Store brand vs Campbell’s Tomato Juice
Of all the brand names that hold onto their premium pricing, Campbell’s Tomato Juice is surely among the most aggressive. At my market, a 64 oz bottle is typically $4.29 or so vs $3 for generic. That’s still a relatively low differential per serving when you consider the cost of other ingredients, like heirloom tomatoes and vintage sherry vinegar in my gazpacho, so I’ve bit my thrifty tongue and paid up for Campbells. But last week the store brand stuff plummeted to $2.50, prompting a long-overdue taste test.
The verdict: Campbell’s tomato juice tastes better but for one specific reason. It has more tartness, likely due to an extra jolt of citric acid and/or malic acid. This could be rectified at home with a squeeze of lemon juice. The tomato flavor in both juices is not going to confuse anybody with fresh, but either is fine as a base for a bloody mary or other composed beverage.
So vote your heart, or your wallet, whichever is nearest and dearest when you get to the juice aisle. And if your guests are likely to see the container, we won’t tell if you pour your new generic juice into your old (but well-cleaned) Campbell’s Tomato Juice bottle.
