Naturally, I had to get a package. It’s a pretty common sight in Chicagoland, but I hadn’t seen very much Braunschweiger in stores since I moved to Atlanta a few years ago. As an added bonus, it was made by Jones Dairy Farm in Wisconsin, very much an Independent Provisioner type of company. If could support my industry while ensuring some good meals ahead, it’s a win-win for me. Sure enough, a few bites into the first sandwich and I was brought back to my grandma fixing up lunch for me in the summer when I was young.
There is and always will be an emotional attachment to food. People who grow up eating a certain type of food, or a certain brand of food, will go back to it time and time again. A lot of regional brands count on that loyalty. The tricky part comes in keeping the balance of old versus new. If you stick with nothing but traditional products, you run the risk of alienating potential new customers who want a little trendier taste. (Jalapeno and pineapple sausage? Crazier things have sold.) If you completely reinvent the product, you may lose the taste that created those loyal customers in the first place. The whole “New Coke” debacle should forever dissuade food companies from messing too much with their beloved recipes.