added. "This is not a thing I could ever eat again, or continue to eat this. This is foul," she said as she spit the soup drop out. All in all, she lasted 43 seconds before spitting the soup drop back into its wrapper. Next up, Spencer. Immediately upon smelling the unwrapped drop, he noted that it smelled like a bouillon cube, which definitely makes sense, seeing as how bouillon cubes and these soup drops actually contain similar ingredients. After tasting it, his immediate reaction But then he changed his tune, citing a very specific moment in which maybe this soup drop could be of value to your average soup-loving person. ...ultimately, he was lying. He took it all back, and was genuinely curious if these drops were a "real thing" or "April Fools' gimmick." Ross Yoder Spencer spit out the soup drop at the 55-second mark — a solid 12 seconds longer than Lauren. For Meg, things started out OK! But everything went downhill from there. Meg remarked that the intense savoriness was simply just unpleasant, and likened the flavor profile to powdered miso soup. From first taste to "time to spit it out," Meg only lasted 30 seconds. Finally, it was time for yours truly to get a taste of the product I so kindly forced upon my coworkers. Terrified, I popped the drop into my mouth and immediately tasted lots of sage — like classic boxed stuffing. But pretty immediately the flavor turned into something entirely unpleasant. Ross Yoder For me, I really tasted the MSG, which is delicious in so many contexts, but altogether offputting in the form of a solid cough drop. The whole thing was too dead center between salty and sweet, so it ultimately just tasted I love chicken! But not chicken candy. Worse than the flavor of the soup drops, however, was the aftertaste. Meg and I both agreed that the sharp, slightly bitter aftertaste lingered around in our mouths for hours after our initial taste. No amount of water (or office fro-yo) could quell it. Not to toot my own horn, but I lasted a solid 63 seconds before spitting it out. So folks, there you have it. Though Progresso's soup drops are technically sold out now, should they ever decide to bring them back, the chaos of trying them might be worth attempting to snag some for yourself. After all, they're only $2.49 (plus tax). In this economy, I'll take it.
